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    Home » SIDES

    Perfect Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

    November 8, 2022 4 Comments

    The secret to perfect creamy, mashed potatoes (no lumps!) is a combination of using the right kind of potatoes and the right tools. And lots of cream and butter. For a cheesy version, we include lots of cheddar cheese.

    For a big dinner, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, make them ahead and freeze them!

    Jump to Recipe
    A bowl of cheesy mashed potatoes topped with ground pepper and chopped parsley.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🧅 Ingredients + Notes
    • 🔪 Recommended Equipment
    • 📝 Instructions Overview
    • 👩‍🍳 Preparation Tips
    • 💡Ideas for Possible Variations
    • 📇 More Mashed Recipes
    • Fail-Proof Cheesy Mashed Potatoes (Recipe)

    I've made mashed potatoes dozens of times, and somehow always find a little lump or two. Or 50. Or 500. I needed (desperately) a fail-proof way to make perfect mashed potatoes. And because my family LOVES cheese, I needed a recipe for perfect cheesy mashed potatoes.

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    • It's guaranteed lump-free!
    • You don't have to peel the potatoes first. The potato ricer removes them in one easy step.
    • Make it your own by using a different cheese, such as a truffled goat cheese.

    🧅 Ingredients + Notes

    • Yukon yellow potatoes - I recommend small ones so that the skins can be easily removed in the potato ricer.
    • Half and Half
    • Unsalted butter
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Cheddar cheese - don't get pre-grated cheddar. It's best to grate your own.
    • Parsley

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.

    🔪 Recommended Equipment

    • Dutch oven
    • Medium pot
    • Potato ricer
    • Cheese grater

    📝 Instructions Overview

    Detailed instructions for making these cheesy mashed potatoes are in the recipe card below, but here's an overview!

    Step 1

    Cook the potatoes. Simmer the potatoes (unpeeled) in well-salted water until tender.

    Step 2

    Warm up the cream. Warm the butter and cream together until the butter is melted. Stir in the salt and pepper

    Step 3

    Rice the potatoes. Push the potatoes through a ricer into the pot of cream and butter. The skins will slough off in the the ricer. Discard.

    Step 4

    Add cheese. Stir in the cheese with a wooden or large metal spoon. Allow the cheese to melt, stirring only occasionally. There's no need to use a mixer.

    Step 5

    Serve. Serve warm with a flourish of freshly ground pepper and a little parsley, if desired.

    👩‍🍳 Preparation Tips

    Never ever use a food processor to make mashed potatoes. The starch in the potatoes turns to glue.

    I've used a mixer with decent results, but if potatoes are mixed at too high a speed for too long, the potatoes become glue-y. And I often have a few small lumps.

    The potato ricer easily prevents lumps in mashed potatoes, and serves to remove the skins all that the same time.

    💡Ideas for Possible Variations

    • Any melty cheese works in these potatoes. Another cheese I've used is Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheeses. Truffled goat cheese is another big winner with these potatoes.
    • I've made some great mashed potatoes by combining Yukons and russet potatoes, but I recommend the mix includes more Yukons that russets to keep the mashed potatoes creamy.
    • Need a vegan recipe? Here's a great recipe for vegan mashed potatoes without vegan btter that needs only 3 ingredients.

    📇 More Mashed Recipes

    Miso Mashed Potato Stuffed Mushrooms

    Mashed Celery Root with Blue Cheese and Watercress

    Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)

    A bowl of cheesy mashed potatoes topped with ground pepper and chopped parsley.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 13 votes

    Fail-Proof Cheesy Mashed Potatoes (Recipe)

    The secret to perfect creamy, mashed potatoes (no lumps!) is a combination of using the right kind of potatoes and the right tools. And lots of cream and butter. For a cheesy version, we include lots of cheddar cheese.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time40 minutes mins
    Course: Vegetable Side
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: mashed potatoes, Thanksgiving Sides
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 340.6kcal
    Author: The Wimpy Vegetarian

    Equipment

    • Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot
    • medium pot
    • Potato Ricer
    • box grater

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes smaller potatoes are best for this recipe
    • ⅓ cup half-and-half
    • 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
    • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
    • ⅔ cup grated cheddar cheese, or other melty cheese
    • Parsley, optional garnish

    Instructions

    • Add the potatoes to a well salted pot of water, cover the pot, and bring to a simmer. I recommend a Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot for this.
      Cook until very tender, about 25 minutes.
    • Combine the half-and-half and butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Bring just barely to a simmer and melt the butter. Stir in the salt and pepper.
    • Push the potatoes through a potato ricer into the pot of hot milk and butter, and discard the skins from the ricer.
      Stir in the grated cheese, using a wooden or large metal spoon. Adjust the seasoning, if needed.
      Serve warm with a final flourish of freshly ground pepper and chopped parsley, if desired.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 340.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 9.7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 44.7mg | Sodium: 731.4mg | Potassium: 998.2mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2.7g | Vitamin A: 483.3IU | Vitamin C: 44.9mg | Calcium: 184.4mg | Iron: 1.8mg

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    The Wimpy Vegetarian
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barbara | Creative Culinary

      December 17, 2015 at 9:26 am

      I could quite simply eat this entire bowl all by myself. They look SO good!

      Reply
    2. Oakley @ Frieda's

      December 18, 2015 at 2:01 pm

      5 stars
      I'm so glad you like the Butter Babies as much as I do! And now I want that truffle cheese.

      Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    3. mjskitchen

      December 21, 2015 at 8:22 pm

      Oh I can taste the butter and the cheese. What a delicious bowl of potatoes!!! Great dish for the holidays and any day. 🙂
      So are you ready for the holidays? Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!!! See you in 2016!

      Reply
    4. Chef Rossi

      December 22, 2015 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      love this, simple gorgeous glory, now I am hungry!!

      Reply

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