Loaded Mashed Potatoes

This best Loaded Mashed Potatoes recipe is vegetarian and easy to make with vegan cream cheese, bacon, and Tex Mex cheese shreds. Learn how to make them so creamy, rich, decadent, buttery and at restaurant quality. Enjoy this homemade version all year, or in the holiday season, as is or even as base for a Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole.

Who does not love potatoes?

For me potatoes are always amazing, not the least because they are so versatile: they can be in many forms and in so many different types of dishes from all over the world.

Just think of my Bombay Potatoes, or my Creamy Potatoes, the Greek Lemon Potatoes, or even the Potato Curry.

Why you need to try these Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

I tell you why these Loaded Mashed Potatoes will spot on always on your holiday table, but I guarantee you want to make them  all year long. Simply the ultimate comfort food that everyone won’t get enough of.

The ingredients are why these loaded mashed potatoes are so amazing: vegan cream cheese, as you might know that from my Creamy Mac and Cheese. I can vouch you won’t touch any other potatoes, if you know how good these are. Using cream cheese really takes them to a whole new level of creaminess.

Texture: rich, fluffy, buttery, creamy. But wait until I tell you how you get this texture. I’m not using a potato masher for this, because you will never get them so creamy. Also a food processor is fine, but you don’t have any good control about the texture.

Flavors: garlic, onion powder, chives and green onions make a well rounded flavor profile in combination with the richness.

Want to know how to make the creamiest Mashed Potatoes?

As I told you, for the best creamy result of these Loaded Mashed Potatoes, I do not recommend using a potato masher or a food processor. Instead, just use a hand mixer.

Friends, I use my trusty hand mixer a lot for these recipes. This appliance is always right and seriously makes the best texture. Look at that texture in my step by step pictures how creamy and fluffy these potatoes are and they taste even more amazing.

Any mixer will work. It doesn’t need to be a fancy model or anything super powerful. Sometimes the simplest things are the best. It is a old fashion method which really steps up the game for making these loaded potatoes.

What you need for this Loaded Mashed Potatoes recipe

• Potatoes
• Vegan butter
• Garlic powder
• Vegan bacon
• Onion powder

 

• Vegan cream cheese
• Scallions
• Oat milk
• Vegan cheese

How to make Loaded Mashed Potatoes

As you can see in my step by step pictures I cooked my russet potatoes (of course these are always my choice, yum) but feel free to use any kind you like.

First, heat half of the vegan butter in a frying pan. Add the bacon bites and fry them for around 5 minutes until they begin to brown.

Transfer the cooked potatoes to a large mixing bowl along with the reserved vegan butter, cream cheese, garlic and onion powder, oat milk. Use the hand mixer to mash everything together until you get a creamy consistency.

Now give in 3/4 of the scallions, chives, pre-fried bacon bites, and cheese (reserve about 1/4 of each for garnish).

Mix well and serve in bowls, topped with the reserved garnish.

What to do with leftovers?

Here are my storage and freezing instructions:

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days, properly stored with a cling wrap or container with a lid on top. Please keep in mind that there isn’t any excess liquid to avoid the growth of any bacteria under your lid or wrap.

I find these Loaded Mashed Potatoes taste best fresh, but freezing will also work: divide and scoop your potatoes into portions, lay them on a sheet pan with parchment paper and put that in the freezer. Then the next morning, transfer to freezer bags or containers.

Instructions for Reheating

Finally there are many ways to reheat your potatoes fast and effective:

On your stovetop – traditional and classic, but great: thaw overnight and transfer to a casserole dish or pot and reheat over medium heat. Finally you can add a pinch salt and pepper, if you need additional seasoning.

In your oven – preheat oven to 350°F and bake until potatoes are warm. This can be done straight from the freezer, but I find thawing them completely before gives better results.

Microwave – Cover potatoes in a microwave safe dish, heat for a couple of minutes until it is heated properly.

For all methods I would finally garnish with extra toppings for extra yumminess and freshness, yes so good.

If you give these Loaded Mashed Potatoes a try, let me know here, and on Instagram or Facebook what you think.

Tag me and show your remakes.

Cheers, Florian.