Fluffy and creamy, mashed potatoes are a must at the Thanksgiving table. It just wouldn’t be Turkey Day without ‘em! But with the same old potatoes year after year, you might start to find yourself craving something new. Not a replacement; goodness no. You could never replace the coveted mashed potato. What you want is a tasty twist on that creamy classic, a revamped mash.
Get your potatoes prepped because this Crunchy Onion & Cheddar Potato Bake is sure to become a new Thanksgiving staple. It’s the comforting and creamy potatoes you’ve come to know and love, but amplified for over-the-top awesomeness. First, the potatoes get garlic-fied and buttered. There are few combinations in this world as heavenly as potatoes and garlic. Then, these already delicious potatoes get layered with sharp cheddar cheese and a classic Thanksgiving topper: french-fried onions. Pop the casserole in the oven for a few minutes and revel in the crunchy, melty, cheesy magic that results.
This is the pinnacle of potato dishes. Layers of fluffy, garlicky mashed potatoes, gooey sharp cheddar, and crispy french-fried onions create a trifecta of tastiness and texture. It’s a perfect balance, pleasing to your palate and comforting to your soul. These are a must-make for Thanksgiving. They will fit in perfectly with the rest of your Turkey Day team and all your guests will love them. Don’t be surprised if it’s everyone’s favorite dish!
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
- I know I always preach about using fresh garlic, but since it’s Thanksgiving & you’re already overwhelmed, using minced garlic is totally fine. Just don’t use powdered. That’s never okay.
- You can use any kind of potato really, but I recommend Yukon Golds for their naturally buttery taste.
- This side dish isn’t just great for Thanksgiving; it makes a great side at Christmas dinner too! (And honestly, there’s no reason you can’t make these any time of year)
- Sharp cheddar is the way to go. Regular & mild cheddars don’t pack the same punch.
- This is a definite make-ahead dish. You can make the mashed potatoes & even assemble the dish earlier in the day so all you have to do later is bake it.
- Having the milk warm and the butter at room temperature really is recommended. Adding cold ingredients to the warm potatoes can make them gummy and pasty.
- Your potatoes should be fork-tender after you cook them. If you under-cook them, your mash might not be as smooth and fluffy.
Crunchy Onion & Cheddar Potato Bake
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker
Ingredients:
- 8 yukon gold potatoes, skinned, cooked, and drained
- 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of butter (half a stick), room temperature
- 1-1 1/2 cups milk, warm
- kosher salt, to taste
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 2.8-oz. can french-fried onions
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray a 9×9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, while the potatoes are still warm, mash the cooked potatoes, garlic, butter, and 1 cup milk until smooth, fluffy, and creamy. Add more milk to reach desired consistency, if necessary.
- Spoon half the mashed potatoes into the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle half of the cheese on top of the mashed potatoes, then top with half of the onions. Add another layer of potatoes and spread to smooth. Top with the rest of the cheese and onions.
- Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out hot. For the last 3-5 minutes of cooking, remove cover and let top brown.
- Spoon onto a plate and serve immediately!
Now, that’s a Happy Thanksgiving!
For more delicious dishes for your Turkey Day feast, head over to the Smart Cookie Thanksgiving Page!
You know we are crazy over potatoes and cheese at home and this recipes of yours will be a big hit at home.
Oh yum yum!! I love potatoes and cheese (who doesn’t?), so this is sure to be a hit! Thanks for sharing another awesome recipe!
These cheesy potatoes look like they would cause a stampede into the kitchen! My mouth is just watering seeing that first picture. Nice touch with the fried onions on top. Glad you posted this one-thanks!
Now this is what I call a Thanksgiving side dish! This looks incredible!!
I feel the need to buy some potatoes at the grocery today. It is officially time for me to go again, and I already have the remaining ingredients at home .. hmmm.
DO IT. It’s so good!
I love making potato bakes. I have one that I make too! This one looks really good!!!
This looks SO decadent, particularly with the potatoes spilling over the sides. Yummy!
Wonderful combo of flavors and textures!
What a great twist on a classic! I’m kind of sick of the same old boring mashed potatoes as well… think I’m doing potato gratin myself…
Wow this looks like an amazing side dish!
Looks yummy–my Thanksgiving menu is all set, but I will have to make this soon anyway!
It looks delicious, but the skinning, cooking, and mashing process for the potatoes looks like kind of a pain. Could this be done with instant mashed potatoes instead?
Actually, the original recipe uses instant, so yes! Real mashed potatoes just taste so much better in my opinion, though!
That’s what my mom says! But where did you find the original recipe?
Here’s a link:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/crunchy-onion-potato-bake/bcc3a919-9648-4388-838f-f0018e9e7da0#?term=crunchy+onion+potato+bake&fv=AND%28HasGridViewImage:True%29&pi=1&ps=9
Thanks! Maybe I’ll try it with a plain mashed potato mix and add in the garlic separately—that would cut out some work while still putting in some homemade flavor.
We just had this for dinner last night! The only difference is we chose to go the potato mix route, except with the garlic fresh. I think the onions may have been left out too. But, it was still DELICIOUS.
Yay, so glad you tried it!
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This was a great make-ahead dish. I assembled the dish Tuesday evening and popped it into the oven Wednesday evening. Came out perfectly! I only made a half batch, but next time I will definitely make the full amount!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorites.