Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes are loaded with lots of ooey, gooey cheddar cheese and fresh minced garlic. Easy garlic mashed potatoes are super creamy and always a crowd favorite. These are the BEST garlic mashed potatoes to serve for holidays or any dinner you want to make extra special.

These delicious mashed potatoes are simple, but perfect for any holiday dinner! You are going to love this holiday side dish or try some of our other favorites like Brown Sugar Carrots or Fresh Cranberry Sauce. For a still delicious, but lower in calories side dish, make Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

Cheesy garlic mashed potatoes in a baking dish topped with garlic chives.

Homemade Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I like a lot of foods and I realize that I have a lot of “favorites.” But, I do not think there is a food I have loved for as long (or as much) as mashed potatoes. They are the side dish that go with every meal, the ultimate comfort food.

Call me weird, but on Thanksgiving Day, I never saw the turkey as the “main attraction.” For me, the star of the show was always the mashed potatoes. So creamy and dreamy, nothing compares to them. Well…the sweet potato casserole and the rolls run a close second.

This mashed potato recipe is oh so fluffy and filled with decadence. They are loaded with cheddar cheese for gooeyness, sour cream for tanginess, and heavy cream for the most amazing texture. That’s what makes these so good to make for holidays. Golden mashed potatoes are amazing! These would be great to serve with everyday dinners, as well, with a few small tweaks to make them a little healthier (like using non-fat milk and light sour cream instead of the calorie heavy ingredients).

Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Where are all my garlic lovers at?

Since these are homemade garlic mashed potatoes (emphasis on the garlic!!), I did not want to disappoint so I made these mashed taters with plenty of garlic. If you are a garlic lover like me, you will naturally want to add in as much garlic as possible. If you are so-so with the garlic, feel welcome to cut the garlic waaaay down. You can just throw in a couple cloves. Or add even more if you really love garlic!

We can’t forget to talk about the cheese!

The second element that makes these simple mashed potatoes so flavorful is that cheddar cheese. I am a cheese lover and these potatoes are loaded with delicious, gooey cheese. It add that extra layer of flavor that makes these mashed potatoes amazing. These are the best potatoes, nothing beats cheese garlic mashed potatoes!

How to make mashed potatoes creamy?

To make creamy homemade mashed potatoes make sure you use the right potatoes. I like to use Yukon gold potatoes or Russet potatoes. You are also going to need lots of butter and cream. Add the butter in letting it melt completely and mixing it in before adding in the cream.

Using a potato ricer or food mill will give you extra smooth and creamy mashed potatoes. But a hand mixer or potato masher will give you pretty great results.

What are the Best Potatoes to Use for Mashed Potatoes?

My absolutely favorite potatoes to use in these creamy garlic mashed potatoes are Yukon Gold potatoes. They have this sweet flavor, a beautiful golden color, and create the most creamy mashed potatoes. If you have access to these potatoes they are the ones you want to use in these mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, I can’t always get them where I live, so I go with my second favorite potato. The ever versatile, Russet potato.

The Russet potato works well in mashed potatoes because it is a very starch potato. It also has a great flavor and yields a super creamy texture. Avoid potatoes that are overly waxy like red or white potatoes. You could also use Dutch Creams, Creme Gold, or Creme Royale potatoes.

Above view of cheesy garlic mashed potatoes in a baking dish topped with garlic chives.

Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

Before we start in on making these delicious mashed potatoes we will go over the ingredients needed to make them.

Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes are my fave, if you can get them use them in this recipe. If not, Russet potatoes are a great substitute (that’s what I used).
Butter: Use unsalted, fresh butter.
Cheese: Freshly shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for topping.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is a must for that true, garlicky flavor.
Sour Cream: You can use low fat or full fat.
Heavy Cream: Adds a delicious creaminess.
Salt: I like to use sea salt in this recipe.
Pepper: Freshly ground pepper.
Garlic Chives: For sprinkling on top when you are about to serve the potatoes. These are optional and you could also just use plain chives.

All of the ingredients needed for garlic mashed potatoes like cheddar cheese, potatoes, butter and sour cream.

How to Make Garlic Mashed Potatoes

To make tasty mashed potatoes, you just need to follow this simple recipe. For more specific ingredient amounts and instructions, just scroll down to the recipe card.

Add cut potatoes to a large pot, fill with cold water until potatoes are just covered. Bring up to a boil and cook for 20-25 minutes until fork slides into the potatoes easily. Drain the water. Put potatoes back into the pot.
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes. For really creamy mashed potatoes, use a food mill or potato ricer. Adding in 1/3 of the potatoes at a time.
Add in butter, cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mash all of the ingredients together. Place into an 8×8 or 2 quart baking dish. Top with an additional sprinkling of cheese.
Cook for 30-35 minutes until heated through.

Cut up potatoes, boil potatoes, drain and mash.

Add in the butter and all the rest of ingredients. Blend or mash the potatoes together. Put into baking dish, top with cheese and bake.

Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes Tips

Yukon Gold Potatoes. I recommend using Yukon Golds, they make the absolute best mashed potatoes.
Don’t over cook the potatoes. If you over cook the potatoes they can become mealy, so make sure you keep an eye on them when they come close to the end of cooking. Cook until just fork tender.
Don’t over mash the potatoes. If you over mash the potatoes they can end up gummy, another bad texture in mashed potatoes.
Same size potatoes. Try to cut potato chunks as uniform as you can, this will ensure they boil evenly.
Creamiest mashed potatoes. To make extra creamy garlic mashed potatoes, I recommend using a potato ricer or food mill. I’m good with a few lumps in my mashed potatoes, so I just use a potato masher or a mixer.
Peel potatoes. I recommend peeling your potatoes, unless you like peels in your mashed potatoes. Or peel most of the potatoes just leaving a little of the peel on.
Boil in cold water. Add cold water to cut up potatoes and then start the heat.

Cheddar Mashed Potatoes Variations

Make it healthier. Replace the heavy cream with fat free, low fat, or whole milk or half and half. Use 2 tablespoons of butter instead of 1/4 cup. And use fat free sour cream.
Added flavor. To make these potatoes even more flavorful, you can boil them in broth.
Use regular chives. Instead of garlic chives just use regular chives or green onions.

Very up close view of cheesy mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter and chives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add cheddar to mashed potatoes? Yes!! Add all of the cheddar! Or if you like, you can add other cheeses.
What can you use instead of butter for mashed potatoes? You can actually omit it completely if you do not want to use butter or use margarine instead.
Why are mashed potatoes bad for you? Potatoes on their own aren’t the problem. They become bad for you when we add all of the extra fat to them. This mashed potato recipe is definitely filled with extra calories and that is why we only eat them like this a few times a year.
What to add to mashed potatoes? If you are looking for even more flavor, you can mix in bacon crumbles, fresh herbs like rosemary, or mix in sautéed onions.
Can you prep potatoes ahead of time for mashed potatoes? For busy holidays you want to have as much prep work done as you can. You are in luck, potatoes can be prepared in advance. You can peel and cut up the potatoes and keep them submerged in water in the fridge overnight.
How to make the best mashed potatoes? The secret to great mashed potatoes is to make sure not to over boil the potatoes and not to over mash the potatoes. And seasoning the potatoes well will give them great flavor!

Storage Instructions

How to Refrigerate Mashed Potatoes: Let the mashed potatoes cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. They should last about 3-5 days in the fridge.
How to Freeze Mashed Potatoes: The Food Network recommends scooping the left over mashed potatoes into 1 cup scoops and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place into the freezer until the mashed potatoes are frozen. Place the frozen potatoes into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The mashed potatoes should last about 3 months in the freezer.
How to Thaw Frozen Mashed Potatoes: Thaw the frozen potatoes in the refrigerator overnight. Or heat on the stove.
How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes in the Microwave: Heat frozen mashed potatoes in the microwave for 5 minutes at 50% power until desired warmth is reached. Or heat cold mashed potatoes for 2 minutes, then stir and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes on the Stove: Reheat cold or frozen mashed potatoes over low heat on the stove adding milk and butter as needed to bring back moisture.

heesy garlic mashed potatoes in a baking dish topped with garlic chives.

What to Serve With Mashed Potatoes!

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