Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes

These Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes are easy to make, rich and creamy, and a decadent spin on classic mashed potatoes. Think baked potatoes with all the fixin’s turned into a mashed potato dish that gets topped with cheese and baked until bubbly. That’s what this is. Plus, this can be prepped in advance, making it the perfect side dish for any holiday menu, special occasion, or alongside chicken for an easy weeknight dinner.

These Double Baked Mashed Potatoes are the amped up, extra flavorful version of the traditional mashed potatoes you’re used to. Fluffy russet potatoes are first baked in the oven then cut and scooped into a bowl where they are mixed with all the usual loaded baked potato suspects—butter, sour cream, green onions and bacon. The flavorful mashed potatoes are then spread into a baking dish, topped off with Cheddar cheese, and baked (again) until browned and bubbly.

Simply put, Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food and perfect for holidays and Sunday night dinners.

If you love the idea of these creamy twice-baked mashed potatoes, don’t miss out on a few of our other favorite decadent potato side dishes. These Garlic and Cheese Mashed Potatoes are full of flavor and easy to whip up, or our Boursin Mashed Potatoes are soft, creamy, and herb-packed. Or go a completely different route and make my every-popular Potatoes au Gratin or Hasselback Sweet Potatoes.

Baked mashed potatoes in a baking dish topped with melted and golden brown cheese, chopped scallions and bacon bits.

What’s Notable About the Recipe

There is really so much to love about this decadent side dish, but here are a few reasons I think they will become a favorite.

Quick and Easy. With a simple cooking method and just a few, easy-to-find ingredients, this dish comes together in no time, despite it being “twice baked.”
Tasty Twist on Tradition. Mashed potatoes are a classic, and for good reason. But these are an exciting, flavorful take on the traditional side dish. Familiar yet new—the best kind of recipes!
Comfort Food Casserole. Creamy, decadent potatoes loaded with sour cream and bacon have “comfort food” written all over them. This is a cozy, comforting dish to serve up during the cooler months.
Perfect for Holiday Menus. Most holiday meals are made better with some mashed potatoes. These are a fun take on the sometimes-boring side dish.
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes. Unlike traditional mashed potatoes, these can be made in advance and taste just as good when they’re cooked and served. Just add an extra 15 minutes onto the bake time if they’re coming straight from the refrigerator.

Ingredients

Russet potatoes, sour cream, milk, shredded Cheddar cheese, scallions, butter, uncooked bacon slices and garlic powder, onion powder and salt measured out and set on a counter.

The full recipe, with amounts and instructions, can be found in the recipe card below.

Russet Potatoes: These are the best type for this recipe because they soak up a ton of moisture and stay light and fluffy after two rounds in the oven.
Bacon: the drippings are brushed over the potatoes as they bake the first time, then the crispy bacon bits get sprinkled over the finished dish.
Salt: Potatoes need a lot of salt to taste like anything. Be generous with the kosher salt.
Milk: Definitely use whole milk here, it helps to loosen the potatoes and keeps them from drying out during the second bake. The extra fat in whole milk is also important for keeping these creamy and flavorful.
Sour Cream: Adds an extra richness and tang, and makes the potatoes extra smooth. Plus, it’s a nice nod to the flavors of a loaded baked potato.
Butter: Adds tons of richness and flavor, and keeps the potatoes moist. Unsalted or salted works fine here.
Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: you’ll usually find me going on and on about how fresh is best. But I really like the flavor of onion powder and garlic powder here.
Scallions: Adds a pop of color and a mild onion-y flavor to the potatoes. Use just the green parts here and save the whites for another use.
Cheddar Cheese: Use sharp or extra sharp for the most flavor. Cheddar melts beautifully and pairs well with the buttery, creamy potatoes.

How To Make Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes

Heat oven to 450ºF with the rack set in middle position. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and place a wire rack in the baking sheet.
Prick potatoes all over with a fork, then place them onto a baking sheet. Transfer them to the oven and bake 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Reserve the drippings by pouring the bacon into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl.
Brush bacon drippings over potatoes (a pastry brush is great for this), rotating the potatoes so they are completely coated. Season the potatoes very generously with kosher salt (also on all sides) and return them to the oven. Continue baking until the potatoes are soft and give under pressure (I test using a pair of tongs or oven mitts), about 20–25 minutes (this totally depends on size of potatoes).

Baked potatoes baked and split open on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and a black wire rack.

Slice the potatoes in half and allow them to rest until cool enough to handle.

Baked potato chunks in a large glass mixing bowl with potato skins in the background.

Squish or scoop the potato flesh out into a large mixing bowl.

Mashed potato mixture with chopped scallions in a glass mixing bowl with a white spatula set in it.

Add butter and sour cream, then mix, mashing as needed, until combined and smooth (if the potatoes have cooled too much that the butter isn’t melting, pop the mixture in the microwave and heat for 30–60 seconds). Add 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Then add in some of the milk and mix to combine. Continue adding the milk in ¼ cup increments, mixing after each addition, until all of the milk is added. Stir in the scallions and season to taste with additional salt.

Mashed potatoes in a 9x13 inch pan topped with large shredded of Cheddar cheese.

Transfer the mashed potatoes to a 9×13-inch baking dish (or something of similar size) and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle cheese over top evenly and transfer to oven.

Cheesy potato casserole set on a marble counter top.

Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes, then turn oven to broil and broil until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown, 6–8 minutes.

Sprinkle reserved bacon bits over top and serve immediately.

Expert Tips

This is a quick and easy double mashed potato recipe that anyone can master, but here are a few ways to make it extra delicious.

Use a Ricer or Food Mill for Extra Smooth Potatoes: It’s an extra step, but if you’ve got the time and want silky smooth potatoes, pass them through a food mill or ricer to “mash” them for an extra velvety texture.
Avoid Over-Mixing The Potatoes. This gives them a gummy, sticky texture, instead of being light and fluffy.
Bake the potatoes first. This recipe is unique from others in that it actually uses baked potatoes. Many of the recipes out there boil the potatoes but we love baking them first for extra soft texture. (And so they are actually “twice baked potatoes!”
Using baked potatoes creates a very flavorful and creamy mashed potato dish because you bake out the excess moisture which means there’s more room for added moisture in the form of flavorful butter, milk and sour cream!
Russets are the ideal potato here. I usually recommend gold /yellow potatoes for mashed potatoes, but since these are baked first you’ll want super starchy, less moist russet potatoes for this.

Variations and Substitutions

I think these twice-baked mashed potatoes are damn good as they are, but here are a few other ways to amp them up.

Try different cheeses. I like Cheddar here—it’s sharp, tangy, and melts beautifully, but feel free to experiment with other cheeses. A gruyere would be nutty, melty and delicious. Parmesan cheese would pair nicely with garlic but wouldn’t melt as well.
Add other mix-Ins. We love smokey bacon and scallions, but try different herbs such as dill or chives. You could also try crisping up some pancetta or prosciutto instead of the bacon for extra salty, crispy bites.
Make mini versions. Instead of baking the mashed potatoes in a casserole dish, scoop them back into the halved potato skins and bake them. You can serve up mini, twice baked potato skins.

What To Serve With Double Baked Mashed Potatoes

These twice-baked mashed potatoes are fantastic on their own, but can only be made better when they’re served alongside of any of these favorite dishes.

Roast Turkey In Parts: Simple and succulent, this versatile main dish pairs perfectly with the rich mashed potatoes.
Stuffed Cornish Game Hens: Slightly gamier than chicken (but oh-so juicy), these are special and sophisticated, and go well with the decadent twice-baked potatoes.
Top Sirloin Steak: Steak and baked potatoes—it doesn’t get more classic.
Roasted Green Beans: Simple and fresh, this crisp, green vegetable goes well with almost anything.
Pan Seared Chicken Breast—the perfect,most tender and moist stovetop chicken you can make. And the pan sauce is incredible.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

You can store any twice-baked mashed potato leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. We don’t recommend freezing the leftovers as it can change the texture.

If you want to make this mashed potato casserole in advance, it’s perfect for that! Simply prepare the dish as directed, up until the baking step, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. This can be prepped up to 2 days ahead of time. When ready to bake, remove the plastic and bake as directed. (You may need to increase the bake time slightly to account for the chilled potatoes.)

I don’t recommend this, but you can freeze the mashed potatoes in the casserole dish prior to baking. Thaw them on the counter or in the fridge for a couple of hours before baking as direct.

FAQs

What’s the difference between mashed potatoes and twice-baked mashed potatoes?

Mashed potatoes are potatoes that have been cooked, usually boiled, and then mashed and seasoned with butter and sometimes spices or other mix-ins. Twice baked potatoes are literally that, potatoes that have been baked once, then mixed with other ingredients, and baked a second time.

How long to reheat twice baked mashed potatoes?

Reheat twice baked mashed potatoes covered, at 350-degrees for about 20 minutes, until warmed through and hot in the center, checking periodically.

Why are my double baked potatoes falling apart?

Double baked potatoes might begin to fall apart if they’re overcooked. If they’re cooked for too long, they can become dry and crumbly, causing them to fall apart.

What are double baked mashed potatoes made of?

Double baked mashed potatoes are made of potatoes that have been baked and then mashed, and then often mixed with butter, milk or cream, and other ingredients or seasonings like scallions, herbs or bacon, before being baked for a second time.