This delicious potato dish can be served up as a side to a range of meat and vegetarian dishes, whether for a celebratory meal or to turn a weeknight supper into something a little more special. Hearty and filling, this cheesy mashed potato casserole also makes a perfect comfort food on its own.

Our twice baked potato recipe results in a fluffy, tasty, cheesy potato casserole that your family is sure to love. Be ready for requests for seconds! And once you know how to make potato casserole in your handy cast iron casserole dish, you can check out our suggested variations below for an even bigger range of flavors.

Potato Casserole With Cheesy Bacon Topping

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Servings

12

Prep Time

70 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 medium-sized baking potatoes (about 64 oz total)
• 1/2 cup of butter, cut into medium-sized cubes
• 2/3 cup of sour cream
• 2/3 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 10 strips of bacon
• 2 cups of sharp cheddar
• 4 scallions, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Grate the cheddar and separate it into two equal amounts. Cook the bacon strips until crisp, and then drain any excess fat, and crumble into bits.
3. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water, and use a fork to pierce the skin in several places. Bake them for around 45 minutes to one hour, until the centers are tender. Once your potatoes are ready remove them from the oven and set aside to cool, then adjust the oven temperature to 350°F.
4. When the potatoes have cooled enough to hold, cut each of them in half down the middle, and scoop out the centers, adding the potato to a mixing bowl. The skins can be discarded.
5. Add the butter to the bowl and mash the potato until smooth, stirring in the sour cream and milk as you mash it, and adding the salt and pepper to season it.
6. Take about three-quarters of the bacon bits, one cup of the sharp cheddar and half of the chopped scallions, and add to the mashed potato, stirring it through until all the ingredients are evenly mixed.
7. Add the mashed potato mixture to a pre-greased cast iron casserole dish or baking dish, and then use the remaining bacon, scallions, and cheese, ensuring even coverage.
8. Bake the cheesy potato casserole for around 15 to 20 min, or until the mixture is heated throughout and the cheese topping is melted and golden brown. Leave to stand for 5 min and then serve.

Variations

This easy potato casserole is a perfect base on which to try out your own ideas, adding new ingredients to give our basic potato bake recipe your own individual twist. A few ideas which we've tried in the past include:

• Add chopped leftover roast ham or chicken to the cheesy potatoes for a meaty dish.
• Use red onions or shallots in place of scallions for a sweeter flavor.
• For a lower-carb cheesy potato casserole, use sweet potato in place of regular potato.
• To make the ultimate cheesy potato casserole, use extra cheeses such as Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, or Red Leicester.
• To create a vegan cheesy potato casserole, simply swap the sharp cheddar for vegan cheese, use vegan bacon bits instead of cooking fresh bacon, and remember to use oat or soya milk in place of the cow's milk and cream.

Serving suggestions

Our cheesy potato casserole can be paired with a huge range of different meals. Basically, any time you might serve up baked potatoes as a side, you can be extra decadent by using our cheesy potatoes with bacon and onion instead.

We've served it up with steak, roast meat, barbecue, at Christmas or Thanksgiving, at potluck suppers, and at sports day tailgates. The list is endless, and sometimes so is the line of folks asking for leftovers to take home with them, or begging us for the recipe so they can cook this delicious dish themselves.

If you add in some chicken or ham as we suggest above, then this dish can even be the main meal in itself, perfect as a hearty lunch or dinner on a cold winter day. Try serving it up with some green beans, asparagus, or broccoli as a healthy accompaniment to the luxurious main event!

If you enjoyed this recipe, check out our other veggie-based recipes like squash casserole or cauliflower casserole.