Cheesy Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes Recipe + VIDEO (2024)

These Cheesy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are the best way to prep ahead for the holidays! This easy side dish takes just 10 minutes to prep and can be easily reheated when you’re ready to serve!

Do side dishes get any better than mashed potatoes? Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes…They’re all just so good.

These Cheesy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are one of my favorite mashed potato recipes.

This recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and is designed to be stored in the refrigerator overnight and easily reheated when you’re ready to serve. Except instead of dry and clumpy leftover mashed potatoes, these potatoes are still insanely rich, creamy, perfectly fluffy, and incredibly flavorful, even when they’re reheated.

This recipe is perfect for holidays or for meal prep during a busy week!

Ingredients Needed:

These Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are loaded with ingredients that keep them ultra creamy and flavorful even as they sit! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Potatoes: I like to use Russet potatoes for their fluffy texture, but if you want something a little bit more waxy go with Yukon gold instead.
• Half-and-Half or Light Cream: adds richness and moisture.
• Sour Cream: sour cream creates an ultra creamy texture and adds a slightly tangy texture to offset the richness from the cream and cheese.
• Unsalted Butter: adds flavor depth.
• Seasonings: we’re using a simple combination of salt, garlic powder, dried parsley, and black pepper to enhance the flavor of the mashed potatoes.
• Chopped Chives: give the potatoes a pop of color and freshness.
• Shredded Cheese: you can use any kind of shredded cheese you like! Try cheddar, havarti, white cheddar, gruyere, you name it.

How to Make Mashed Potatoes Ahead of Time

These mashed potatoes are the perfect make-ahead side dish! You just need a quick 10 minutes to prep, then they can be stored in the fridge until you’re ready to bake and serve.

1. Prep the potatoes: Peel the potatoes, then cut them into 1-1.5″ chunks. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the potatoes until tender. Drain.
2. Add other ingredients: To the potatoes, add cream, sour cream, butter, and seasoning. Mash until smooth, then add chives and 1 cup of cheese.
3. Bake: Transfer the potatoes to a greased 9×13″ baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with another cup of cheese, cover with foil, and store in the fridge or bake immediately.

FAQs for Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Tips and Notes

• Cut the potatoes evenly. When you cut the potatoes, do your best to cut them into evenly sized chunks. We want them to cook evenly for the best texture!
• Mash by hand. I recommend mashing the potatoes by hand to keep them nice and fluffy. Using an electric mixer can cause the potatoes to thicken too much and become gluey.
• Grease the baking dish. This helps prevent the bottom from burning as they bake.
• Brush the top with butter. A light layer of butter on top of the potatoes before baking gives them that delicious golden color and a slightly crisp top.
• Bake covered. Covering the baking dish with foil keeps the potatoes moist and prevents the cheese from burning.

Serving Suggestions

These Mashed Potatoes are perfect for holidays next to Roasted Green Beans, Homemade Creamed Corn, Honey Glazed Carrots, or any of your favorite holiday side dishes!

You can also prep them ahead for any standard meal! Try them with Baked Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Meatloaf, or Instant Pot Pork Chops with Gravy.

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