Cheesy mashed potatoes offer indulgent goodness for every meal. Rich, buttery mashed potatoes get taken to the next level with three kinds of cheese, making them an indulgent holiday, or any day, side!

Cheesy mashed potatoes with freshly cracked black pepper.

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There is no more perfect pairing in this world than cheese and carbs.

Even better when there are three cheeses involved and the carbs in question are potatoes.

That, friends, is exactly the situation in these cheesy mashed potatoes.

You’ve got ooey gooey goodness in every bite.

They are indulgent, rich, and silky and pair will with almost anything from your Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham to a chicken dinner.

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

Ingredients for cheesy mashed potatoes: cream, potatoes, cheddar cheese, butter, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Here’s what you need to make the gooiest mashed potatoes you have ever had:

Potatoes – We typically use Russet potatoes, but you could use white potatoes or red potatoes. You will want to plan for about a half pound of raw potato per person. For larger helpings, you may want to increase the amount you use to about three quarters of a pound.
Cream – We typically use heavy cream, but light cream, half and half, or milk will also work. You can also use non-dairy options. However, for the most indulgent version you’ll definitely want heavy or light cream or half and half. And do not for the love of all things good use skim milk. There’s a time and a place for that and these potatoes aren’t it.
Parmesan Cheese – You can use freshly grated, shredded, or the pre-grated stuff that comes in the can.
Cream Cheese – You can use your preferred brand. Use full fat cream cheese for the best texture and most richness.
White Cheddar – You can use sharp or mild. You can also use yellow cheddar if you like. The white just tends to blend in better with the mashed potatoes.
Butter – More butter means more richness.
Garlic – You can skip fresh garlic, but for a bit of added flavor, we add in a few fresh cloves of minced or crushed garlic.
Salt and Peppa (yo)

You won’t need any special equipment for making cheesy mashed potatoes, but you may want to get out:

How to Make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

1. Prep and boil the potatoes.

Thoroughly wash and peel your potatoes.

If you like, you can leave the skin on, but they will not get as smooth.

Use your knife to carefully remove any bruised areas and then cut the potatoes into roughly 1 inch cubes.

Add cool water to a pot with potatoes to start the process of making mashed potatoes. — Add cubed potatoes to a pot to boil.

Place all the cubes in a pot and then fill to fully cover the potatoes with cool water.

Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil.

Allow the potatoes to boil for about 40 minutes or until they are fork tender.

Freshly boiled potatoes to make cheesy mashed potatoes. — Freshly boiled potatoes.

Cooking potatoes until they are fork tender. — Freshly boiled potatoes.

Carefully remove from the stove and drain the potatoes into a colander.

2. Mash the potatoes and cheese.

Return the potatoes to the pot or use another mixing bowl if you don’t want to risk damaging your pot.

The easiest way to mash potatoes is with a hand mixer, but a potato masher works well too.

Cooked potatoes, cream cheese, and garlic ready to mash together. — Add in the garlic and cream cheese to mash.

Mashing cheesy mashed potatoes. — Add in the garlic and cream cheese to mash.

Add the cream, cream cheese, garlic, and butter to the potatoes and start to mash.

Adding in parmesan cheese to cheesy mashed potatoes. — Add in the parm cheese.

Once the potatoes are thoroughly mashed, add in the cheddar cheese and parm cheese.

Keep mashing or mixing until you reach the desired smoothness.

Adding cream to mashed potatoes to increase the moisture level. — Add cream to help moisten the potatoes.

If the potatoes seem dry, add a small amount of cream – 1 to 2 tablespoons – and mix some more.

You can keep adding small amounts of cream until you reach your desired consistency.

If the cheesy mashed potatoes are too loose or watery, you can add in small amounts of parmesan cheese to help absorb the excess moisture.

Work in a similar fashion, adding some more cheese and then mixing until you reach your desired level of moisture.

Mashed potatoes in a pot after mashing them. — Ready to dish and served cheesy mashed potatoes.

Serve immediately with your favorite dinner.

Serving

Cheesy mashed potatoes with freshly cracked black pepper and butter.

Serve cheesy mashed potatoes with your favorite main dishes and along side other popular sides.

We often pair mashed potatoes with:

Storing

You can make cheesy mashed potatoes ahead of a big meal.

To store, place the cooled potatoes in an air tight container and place in the fridge for up to about 3 to 5 days.

You can also store them in the freezer for up to 6 months, just make sure to thaw them in the fridge before reheating.

You can reheat in a pot on the stove top set over medium low heat, stirring frequently.

You could also reheat in the microwave for a few seconds, stirring between cycles.

Tips and Tricks

Follow these easy tips and tricks to make cheesy mashed potatoes even better:

You can help prevent gummy mashed potatoes by heating the cream slightly before adding, using a hand masher instead of a food processor or hand mixer, and avoid over mixing them.
You can add as much cheese as you like to these mashed potatoes. Just add in small amounts and mix to combine.
You can add a bit more salt and pepper if you like or omit these altogether.
Choose the right potatoes. Yes you can technically use any potato, but your best bet is to use Yukon gold with their naturally buttery flavor or Russet with their excess starch that absorbs fats, like butter, really well.

Get Thanksgiving Ready

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Check out some of these classic and modern options in our Friendsgiving Roundup.

Other Mashed Potato Recipes

If you’ve ever been here before you know I’m passionate about spuds especially when they are mashed. Here are a few favorite recipes:

Mascarpone mashed potatoes– These potatoes are the elegant, Italian cousin of these triple cheesy mashed potatoes. Instead of cream cheese, you’ll find smooth mascarpone and the whole glorious dish is finished with rosemary infused butter.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes– Trying to save room on your stove top this holiday season? Make your mashed potatoes in your Instant Pot instead of on the stove.
Parmesan Garlic Twice Baked Potato Casserole– Garlic and parmesan get baked in a decadent mashed potato style side dish perfect for your holiday table.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes– Roasted garlic adds a lot of flavor to your potatoes without being overpowering. Such a yummy way to take your potatoes to the next level!
Easy Mashed Potatoes with Red Skin– Hate peeling potatoes? This one’s for you. Baby red potatoes get mashed with their skin on for the side dish of your dreams.

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