Home » Vegetarian » Mashed Potato Casserole

Mashed Potato Casserole

Out with boring old mashed potatoes and in with a cheesy, creamy mashed potato casserole! Full of fluffy mashed potatoes, gooey cheese, and topped with crispy Panko. This recipe is a great way to upgrade a boring side dish into something everyone will love.

spoon with a scoop of mashed potatoes and breadcrumbs

This loaded mashed potato casserole is the perfect side dish to make ahead of time for those busy weeknights. And who doesn’t love mashed potatoes?

You can’t beat cheesy mashed potatoes topped with panko crumbs and baked until crispy and brown on top. It just makes them even better!

Potatoes are like chicken in that you can reinvent them. I love this Dickey’s potato casserole, this twice baked potato casserole, and this chicken potato broccoli casserole. And this is a great way to use up leftover potatoes and make a filling dish that everyone loves.

This potato recipe is also perfect for feeding a crowd at your next holiday meal, or bringing to the weekly potluck with you. If you want some with a kick, check out these horseradish mashed potatoes.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy here.

individual ingredients for a recipe with text overlay labeling them

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

  • Potatoes – Russet potatoes are best but you can use Yukon Gold or even baby reds.
  • Panko crumbs – Substitute any bread crumb you like, Even gluten free. Regular seasoned ones are great but panko gives you the crispiest topping.
  • Cheese – A sharp cheddar cheese is great! I personally love Emmentaler for it’s nutty flavor. Mozzarella is also a great choice.

Follow us on Pinterest so you can easily save your favorite casserole recipes to your dinner planning board. And save a few of our other recipes while you are there!

How To Make Mashed Potato Casserole

mashed potatoes in a pot with sour cream and butter
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 9×13 casserole dish with spray. Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to your pot. Gently mash the potatoes.
mashed potatoes in a yellow pot with shredded cheese
  1. Add in sour cream, milk cheese, and 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir gently and season with salt and pepper.
creamy potatoes spread in a white rectangle dish with a blue napkin
  1. Spread potato mixture into baking dish prepped with cooking spray. In a separate bowl, combine the panko and melted butter.
unbaked casserole in a white dish with a wood spoon
  1. Layer the buttered bread crumbs over the mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and the top is golden brown.

For the full recipe and detailed cooking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

close up of bread crumbs on a white dish

Serving Suggestions

Mashed potatoes go with just about everything! I like to serve mine with chicken, pork chops, and other vegetables like green beans, and brussels sprouts.

If you don’t need to keep it vegetarian, you can’t beat adding some bacon to it:)

Storage & Prep Ahead

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top until warmed through.

This is perfect for making ahead of time! Cool completely and store in the fridge. If I am making it for a dinner later in the week, I will leave off the panko topping and add it fresh when I am reheating it.

You can also freeze this for later. Assemble, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

If you notice that your potatoes are a little drier than you would like, add some broth, water, or milk until they are creamy again.

overhead of baked casserole with scoop missing

Tips For The Best Casserole

  • Yukon Gold potatoes are great for this too with a rich yellow color and buttery flavor. You can also use leftover or store-bought mashed potatoes.
  • Want to spice it up? Add in garlic powder or garlic salt and some crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Instead of a 9×13 dish, make it in two 8×8 casseroles and freezer for later!
  • If you want the creamiest mashed potatoes, add in some cream cheese.
  • For my cheese lovers out there, you can add a cup of cheddar cheese on top with your panko crumbs, giving this casserole a gooey and melty topping that will be a hit.
  • Don’t forget to salt your cold water when cooking your potatoes to give them some extra flavor.
  • You can make this baked potato casserole in the slow cooker too! Layer everything in the slow cooker, cook on high for 1 hour or low for 2 hours. You can add the panko topping but it won’t get crispy. I would just add some shredded cheese during the last 15 minutes so that it melts.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!

Pinterest pin image for mashed potato casserole recipe

This cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole will be your new favorite, whether you’re making it for a family get together, holiday dinner, or just want something to prepare ahead of time for busy weeknight dinners.

closeup of scoop missing from casserole in a white dish

Mashed Potato Casserole

This cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole is full of creamy mashed potatoes, gooey cheese, and a crispy topping.
Rate me!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Vegetarian
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 5 large Russet potatoes roughly 3 pounds
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 6 tablespoons butter divided 4 tbsp + 2 tbsp
  • 1 cup panko crumbs
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
  • Peel and dice the Russet potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water.
  • Stir in 2 teaspoons salt if desired.
  • Bring the water to boil over high heat and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and return potatoes to the pot.
  • Gently mash the potatoes with a potato masher or large fork until most of the large pieces are gone.
  • Stir in the the milk, sour cream, beaten egg, cheese, and 4 tablespoons of butter. Mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
  • Spread the potato mixture in the prepared baking dish.
  • In a small bowl, combine the panko with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the buttered panko crumbs over the mashed potatoes.
  • Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are hot and the top is golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Notes

  • Yukon Gold potatoes are great for this too with a rich yellow color and buttery flavor.
  • If you want the creamiest mashed potatoes, add in some cream cheese to make the consistency even thicker and more rich. 
  • For my cheese lovers out there, you can add a cup of cheddar cheese on top with your panko crumbs, giving this casserole a gooey and melty topping that will be a hit.
  • Don’t forget to salt your cold water when cooking your potatoes to give them some extra flavor!
The original recipe first appeared on Leftovers Then Breakfast.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 174mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g

BestCasseroleRecipes.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Similar Posts

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating