This dish is totally worthy of a spot on your holiday dinner table! Creamy, buttery, cheesy mashed potatoes, topped with crispy bacon, fresh chives and more cheese. No one will be able to pass up on these! 

I will never deny a potato. Mashed potatoes are usually served as a side dish but THIS loaded baked potato casserole, I’d be completely fine with just eating that. 😉 I would never judge you if you did the same! This amazing dish takes mashed potatoes to the next level.  

The best part of this dish? You can make it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven to heat it up. It can get so hectic in the kitchen when cooking a family dinner or holiday dinner so making this in advance is so helpful when you’re working on several side dishes.

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3/4 cup of milk (I used whole)
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup sour cream
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 12 slices cooked and chopped bacon, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

• Peel and cube potatoes.
• Place in a pot and add water until just covering potatoes, and boil for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Drain water and mash potatoes using a masher or hand mixer. Stir in the  milk, melted butter, 1 cup cheddar cheese, sour cream and kosher salt and pepper to taste. Fold in half the bacon and mix well.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Spoon into a lightly greased 9×9 pan or 2 quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.
• Cover the pan with foil and place into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, remove foil and top with remaining bacon. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. 
• Garnish with chives and parsley and serve immediately.

RECIPE NOTES

MAKE AHEAD OF TIME:

• Place the prepared mashed potatoes in the baking pan and top with cheese. Cover and place in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Proceed with the rest of the recipe instructions when you’re ready to bake it. Add 10 minutes to baking time.

Adapted from Dinner At The Zoo