Mashed Potatoes Get Double The Flavor When You Incorporate These Two Sharp Ingredients

Mashed potatoes are one of the simplest, tastiest, and most filling side dishes you can make. Not to mention, they go with just about anything — and all you need to make them is potatoes and water. Fortunately, it doesn't take much effort to make mashed potatoes even better. While salt, pepper, and butter are usually enough, adding sour cream and sharp cheddar cheese can make the side even creamier and more indulgent.

Make your usual mashed potatoes, then stir in sour cream and a generous amount of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Use at least 1 to 2 cups of cheese for every 3 pounds of potatoes, adjusting for how cheesy you'd like them to be. You can also mix the sour cream and cheese into any store-bought brand of instant mashed potatoes.

In addition to the cheese and sour cream, you can add milk, cream, and butter to adjust the consistency and richness, along with salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything together just until the ingredients are incorporated. The cheese doesn't need to be completely melted when you first stir it in. It will continue to soften in the hot potatoes, leaving little pockets of melted cheese throughout.

You can also transfer the potatoes to a casserole dish, add more cheese on top, and bake them until a golden crust forms. The potatoes retain their familiar flavor, but the sour cream and cheddar give them a richer, more luxurious texture. Unlike butter or cream, the sour cream and sharp cheddar also bring their own tangy flavors, which blend well with potatoes.

Choosing the right type of potato for your recipe will help you get the creamiest results from your sour cream and cheese. Go for something like Yukon Gold or russet potatoes rather than a waxy kind like red potatoes. It comes down to starch content. High-starch potatoes like russets produce a lighter, fluffier mash, while medium-starch Yukon Golds create a denser, creamier consistency.

Since mashed potatoes typically lack a lot of texture, depending on whether or not you left the potatoes a little bit chunky, you can take this dish to the next level by adding some crunch. If you follow our suggestion for baking the potatoes as a casserole with melty cheese on top, you could also sprinkle breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or crumbled potato chips over the cheese before baking.

For some additional flavor, you could experiment with different kinds of cheese. Try smoked gouda for that smoky flavor, or a mild mozzarella to get that good cheese pull. Pepper Jack cheese melts nicely and brings a hint of heat to the potatoes. Swiss cheese adds a subtle sweet nuttiness that would contrast nicely with the cheddar's sharpness and the sour cream's acidity.

Add crispy fried onions for more crunch and salty-sweet flavor. Try shallots for a slightly sweeter, lighter onion taste. Crispy crumbled bacon adds a savory, meaty element that contrasts with the richness of the potatoes, while roasted garlic brings a rich, sweet flavor that blends well with sharp cheddar. Tasting Table's list of ingredients to upgrade your mashed potatoes has even more ideas.