The perfect side dish for the holidays, this recipe for Cheesy Mashed Potatoes uses cream cheese and mozzarella for the easiest, creamiest and cheesiest results.

Cheesy mashed potatoes with roasted walnuts and black pepper in a white ceramic bowl.

Honestly, who doesn’t love Cheesy Mashed Potatoes? It is a perfect side when served with chicken breast or meatballs. The humble potato is a crowd pleaser in any form, but when mashed and mixed with milk it instantly becomes the star of any dinner.

Add cream cheese and mozzarella and you have yourself a mega hit. Whether you’re making this for a weeknight dinner like our favorite Lemon Chicken Wings or a holiday celebration, it’ll be the most popular dish on the table.

We do love it with our famous kadinbudu kofte too! They make a perfect couple!

Cooked and peeled potatoes in a white ceramic bowl for cheesy mashed potatoes on a dark background.

How to Make

Mashed potatoes are super easy to make and require very little active cooking. First, you’ll need to boil the potatoes. Although there are multiple ways to do this, I find that it’s best to boil them whole rather than cut into pieces. The potatoes cook more evenly when whole, which results in a smoother texture in your mashed potatoes. You can also choose to peel the potatoes before boiling or after. Either works and this is completely up to personal preference.

When you boil the potatoes, you can also add cauliflower and mash it together with the potatoes once they’re cooked. Or try adding a few peeled garlic cloves to make cheesy garlic mashed potatoes.

Hands pouring milk from a black ceramic cup on mashed potatoes .

Which Cheese?

My cheesy mashed potato recipe is a little unusual because it does not use butter. Instead it utilizes two types of cheese for an extra creamy texture: cream cheese and mozzarella. Make sure the potatoes are still hot when you add the cheese. This will ensure that the cheese melts and fully incorporates. In the same vein, it’s important that the milk is warm when added. The warmed milk will stop the potatoes from getting cold and will make for a smoother texture.

Another great twist to this recipe is the topping. Crumbled walnuts are sautéed in olive oil until fragrant and sprinkled on top of the finished dish. Toppings add a visually appealing touch as well as great flavor and crunch. If you want to go the extra mile, try adding cooked, chopped bacon to the nuts before sprinkling over the potatoes.

Hands mashing potatoes in a white ceramic bowl using a fork.

How To Store

Mashed potatoes will keep in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to three days. I recommend stirring in an extra splash of milk when it’s time to reheat. They can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. When you’re ready to eat, simply leave the container in the fridge until fully thawed.

Ways to Use Up Leftovers

If you’re anything like me, it’s very unlikely that you’ll have leftovers after this dish has been on the table. But if you do, there are lots of great uses for these Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, aside from eating them straight out of the bowl.

Try using them to top mini shepherd’s pies or make super quick and easy mashed potato waffles by mixing in a little flour and some green onions.

Hands holding cheesy mashed potatoes with roasted walnuts and black pepper in a white ceramic bowl

More Side Dishes

More Recipes with Potatoes

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📖 Recipe

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Print Recipe

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5 from 1 review

Creamy and cheesy mashed potatoes that can be served everyday at dinner.

Author: Zerrin & Yusuf
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 ½ pounds potatoes
½ cup milk, heated
2 ounces cream cheese
½ cup mozzarella, grated
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For topping:

1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup walnuts, crumbled

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Instructions

Place the potatoes in a large pot and pour cold water over them to cover. Bring it to boil. Let it simmer uncovered until tender, for about 20 minutes. Check tenderness with a fork or knife. Drain.
Peel and mash the potatoes. Add in milk, cream cheese, grated mozzarella, salt and black pepper. Stir the mixture until combined well. Depending on the type of potatoes, you might need to add extra hot milk, 1 tablespoon at a time so that it becomes as creamy as you desire.
For the topping, heat olive oil in a small pan and saute crumbled walnuts or any nut you like just until they start to smell, for about 5 minutes. Top mashed potatoes with roasted nuts and optionally sprinkle extra black pepper over it.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 portion
Calories: 285
Sugar: 3.7g
Sodium: 332.3mg
Fat: 14.9g
Carbohydrates: 31.7g
Protein: 7.5g
Cholesterol: 11.7mg

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