Elevate your holiday table or weeknight dinner with our ultimate Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole. This isn’t just a side dish; it’s a culinary experience that takes classic mashed potatoes to an entirely new level of indulgence. Imagine the creamiest potatoes, infused with the luxurious richness of softened cream cheese, generous amounts of real butter, and tangy sour cream. But we don’t stop there. We load it up with savory green onions and crispy, salty bacon bits, transforming it into a dish reminiscent of a fully loaded baked potato – only far more decadent and comforting. Whether you’re planning a festive holiday feast or seeking a comforting family meal, this casserole is the perfect addition, easily made with fresh ingredients or even repurposed from leftover mashed potatoes for convenience.
Make a Difference: Pin a Recipe, Feed a Child Campaign
While we cherish the joy of sharing delicious meals like our Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole with loved ones, it’s important to remember that not everyone has the same privilege. Millions of children worldwide face the harsh reality of hunger and malnutrition every single day. The holiday season, traditionally a time for giving and gratitude, offers a profound opportunity to extend our compassion to those in need. This year, we have a simple yet powerful way to make a significant impact by partnering with Challenge Dairy and UNICEF to combat childhood malnutrition.
You can join us in this vital mission by participating in the “Pin a Recipe, Feed a Child” campaign. It’s incredibly easy to contribute: simply visit the dedicated Pinterest Board, “Pin a Recipe, Feed A Child”, and pin any recipe that inspires you. For every recipe pinned from this board between November 15th and December 31st, Challenge Dairy pledges to donate a meal to a child in need through the UNICEF Foundation. With a commitment to donating up to 75,000 meals, this campaign has the potential to bring life-sustaining nutrition to thousands of vulnerable children. Your simple act of pinning can help change a child’s life.
Understanding the Impact of Childhood Malnutrition
The statistics surrounding childhood malnutrition are truly heartbreaking and demand our immediate attention. It’s estimated that nearly 3 million lives are unnecessarily lost each year due to childhood malnutrition. Furthermore, approximately half of all deaths among children under the age of five are directly attributable to malnutrition. These are not just numbers; they represent countless young lives cut short and futures unfulfilled. The scale of this global crisis can be difficult to comprehend, yet every meal provided, every child reached, makes an undeniable difference. By supporting campaigns like “Pin a Recipe, Feed a Child,” we contribute to a larger effort to reverse these staggering figures and ensure that more children have the chance to grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.
Challenge Butter has been at the forefront of this fight, actively providing UNICEF with ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF). These specialized products, which include dairy-based pastes and powders, are crucial for treating severely malnourished children. Challenge Dairy holds the distinction of being the first U.S. food company to supply RUTF products to regions such as the Caribbean, Central America, and Asia. This commitment is not new; Challenge Dairy boasts an impressive history of over 20 years in developing and delivering humanitarian aid products, demonstrating their deep-seated dedication to global welfare.
Experience the Difference with Challenge Butter
Beyond the crucial UNICEF campaign, I’m thrilled to share my personal discovery and appreciation for Challenge Butter. As a passionate home cook located near Charlotte, NC, I must admit that Challenge Butter was a recent introduction to my market. Prior to its availability, I hadn’t had the pleasure of trying it, or even knowing much about it. However, since experiencing its exceptional quality, it has quickly become my butter of choice. Its superior taste and performance in the kitchen have made it an indispensable ingredient, and I’m incredibly pleased it’s now readily available in my area.
What sets Challenge Butter apart is its unwavering commitment to traditional methods and pure, natural ingredients. Made the old-fashioned way, it is crafted from 100% real cream, with absolutely no artificial additives, hormones, or fillers. This dedication to purity ensures a butter that is not only delicious but also one you can feel good about serving your family. Challenge Dairy distinguishes itself further by being the only dairy product company that oversees the entire butter-making process, from the moment cows are milked to the transportation of milk, the churning of butter, and finally, its packaging. This comprehensive control guarantees consistency, quality, and an unparalleled farm-to-table freshness.
The commitment to freshness at Challenge Dairy is truly remarkable. They pride themselves on using fresh milk and cream sourced from local dairies, ensuring that their butter makes it from the farm to your refrigerator in just two days. This rapid turnaround time is a key factor in the distinctively fresh taste of Challenge Butter, setting it apart from other brands. Furthermore, Challenge was a pioneer in the dairy industry, being the first brand to produce dairy products without growth hormones. This commitment to natural, wholesome ingredients means you are choosing a superior-tasting butter that aligns with your family’s health and wellness values. You’ll truly taste the difference that high-quality, pure butter makes in all your recipes, especially in a rich dish like our Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole.
And it’s not just their butter that stands out! Challenge Dairy also produces a wonderfully creamy-tasting cream cheese, which perfectly complements the richness needed for our casserole and countless other recipes. When you use Challenge products, you’re choosing ingredients that promise exceptional flavor and texture, enhancing every dish you create.
Remember to Help Provide a Meal for a Malnourished Child!
Visit the “Pin a Recipe, Feed a Child” Pinterest Board Today!
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
By Christin Mahrlig
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 10 servings
Print Recipe
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole elevates mashed potatoes to a new level. Cream cheese, high-quality butter, and rich sour cream make it sinfully creamy and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes and softened (we recommend Challenge Butter for best flavor)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 (8-ounce) package Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Place them in a large pot and cover with one inch of water. Add the tablespoon of salt and place over high heat. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when easily poked with a fork. Drain the potatoes thoroughly.
- Transfer the drained potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add the softened cream cheese, warm milk, cubed softened butter, sour cream, seasoned salt, garlic salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until it becomes completely smooth and creamy, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Gently fold in half of the sliced green onions and half of the shredded Cheddar cheese into the mashed potato mixture. Once combined, transfer the creamy potato mixture to a lightly buttered casserole dish, spreading it evenly.
- Scatter the remaining green onions, the rest of the shredded Cheddar cheese, and the cooked and crumbled bacon evenly over the top of the casserole. This creates a beautiful, flavorful topping.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, or until it’s heated through, the cheese is bubbly and melted, and the top is lightly golden. Serve hot and enjoy this comforting, loaded dish!
Nutrition
Calories: 319 kcal
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this recipe?
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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share insights about products I genuinely love and incorporate into my kitchen.