Make-Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole
Creamy mashed potatoes baked beneath a bubbly topping of mozzarella, cheddar, bacon, and green onion. Assemble ahead and bake when you’re ready to serve.
By Cookin' KitchenUpdated
- Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Servings: 10 servings
Recipe
Make-Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole
Creamy mashed potatoes baked beneath a bubbly topping of mozzarella, cheddar, bacon, and green onion. Assemble ahead and bake when you’re ready to serve.
Cookin' · https://cookin.club/recipes/make-ahead-mashed-potato-casserole
- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Cook
- 1 hour
- Total
- 1 hour 25 minutes
- Servings
- 10
Ingredients
For 10 servings
Potatoes and mash
Topping
Equipment
- Non-stick pan
- Paper towels
- Large pot
- Fork
- Colander
- 2 litre / 2 quart baking dish
- Foil
- Oven
Instructions
Cook the bacon
Step 1: Place the bacon in a cold non-stick pan over medium heat without oil. As the pan heats, the bacon fat will melt. Once some fat has melted, raise the heat to medium-high and stir for 3 minutes or until golden.
Step 2: Drain the bacon on paper towels.
Make the mash
Step 3: Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3 cm chunks.
Step 4: Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water so it reaches 10 cm above them. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until very soft; they should fall apart when tested with a fork.
Step 5: Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pot. Leave for 1 minute, shaking the pot occasionally to help the water evaporate.
Step 6: Add the milk, including the extra milk if making the casserole ahead, along with the butter, sour cream, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mash until smooth.
Tip: Avoid using a food processor, blender, or beater, which can make the mash gluey.
Make ahead
Step 7: Let the mash cool completely on the counter, then cover tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate.
Step 8: Take the casserole out of the refrigerator and leave it on the counter for 2 hours before reheating.
Assemble and bake
Step 9: Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan).
Step 10: Spread the potatoes in a 2 litre / 2 quart baking dish and smooth the surface.
Tip: A 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13 inch dish also works.
Step 11: Sprinkle the cheeses over the potatoes, then top with the bacon.
Step 12: Loosely cover with foil. Bake covered for 20 minutes if freshly made, or 35 minutes if making ahead.
Step 13: Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Step 14: Sprinkle with green onion and serve.
Tip: The casserole stays warm for about 20 minutes.
Notes
Make-ahead and storage
The assembled casserole can be refrigerated, uncooked and without the green onion, for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours before reheating. Leftovers keep for 3 days, though the mash may be less creamy.
Ingredient notes
Starchy or all-purpose potatoes work well for mashing. Red Leicester or cheddar can be replaced with another flavorful cheese such as Colby, Gruyère, or Swiss. Pack the shredded cheese firmly when measuring by volume.
The no-oil bacon method uses streaky or fatty bacon. If using lean bacon, preheat oil in the pan.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 333 kcal
- Fat
- 21 g
- Saturated fat
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 1,057 mg
- Cholesterol
- 54 mg
Estimated values; they will vary with the exact ingredients and brands you use.
About this recipe
Creamy mashed potatoes, topped with cheese and bacon, bake into a bubbling casserole that’s easy to prepare ahead. Serve it in place of plain mashed potatoes as a side dish.
For the make-ahead version, add the extra milk so the mash stays creamy after chilling and reheating. Assemble the casserole without the green onion, cover, and refrigerate; take it out of the fridge 2 hours before reheating.
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