Filled with fluffy potatoes, creamy cheese, and crispy bacon, this Loaded Potato Casserole is a hearty and filling dish!
I’m a huge lover of casseroles! They are the perfect way to squeeze several different ingredients into just one pan. Some favorites include spaghetti, cheesy hashbrown, and sausage and egg — this Loaded Potato Casserole is the latest addition to my lineup, and I can’t get enough of it.
I’m also a fan of baked potatoes so when I set up a Potato Bar I knew I had to find a way to turn it into a casserole too.
Why This Recipe Works
Is there anything better than potatoes, cheese, and bacon?! These simple ingredients come together to form something really magical every time.
You can serve this cheesy potato casserole as a side dish or you can pair it with vegetables and a protein of your choice to create a hearty meal. No matter which way you decide to enjoy it, you’re going to love the combination of flavors and textures.
The other beautiful thing about Loaded Potato Casserole is that it comes together in under an hour. All you’ll need to do is combine the ingredients, bake, and enjoy.
Ingredients Needed
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: You can use whatever spuds you have on hand for my loaded mashed potato casserole. I personally use red potatoes — I also like to leave a bit of skin on for added texture and color! I suggest that you cut them into large cubes and boil them before mashing.
- Cream Cheese: Much of the creaminess in this dish comes from the addition of rich cream cheese.
- Cheddar: This type of cheese is buttery and sharp in flavor. Paired with cream cheese, sour cream, and crispy bacon, it’s a sure crowd pleaser.
- Bacon: Anyone else part of the add-bacon-to-everything club? Again, it works so well alongside the other ingredients. The added crispiness and salt complement the creamy cheeses.
How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Recipe prep. Preheat your oven to 375° F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with oil or your preferred cooking spray.
- Mash the potatoes. You can boil or bake your potatoes before mashing them, whichever method you prefer. Place them in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until smooth.
- Add the cheeses. Place the cream cheese, sour cream, and butter into the bowl and continue to mash.
- Incorporate the milk. Pour the milk (or cream) into the potato mixture one tablespoon at a time and continue to mash. At this point, the consistency should be very creamy.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients. Add the garlic powder, cheddar cheese, green onions, and crumbled bacon into the mix.
- Assemble the Loaded Potato Casserole. Spread the potato, cheese, and bacon mixture into your prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the toppings evenly on top.
- Bake. Place the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and starts to bubble.
Storage and or Freezing Instructions
- Make-ahead instructions: You can make this cheesy potato casserole up to 2 days ahead of time. Simply assemble and bake as instructed above and store in the fridge — wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or tin foil.
- Freezing instructions: This dish freezes wonderfully. If you plan on freezing it, I suggest that you bake it in a freezer-safe aluminum baking dish. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven with a bit of added shredded cheese!
- Storage instructions: Store any leftover loaded mashed potato casserole in an airtight container in the fridge. You can heat it in the microwave or oven.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Make it vegetarian. You can easily make this dish vegetarian-friendly by skipping the bacon. You may consider adding some veggies like broccoli or cauliflower instead!
- Make a main dish out of it. Alternatively, if you want to make my loaded mashed potato casserole even more hearty, add ground beef or sausage into the mix.
- Use cream instead of milk. You can choose to use heavy cream instead of milk to achieve an even creamier consistency. If you do opt to stick with milk, I recommend that you use whole.
FAQS
I like the idea of serving this dish with steak, roasted chicken, or pork chops. You can also pair it with green beans or salad.
I typically like to freeze casseroles without meat uncooked. That said, because there is bacon in my cheesy potato casserole, I cook it before popping it in the freezer.
You don’t need to cover my Loaded Potato Casserole before baking. You want the cheese to bubble, melt, and take on a slightly golden brown hue — you can achieve this with direct heat.
Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this Loaded Potato Casserole, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars.
Loaded Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 6 medium Russet Potatoes baked or boiled
- ½ cup Butter melted
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Milk or cream
- 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2½ cups Cheddar Cheese
- 4 Green Onions chopped, green parts only
- 10 slices Bacon cooked and crumbled
Topping
- ½ cup Cheddar Cheese
- 2 slices Bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons Chives chopped, or green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º F and lightly grease or coat a 9×13 casserole dish in oil or cooking spray.
- Peel and chop the potatoes and place them into a large pot filled with water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until they become fork tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. You can also bake your potatoes and scoop the potato from the skin or include the skin.
- Place the baked potatoes or boiled potatoes in a large bowl and mash them using a potato masher or a handheld mixer until smooth.
- Add the butter, cream cheese, and sour cream and continue to mash into the potatoes.
- Slowly pour the milk or cream into the potatoes a little at a time while continuing to mash it into the potato mixture. The consistency should be very creamy.
- Mix in the garlic powder, cheddar cheese, green onions, and crumbled bacon.
- Spread the potato mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the toppings on top.
- Bake for 35 to 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble on top.
Notes
- Make it vegetarian. You can easily make this dish vegetarian-friendly by skipping the bacon. You may consider adding some veggies like broccoli or cauliflower instead!
- Make a main dish out of it. Alternatively, if you want to make my loaded mashed potato casserole even more hearty, add ground beef or sausage into the mix.
- Use cream instead of milk. You can choose to use heavy cream instead of milk to achieve an even creamier consistency. If you do opt to stick with milk, I recommend that you use whole.
Storage and or Freezing Instructions
- Make-ahead instructions: You can make this cheesy potato casserole up to 2 days ahead of time. Simply assemble and bake as instructed above and store in the fridge — wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or tin foil.
- Freezing instructions: This dish freezes wonderfully. If you plan on freezing it, I suggest that you bake it in a freezer-safe aluminum baking dish. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven with a bit of added shredded cheese!
- Storage instructions: Store any leftover loaded mashed potato casserole in an airtight container in the fridge. You can heat it in the microwave or oven.
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