These twice baked mashed potatoes have all the loaded potato goodness you want in one easy casserole. Make them ahead, pop them in the oven before dinner, and watch them disappear!
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Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes: What You Need to Know
Ranch seasoning is what gives these twice baked mashed potatoes a little something extra. It seasons the whole casserole from the inside out, while cheddar, bacon, sour cream, and cream cheese make every bite rich, creamy, and loaded with flavor.
Just like my sweet potato casserole and easy Crock Pot Corn Pudding, this is a side dish that works just as well for Thanksgiving and Christmas as it does for a potluck or Sunday dinner!
Make Ahead: Assemble up to 1 day in advance
Serves: 12
Flavors: Bacon, cheddar & ranch
I think you're going to love this easy side dish!
What Are Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes?
Think of this recipe as the casserole version of a loaded twice-baked potato.
You'll cook the potatoes until tender, mash them with all of the good stuff - sour cream, cream cheese, butter, ranch, bacon, and cheddar - then spread everything into a casserole dish and bake it again.
If you cook your potatoes in the oven the first time, they're literally baked twice. I usually take the shortcut and cook my potatoes in the Instant Pot first, but either way you get the same idea: creamy loaded potatoes finished in the oven under a layer of melty cheese.
Ingredient Notes
(See recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact ingredient measurements.)
- Potatoes: Yukon Golds work great because their thin skins can be mashed right into the casserole - no peeling needed. If you're using Russets, I'd peel them first. Either way, make sure the potatoes are completely tender before mashing.
- Instant mashed potatoes: Dry instant potato flakes help thicken the mixture and give the casserole a fluffy mashed-potato texture without having to cook more potatoes.
- Sour cream: Adds creaminess and a little bit of tang to balance the richer ingredients.
- Cream cheese: Use a full 8-ounce block, softened so it mixes easily into the warm potatoes. You can put it on the counter for about an hour to soften it up perfectly.
- Ranch seasoning: One packet adds tons of savory ranch flavor throughout the casserole.
- Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor. I recommend shredding your own cheese instead of using the pre-bagged stuff - shredding your own makes it so much smoother.
- Butter: Let it soften to room temperature so it blends evenly into the potatoes (again, about an hour on the counter is perfect).
- Milk: This is going to hydrate the instant mashed potatoes and give you an extra dose of creaminess.
- Bacon: We're using pre-bagged bacon as a shortcut for this recipe...it's a great alternative to cooking your own bacon. Look for the pre-bagged bacon in the salad aisle; just make sure it's real bacon pieces and not bacon bits!
- Green onions: Mix half into the potatoes and save the rest for garnish.
- Seasonings: Black pepper and garlic powder round out all those rich, cheesy flavors.
Additions & Substitutions
- Cheese: Swap sharp cheddar for Colby Jack or pepper jack if you want to change up the flavor.
- Green onions: Chopped chives work well in place of green onions.
- Bacon: If you don't want to use packaged real bacon pieces, cook and crumble your own bacon instead. You'll need roughly ⅔ cup of cooked & crumbled bacon.
- Extra toppings: Save a little cheese, bacon, or green onion to sprinkle over the casserole just before serving.
How to Make Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
- Cook the potatoes. Choose one of the methods below and cook the potatoes until completely tender, then transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Instant Pot: Chop the potatoes into 1-2" pieces first (peeling if needed), then cook with 1 cup of water on High Pressure for about 10 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain any excess water before mashing.
- Boiling: Peel (if needed) and cut the potatoes into chunks, then boil in salted water for about 15-20 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain well before mashing.
- Oven: Bake whole, unpeeled potatoes at 400°F for 45-60 minutes, or until completely tender. Let them cool enough to handle, then mash (peeling if needed).
- Mix the potatoes. Add instant potato flakes, sour cream, cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, 1 cup cheddar cheese, milk, half of the green onions, butter, black pepper, garlic powder, and bacon. Mash and mix until combined.
- Assemble the casserole. Spread the potato mixture into a greased 3 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are hot and the cheese on top is melted and starting to brown.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions and serve warm.
Make-Ahead Hacks
This is one of the best reasons to keep this recipe around during the holidays!
Here's how to do it: Prep the casserole completely up to the final bake. Spread the potato mixture into the baking dish, add the cheese on top, then cover the dish well and refrigerate.
When you're ready to serve, simply uncover it and bake! Because the casserole will be starting cold instead of at room temperature, plan for it to potentially need additional oven time. Just check the center and continue baking as needed until everything is heated through.
Leftovers & Storage
Storage: Cover leftovers and refrigerate them within 2 hours. I'd enjoy this casserole within 3-4 days of making it.
Reheating: Microwave individual servings until hot throughout. For a larger portion of the casserole, cover and reheat in a 300°F oven until the center reaches 165°F.
A little fresh cheddar or sliced green onion on top can make leftovers feel brand new!
Freezing: I don't recommend freezing this one. That potato texture just isn't as good after freezing and thawing. This is one recipe I'd rather make a day ahead and refrigerate instead.
Leslie's Helpful Tips & Tricks
- For more texture: Don't mash every last potato completely smooth. Leaving a few small potato pieces throughout gives the casserole a little bit of texture.
- Don't overmix: Stop once everything is combined. A few little pockets of cheese and butter make the finished casserole even better!
- Feeding a crowd: Double the recipe and divide it between two baking dishes rather than making one extra-deep casserole.
- This recipe's timing is based on the Instant Pot method of cooking potatoes. Boiling or baking the potatoes first will change the total time.
FAQs
More Potato Dishes
I hope this casserole makes it to your holiday table! If you try it, leave a rating and review below, and don't forget to add LL Eats as a preferred source on Google!
Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup dry instant potato flakes
- 12 oz sour cream
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 pack ranch dressing mix
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 stick butter (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2.5 oz bagged real bacon pieces (about ⅔ cup bacon)
- 4 green onions (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook potatoes until completely tender. I prefer to pressure cook them in the Instant Pot with 1 cup of water for about 10 minutes. Allow them to cool enough to handle.
- Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, place them in a large bowl. Leave the Yukon Gold skins on, or peel them if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Mix potatoes with dry instant potatoes, milk, sour cream, cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, half of the green onions, butter, pepper, garlic powder, and bacon.
- Spoon potato mixture into an 3-quart baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are hot and the cheese on top is melted and starting to brown.
- Garnish with remaining green onions.
Notes
- Potatoes: Yukon Golds can be left unpeeled; peel Russets if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Instant potato flakes: Add them dry - they help thicken the casserole and give the potatoes a fluffier texture.
- Make ahead: Assemble through the cheese-topping step, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Add extra baking time as needed if starting cold.
- Don't overmix: Mash just until combined to keep the potatoes from turning gummy.
- Bacon: Packaged real bacon pieces are an easy shortcut; about ⅔ cup cooked and crumbled bacon works too.
- Storage & reheating: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and enjoy within 3-4 days. Reheat until hot throughout.
- Timing: Recipe timing is based on the Instant Pot method. Boiling or baking the potatoes first will change the total time.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 17 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
