Name: Cheesy Gouda Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 pounds peeled Yukon gold potatoes, cut into quarters; 4 tablespoons Butter; 1/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2 or heavy cream; 1.5 cups Gouda Cheese, grated; a dash of ground nutmeg; salt and pepper to taste

These Cheesy Mashed Potatoes are an easy and delicious way to level up a comfort food classic that everyone wants this time of year! Loaded with cheesy flavor and seasoned to your liking, this perfect side dish is impressive whether it’s served for holiday meals or a simple weeknight dinner.

I also use it as the topping to my Cottage Pie Recipe. When it’s baked it forms a crunchy golden-brown crust taking these already delicious mashed potatoes one step up.

This mash potatoes with cheese recipe are my secret weapon when hosting family dinners.

Serve your guests these fancy mashed potatoes for special occasions alongside Rib Eye Roast, 4 ingredient Prime Rib or the Thanksgiving Turkey And on any given night, these creamy cheesy potatoes are a delicious side to Oven-Baked Ribs or Parmesan Pork Chops.

It’s a great make-ahead dish and is easy to make for small groups but can also be scaled up to feed a crowd.

They are great to make for the holidays! If you are thinking ahead to what your menu will look like, these are a must-add. They can be made up to a week ahead of time and placed in a sealed container in the fridge. Remove them from the fridge an hour before you want to bake them to allow them to come closer to room temp.

Want to get fancy? One of the best things about homemade mashed potatoes with cheese is its versatility. You can, of course, serve them straight off of the stove as nice fluffy mashed potatoes or add them to a baking dish for that extra crunch.

To do this, use a piping tip with edges to pipe the top or use a fork to create small ridges on the top to get an added crunch. You can also sprinkle parmesan on top for added texture, and flavor boost.

Cook once, eat twice. Gouda Cheesy Shepherds Pie is great to eat now and freeze some for later when you're too busy to cook. Cheesy potatoes, warm and flavorful beef in every bite this comfort food recipe will be a family favorite! — **Piped Mashed Potatoes with Cheese**

Whether it’s the type of cheese you’re using, or how you’re serving it, you can really elevate these made from scratch mashed potatoes in so many ways.

They take so little effort, use only a few ingredients, and are always a crowd-pleaser. So, let’s get started!

What to shop to make cheesy Gouda mashed potatoes

Potatoes – Peeled and cubed Yukon golds or russet potatoes are best as they consist of medium-high starch content which helps create light and fluffy results.
Butter – Using unsalted butter allows you to control how much salt gets added into your potatoes.
Cheese – Gouda or your favorite hard cheese
Heavy Cream
Ground Nutmeg – it sounds crazy, but this MAKES mashed potatoes—
Salt and Pepper

Potatoes in a pot of water — **Potatoes of Equal Sizes for Even Cooking**

How to make The Best Mashed Potatoes

Add potatoes to a pot and cover with water and bring to a boil.
Cook potatoes until tender.
Drain potatoes and mash them directly in the pot or run them through a potato ricer before adding them back into the pot.
Let the potatoes sit in the pot for 2-3 minutes to have any moisture evaporate before adding anything
Add butter, cream, and nutmeg, mixing well until you have a smooth consistency.
Add the cheese and continue combining it. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tray of cottage pie with crispy crust of mashed potatoes on it — **Shepherds Pie Topped with Cheesy Mashed Potatoes**

Tips for making the Best Mashed Potatoes

Cut the potatoes all the same size so they cook evenly.
Don’t over boil them– nothing worse than watery potatoes
Use a Potato Ricer to mash them if you have one, it will do the job of removing clumps for you. (Here is one that is just like the ricer I use.)
Don’t overmix, stir gently. When mashed potatoes are overmixed, more of the starch gets released and that’s when you run into sticky mashed potatoes.
Warm milk and melted butter help things mix faster so you don’t overwork them.
Don’t use pre-shredded cheese- it has anti-clumping additives and the cheese won’t blend as well. You also might not have the same quality of flavor as you would from using a block of cheese.
Season with salt and pepper as you go, tasting along the way.

PRO TIP: Once you drain the water on the potatoes put them back in the pan to let any excess water evaporate. This will help give a lighter mashed potato.

Variations to Cheesy Gouda Mashed Potatoes

Bacon Cheese mashed

Crumble crisp bacon as you are adding the cheese then top with crumbled bacon.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes–

Add bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chives to them and combine.

Ranch Mashed Potatoes

Add ¼ cup ranch dressing first, gradually adding milk to control consistency. You’ll want to reduce the milk a little.

Garlic & Cheese —

Add roasted garlic at the same time you add cheese.

Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes

Add some diced jalapenos and if you want a little more heat— use habanero or spicy cheese.

Common Questions when Making this Potato Side Dish

Can I substitute the Gouda for another type of cheese? Absolutely! Cheesy mashed potatoes can become cheddar mashed potatoes by adding white cheddar. The more aged the cheddar the sharper the flavor will be.

Some other delicious substitutions you might try are Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Colby, and American Cheese. Soft cheeses such as blue cheese or goat’s cheese also work but will need to be used along with mild cheddar.

How do I roast Garlic for Garlic Mashed Potatoes? To roast garlic, cut 1/2 inch off the tip of the entire garlic bulb, with outer loose layers removed, keeping clove skin intact. Wrap bulb in foil and bake on a tray or muffin tin at 400 degrees for approx 40 minutes.