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    Home » SIDES

    Perfect Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

    Modified: Dec 13, 2023 by Susan Pridmore · This post may contain affiliate links · 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.

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    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 than russets to keep the mashed potatoes creamy.
    • Need a vegan recipe? Here's a great recipe for vegan mashed potatoes without vegan butter that needs only 3 ingredients.
    • If you love cheese too, another way to make cheesy mashed potatoes is as a mashed potato casserole. This recipe has bacon but just substitute vegan bacon.

    📇 More Mashed Recipes

    Miso Mashed Potato Stuffed Mushrooms

    Mashed Celery Root with Blue Cheese and Watercress

    Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe
    A bowl of cheesy mashed potatoes topped with ground pepper and chopped parsley.
    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.
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe Add to Recipe Collection Go to Collections Add to Shopping ListGo to Shopping List
    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: Susan Pridmore
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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

     

    « Thanksgiving Planning: 2 Weeks Before
    Vegetarian Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Better Than Panera) »

    About Susan Pridmore

    Susan Pridmore is an award-winning cookbook author and the owner of The Wimpy Vegetarian. She has been featured in Huffington Post, Healthline, BuzzFeed, and has written for and developed recipes for The Food Network and Parade Magazine. She is professionally trained and focuses on easy vegetarian recipes for busy lives, bread-baking, and tips for new vegetarians. Susan lives in the mountains in Lake Tahoe with her husband and mini-labradoodle.

    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
    5 from 13 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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    Hi there! I'm an award-winning cookbook author, culinary school graduate, professional photographer and recipe developer. My cookbook Simply Vegetarian was named #1 best cookbook for new vegetarians, and I want to make it easier for you to cook fabulous vegetarian meals. Come join me in the kitchen!

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