Million Dollar Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe – the BEST potato casserole EVER!!! Loaded with tons of yummy cheese! Mashed potatoes, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, onion, garlic, butter, and Italian bread crumbs. SO easy!!! Can make in advance and refrigerate or freeze for later. The most requested potato recipe in our house! Our go-to side dish for Thanksgiving dinner.
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Pin This RecipeCreamy Mashed Potato Casserole
I’m not a big fan of mashed potatoes, but I can’t get enough of this yummy Million Dollar Mashed Potato Casserole. Mashed potatoes loaded with cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, and more cheese! YUM! I could make a meal out of this potato casserole! SO creamy and packed full of great flavor! This casserole goes with just about everything. Steak, chicken, pork, burgers. It makes a lot, so it is perfect for dinner parties and potlucks. Give this a try the next time you need a yummy side dish!
How to Make Mashed Potato Casserole
This casserole is quick and easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together mashed potatoes, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, seasonings, and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and black pepper. Spread mashed potato mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and top with some more cheddar cheese and Italian bread crumbs. Bake in a preheated oven until hot. Garnish with dried parsley, green onions, or chives.
Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
- I used pre-made mashed potatoes in this casserole. It is such a time saver! You can use leftover homemade mashed potatoes or make your own fresh mashed potatoes. Either way, it will taste great.
- Here is our Instant Pot Mashed Potato Recipe: https://www.plainchicken.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes/
- To make mashed potatoes on the stovetop, place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water to a depth of 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer covered until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain well and mash with butter and milk.
- I usually use russet potatoes. You can use any type of potatoes that you prefer – Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes are both good.
- Feel free to swap the cheddar cheese for your favorite cheese – Swiss, Monterey jack, or Gouda would be nice.
- Add bacon crumbles for extra flavor!
- Can I Make this Casserole ahead of time?I love to make this easy casserole ahead of time. I mix everything up and store it in the refrigerator until I am ready to bake.
- If you are baking this casserole after refrigerating, you will need to add a few minutes to the cooking time to make sure it is heated through. Cover the casserole with foil if the breadcrumbs start to get too brown.
- Can Potato Casserole be Frozen? Absolutely! Assemble the casserole. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To bake after freezing, thaw it completely and bake as directed below. We like to make the whole recipe and split it between two pans. Bake one now and freeze one for later.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes
This casserole is great for a weeknight dinner, potlucks, and holiday meals. I always have a pan in the freezer for a quick side dish. This goes with just about everything – chicken, pork, steaks, turkey, and ham!
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Million Dollar Mashed Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
- 2 (24-oz) packages precooked mashed potatoes
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- ⅓ cup Italian bread crumbs
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Spread into prepared pan.
- Combine remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, melted butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle on top of potato mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes.
Notes:
Steph
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This is such a great recipe. It’s sooo delicious! My whole family loved it. You really can’t take the cottage cheese . A new favorite! Thank you for all your great recipes. I love your website and use it often.!
SO glad you enjoyed the potatoes!
We had a feast for Easter from your recipes. We made your million dollar twice baked potatoes casserole, green jacket salad, quick potato rolls, mexican street corn casserole, pineapple upside down casserole, and your german chocolate bundt cake. Everything was amazing! We served it with a double glazed honey ham that I happened to find for 50 cents a pound at Walmart, otherwise it probably would have been something else off your website. And for anyone who doesn’t like cottage cheese, give it a try. My family is full of cottage cheese haters, and I am the only one who knew it was in there, and if I wouldn’t have put it in there, I wouldn’t have known, you can’t tell. I look forward to trying many more recipes off your website.
SO glad you tried it with the cottage cheese. I am also a cottage cheese hater, but it works so well in casseroles. Happy Easter!
I don’t care for the texture of cottage cheese. Can another cheese be substituted?
Shirley
Are precooked potatoes the same as instant potatoes? I assume that you make the potatoes first before adding the other ingredients. Can I use ricotta cheese instead of cottage?
Instant potatoes are not the same as pre-cooked potatoes. Instant potatoes are dry potato flakes.
Including cottage cheese in this recipe is genius! That and the crunchy, cheesy topping are my favorite parts!
Can you make this in a crock pot
sure!
Any idea how long it would take to cook? Also, Happy Thanksgiving
maybe 4 or 5 hours on LOW and 2 or 3 on HIGH
Can you cut the recipe in half?
Absolutely!
These were a big hit at our dinner party last night. I halved the onion powder because I'm not a big onion fan. I also made my own mashed potatoes like I always do. Everyone raved over this dish. I even sent the recipe home with my guests. This one is a winner, Stephanie!!
YAY! SO glad it was a hit at your party, Susan.
Can you make this in a roaster oven, like a Nesco?
Did you use full fat cottage cheese, cream cheese & sour cream ? I always have all 3 in my frig but they are low fat (never ever non-fat). I will try it your way the 1st time.
I used full fat. Low fat should be just fine too.
But cottage cheese??? that just doesn't sound appealing… can you leave it out or substitute heavy cream or something else?
Don't knock it till you try it Dianna!
What would be a substitution if cottage cheese is absolutely off the table? Ricotta? Suggestions, please!
I’ll use ricotta cheese…hate cottage cheese..
What brand of pre cooked mashed potatoes do you use? And do you warm them before mixing them with the other ingredients? I was thinking that maybe they would mix into the other ingredients better if warmed first
I used Bob Evans mashed potatoes. I didn't warm them first, but you could certainly pop them in the microwave for a minute if you prefer. Enjoy!
so decadent – i love it!
seriously delicious!
Absolutely loved the flavor but they were loose. I followed the recipe to the T. Don’t know what went wrong.