Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Deliciously Cheesy Mashed Potato. The ultimate mash for your Thanksgiving table or the perfect accompaniment to my vegan sausage casserole. However you serve this, everyone is going to love it, it's fluffy, cheesy and totally comforting.

I don't know if there's anything better than really good mashed potato, it's the best kind of comfort food. Cheesy mashed potato is taking it up a notch. It's an indulgent treat for a special occasion or just what you need on a cold winters night with your favourite stew!

This mash is so good I'd happily eat it just on its own! Three different kinds of cheese, lots of creamy butter and milk make this mash rich and tasty. My family can't get enough of this, whether I serve it with veggie sausages or a stew, they always ask for cheesy mash!

Ingredients for Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

• Potatoes -  a good starchy potato will give you the best results here. I always use Maris Piper or Yukon Gold.
• Butter -  full fat, salted butter, the Irish kind is best.
• Milk - if you want your mash to be really creamy then it's full-fat all the way.
• Cheese - full-fat mature (sharp) cheddar cheese, veggie Italian hard cheese (veggie parmesan) and a little cream cheese makes this mash perfectly cheesy.

How to Make Cheesy Potato Mash

1. Boil the potatoes, wash and peel the potatoes then cut them into quarters, cover with water and a very generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender.
2. Dry the potatoes, once you've drained the cooked potatoes, put them back on a medium heat and dry them out for about 2 minutes.
3. Mash, I'm old school, I like to use a masher! Mash the potatoes until they are smooth.
4. Add the butter and milk, then using a wooden spoon stir the potatoes until the butter melts into the potatoes.
5. Next, add the cheese. I add the cheddar and vegetarian parmesan first, stir until the cheese is melted then add the cream cheese.
6. All the stirring needs to be quite quick and the result should be perfectly creamy cheesy mashed potatoes.

Top Tips for Making the Best Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

• Choose the right potatoes - this is really important, starchy is best, I love Maris Piper or Yukon Gold. I have made mash with a more waxy variety which yields a different kind of mash all together.
• Cut your potatoes into the same same size chunks. This will ensure that they all cook at the same time.
• Steam the drained potatoes, this will get rid of any excess water and help keep the mash fluffy.
• The butter must be room temperature. It will melt into the potatoes quicker this way.
• Heat the milk, this is also very important for the success of your mash. You don't want to add anything cold to the hot potatoes.
• Use a wooden spoon to stir the potatoes, it will make your life easier, trust me.
• Always add salt to the water, the same way you cook pasta, this is also seasoning your potatoes.

Best Way to Serve Mashed Potatoes

If it's a special occasion I will serve this mash with a pat of butter and a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley or chives. If it's going with a stew or casserole I leave it as is.

Frequently Asked Questions?

Can I make this mash ahead of time? There is no doubt about it, freshly made mash is the best. However, you can speed things up a bit by peeling and cutting the potatoes the night or day before. Just leave the prepped potatoes in a large saucepan covered in cold water. Change the water when you are ready to cook them and don't forget the salt.

How long will this keep in the fridge? This mash really is best eaten fresh but if you have any leftover it will keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. The best way to reheat it is put in back in a saucepan with a little milk. Cook it over medium heat and stir often until it is piping hot.

Need More Side Dish Ideas?

• Roast Mediterranean Vegetables
• Vegetarian Caesar Salad
• Potato Salad
• Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
• Traditional Irish Colcannon

Did you make this Cheesy Mashed Potato recipe? Rate it and leave a comment below to let me know what you think!