Is there anything better than a side dish that can win over a crowd? I think not! That is what this kale bacon baked mashed potatoes are all about. Smokey, fluffy, smooth, with a slight crisp from the colorful kale!
Have you ever had a loaded twice baked potato? You know those potatoes that are baked, sliced in half the soft potato scooped out and mashed with whatever your heart desires and the skin left in place to use as a boat for the mashed goodness then baked to perfection.
That is what these Kale Bacon Baked Mashed Potatoes are inspired by. The only difference is there are no skin boats for the potatoes.
The best part about these fully loaded mashed potatoes is that they can be made up to 2 days in advance. All you need to do is warm them through before serving. Making these perfect for the holidays!
How to make Baked Mashed Potatoes
First, you want to determine what filling you would like. Kale and Bacon are one of our favorites because it is salty and smoky with a nice bite and earthiness from the kale. Oh, and the colors on this combo are just amazing.
However, there are many ways you can make these
- Spinach and mushrooms with swiss cheese
- Ham and onion with cheddar cheese
- Herbs with Havarti cheese
Really, you can mix it up any way your heart desires I have even seen one with sundried tomatoes and feta.
Second, if you are using a filling that is a bit tough to chew or needs to be cooked down or fried before adding I recommend start by cooking up the filling because it will need to cool a bit before you add it to the mash.
The mash will cool slightly once you start mashing it allowing you to mix in the cheese evenly if the mixture is too hot the cheese may just clump all together and won’t mix evenly though the entire mash. So, make sure the filling is also slightly cooled before adding it.
Third, make the mash. I find that red or Yukon gold potatoes work best for Baked Mashed Potatoes they are just silkier and smoother than russets. I also like to use my kitchen aid mixer with the whisk attachment to make them extra smooth.
Fourth, Put it all together
Fifth, bake and enjoy!
Kale Bacon Baked Mashed Potatoes are a must at any holiday party this season. Smoky from the bacon, crispy from the kale, combined in a smooth creamy cloud of mashed potato. This dish will have people coming back for more.
Other Crowd-pleasing Holiday Side Dishes
Kale Bacon Baked Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- ½ lb bacon diced
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 lb kale stems removed and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
- 2 lb red potatoes washed and diced
- 4 tbsp butter divided
- 2 tbsp cream cheese
- 1 cup cream
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
Potato Filling
- In a large skillet fry up diced bacon over medium-low heat. Once it is crispy remove it from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan in the bacon grease saute onions until they are soft. Add in kale and cook until kale has softened about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper for 30 seconds, remove from heat and set the skillet aside until you are ready to mash
Potatoes
- Cook the diced red potatoes in salt water until fork tender. Drain the potatoes
Put It Together and Bake
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and grease a 2.3 qt baking dish
- Place potatoes in a large bowl.
- Add in 2 tablespoons of butter, sour cream, and cream and mash the potatoes together until smooth.
- Stir in sharp cheddar cheese and kale mixture until well combined
- Spread evenly in the 2.3 qt greased baking dish and sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.
- Cut the last 2 tablespoons of butter into 6 pieces and place them on top of the potatoes.
- Bake the potatoes 20-30 minutes until top and sides start to brown.
- Remove from the oven. Allow to cool a few minutes. Serve and Enjoy
Nutrition
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Honestly I have not made this yet but I am drooling and day dreaming about this dish!! So delicious!