Ingredients
4 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
8 slices bacon, cut into 1" pieces
3/4 c. sour cream
1/3 c. butter
2 tbsp. heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 c. shredded cheddar, divided
Chopped chives, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350º. In a large pot, add potatoes and cover with 2 inches water. Boil until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and return to pot.Step 2Meanwhile, in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, 6 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.Step 3Mash potatoes. Add 1¼ cups cheddar, most of the cooked bacon, sour cream, butter, heavy cream, and garlic and season generously with salt and pepper.Step 4Transfer potatoes to oven-safe skillet (or a 9-x-13" baking dish) and top with remaining cheddar and cooked bacon.Step 5Bake until cheddar is melty, 15 minutes.Step 6Garnish with chives and serve.
Say cheese! After boiling and mashing the potatoes (we like starchy russets, the kind you’d use for a baked potato), stir in plenty of shredded Cheddar. The cheese will melt in the oven, adding ooey-gooey richness to every bite. You’ll also add a layer of cheese on top of the casserole for a chewy, slightly crispy topping. Want to to make it a little spicy? Sub in a bit of pepper jack. It’s super melty but also will add a bit of heat. Everything’s better with bacon You’d never eat a baked potato without bacon bits, right? The same applies here. Crisp chopped bacon in a skillet and stir it into the mashed potatoes along with the cheese. Of course, if you’re not a bacon fan you can use cooked crumbled sausage here. Turkey (or even tofu!) bacon will taste great too. What if I like it spicy? That is a great idea simply add in a couple (or a bunch) of dashes of your favorite hot sauce and maybe some finely chopped pickled jalapeños. How do I store leftovers? Leftovers can be transferred to an air-tonight container and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days and frozen and reheated for up to 4 months! Made this killer recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
