How do you make mashed potatoes better? Add cheddar cheese, of course! These Easy Cheesy Mashed Potatoes are super simple to make, but taste next level!
Mashed potatoes… but better!
Good mashed potatoes are one of THE best comfort foods… creamy, buttery and just a little bit salty… they are delicious, super versatile, and very budget friendly too.
How do you make mashed potatoes even better? Add cheddar cheese, of course!
Adding cheese to mashed potatoes is easy to do, but it really takes mashed potatoes to the next level.
How to make cheesy mashed potatoes…
Making cheesy mashed potatoes is so easy!
All you need to do is boil chopped potatoes until soft. Then, when the potatoes are ready, drain and return them to the pan. Add grated cheddar cheese, butter, salt and black pepper. Then mash with a potato masher until you get your desired consistency.
I like mine just like that, but if you want your cheesy mashed potatoes to be even creamier, you can add a splash of milk or cream.
(Full recipe given in the recipe card below.)
What to serve with cheesy mashed potatoes
Cheesy mashed potatoes are very versatile and can go with many different dishes. Some of my favourite matches include:
- Super Simple Savoury Mince (shown in the photos)
- Easy Peasy Beef Stew
- Easy Roast Chicken
- Sausage Casserole
- Nando’s chicken
- Easy Peasy Pot Roast
- Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks
- Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Easy Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Simple Savoury Mince
Make it your own!
There are lots of adaptations you can make to this basic cheesy mashed potatoes recipe. For example, you could:
- Experiment with different cheeses – like blue cheese, goats cheese or brie
- Add cream or milk, for an even creamer mash
- Stir in a handful of your favourite herbs – like chopped fresh chives or parsley
- Add a teaspoonful of mustard (I recommend Dijon or wholegrain) for an extra ‘kick’
- Put it in an oven dish, sprinkle with more cheese and pop it under the grill (broiler) for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbling
- Fry some lardons or diced bacon until crispy, then stir them into the mashed potatoes at the last minute
- Make this half regular potatoes, half cauliflower (or celeriac, or sweet potatoes) to get extra veg into your diet
- Stir through cooked cabbage at the end for a ‘bubble and squeak’ / colcannon vibe
- Pretty much any combination of the above!
What are the best potatoes for mash?
I have experimented with lots of different potatoes for mash over the years and I find potatoes sold in the supermarket as ‘baking potatoes’ are always the best for texture and flavour.
However, any floury potato (AKA ‘old’ or ‘maincrop’ potatoes) will work – for example Maris Piper or King Edwards (or Russet if you are in the USA).
Want more potato side dish inspo?
Then check out these recipes…
- Easy Bombay Potatoes (Bombay Aloo)
- Easy Creamy Potato Salad
- Easy Dauphinoise Potatoes
- Easy Homemade Parmentier Potatoes
- Easy Homemade Oven Chips
Easy Bombay Potatoes (Bombay Aloo)
What to do with leftover cheesy mashed potatoes
Personally, I prefer mashed potatoes made fresh, but it will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge if you end up with leftovers or you want to make it ahead of time.
Put any leftover (or made ahead) cheesy mashed potatoes in a lidded container and place in the fridge, where it will keep for up to 3 days.
You can reheat the mash in an oven set to 180C (160C fan / gas mark 4 / 350F) for 10 minutes, or until hot all the way through.
Alternatively reheat this cheesy mash in the microwave until piping hot all the way through.
Can you freeze cheesy mashed potatoes?
I am not a big fan of freezing potatoes, as to me they taste different after being frozen… and not in a good way!
However, if that’s not an issue for you, they you can absolutely freeze this cheesy mash.
Simply put the cooked and cooled mash into a lidded container and place it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
- Easy Carrot and Potato Soup
- Easy Peasy Cottage Pie
- Leftover Roast Lamb Shepherd’s Pie
- Super Simple Macaroni Cheese
- Easy Peasy Cauliflower Cheese
Carrot and Potato Soup
Easy Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 750 g floury potatoes peeled and chopped (I use Tesco Baking Potatoes – see Note 1)
- 150 g cheddar cheese grated (I use Davidstow Mature Cheddar)
- 40 g salted butter
- Salt and pepper to taste (see Note 2)
Instructions
- Put the chopped potatoes into a saucepan. Pour over enough boiling water to cover well and bring back to the boil over a high heat. Turn down and simmer for 15 minutes or until soft.
- When the potatoes are ready, drain and return to the pan. Add the grated cheese, butter, salt (if using) and black pepper. Mash with a potato masher until you get your desired consistency. (See Note 3.)
- Serve as a side to your favourite dishes, such as Super Simple Savoury Mince, Easy Peasy Beef Stew, Easy Roast Chicken or Sausage Casserole.
Notes
- I have experimented with different potatoes for mash and I find potatoes sold in the supermarket as ‘baking potatoes’ are always the best for texture and flavour. However, any floury potato (AKA ‘old’ or ‘maincrop’ potatoes) will work – for example Maris Piper or King Edwards (or Russet if you are in the USA).
- Personally, I find the salt from the butter and cheese makes the mash salty enough for my tastes, so I only add black pepper. But by all means add extra salt here if you want, to suit your personal tastes.
- If you want your cheesy mashed potatoes to be even creamier, you can add a splash of milk or cream at this point.
- Suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
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Terrassenüberdachung says
This blog post does a great job of turning simple mashed potatoes into something special with cheddar cheese. The recipe is easy to follow, and I love the customizable ideas, like adding bacon or mustard. It also gives helpful suggestions for what to serve these mashed potatoes with, making it a versatile dish. Definitely trying this out with some fresh herbs next time!
Eb Gargano says
Aw – yay, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for this lovely review 😀