Loaded Potato Casserole

5 from 1 vote

Filled with fluffy potatoes, creamy cheese, and crispy bacon, this Loaded Potato Casserole is a hearty and filling dish!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 475kcal

Preheat the oven to 375º F and lightly grease or coat a 9x13 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.

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.

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.