Aged Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Some families might have a strict “do not mess with the classics” policy for Thanksgiving, but my family luckily does not. I think the fact that I invite them over and do ALL of the cooking trumps the fact that I take some liberties with my menu.

But even if your family DOES have that policy, I think mashed potatoes and gravy from scratch are a natural place to experiment. Because no matter what you do, they are still mashed potatoes. 

And mashed potatoes are awesome (and even leftover mashed potatoes turned into potato cakes), always and forever.

So go ahead – try these Aged Cheddar Mashed Potatoes this year (or my Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes or Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes).

And if your family has any complaints about you adding CHEESE to MASHED POTATOES, then you might want to look into celebrating the holiday with a different family next year.

Because, come on. Cheese makes a great thing even better! And everybody knows that cheese + potatoes are a match made in heaven, demonstrated by my baked potato pizza.

These cheese mashed potatoes are also amazing on top of mini shepherd’s pies.

For the easiest-ever mashed potatoes, use Baby Boomer fresh Creamer potatoes from The Little Potato Company. They’re pre-washed (hooray!), and the thin yellow skin means there’s no need to peel them – just cook and smash them whole.

Perfect for quickly pulling the mashed potatoes together right before the turkey comes out of the oven. These potassium-rich potatoes have a flavorful yellow flesh and are great for roasting, boiling, grilling or even microwaving.

After a quick 15-minute boil in salted water, these potatoes got smashed up and combined with some half-and-half, butter and aged Cheddar cheese for a gourmet twist on a classic Thanksgiving side dish.

Epic Thanksgiving Recipe Schedule:

• Sunday, October 30th: Thanksgiving Recipes Master List
• Monday, October 31st: Apple, Bacon + Fennel Stuffing
• Thursday, November 3rd: Aged Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
• Monday, November 7th: Cajun Turkey with Orange-Oregano Gravy
• Monday, November 14th: Sautéed Green Beans with Tomatoes + Crispy Parmesan
• Thursday, November 17th: Hard Cider Cranberry Sauce
• Sunday, November 20th: Cocktail Hour! Roasted Campari Bloody Mary

Other Thanksgiving Ideas:

• Cranberry-Vanilla Gin Spritzer
• Autumn Cheese Board
• Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Crostini with Whipped Feta & Honey
• Roasted Turkey with Bourbon Apricot Glaze
• Maple Bourbon Glaze for Turkey
• Fruit & Nut Brussels Sprout Slaw
• Corn Casserole with Cheese
• Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing
• Lemon & Maple Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Twice Baked Potato Casserole
• Thanksgiving Rice Recipe
• Roasted Acorn Squash with Pomegranate & Parsley
• Spiced Sweet Potato Rolls with Bourbon Honey Butter
• Cranberry Curd Tart

Prep-Ahead Strategy:

• A Step-by-Step Guide for Prepping Ahead, So You Can Relax on Thanksgiving!

Use Those Leftovers:

• Thanksgiving Leftover Waffles
• Turkey & Gnocchi Arrabiata Soup
• Use up leftover mashed potatoes in a loaded mashed potato bake casserole!
• Ham and Potato Soup, if you also made a ham for Thanksgiving and have leftovers

Making one of these recipes? Please let me know by sharing a photo on social media with the hashtag #FLLEpicThanksgiving!

I’m so thankful for each and every person that stops by this blog, whether it’s once in awhile or every day. This little corner of the internet has allowed me to change my life and create a career path for myself that brings me so much joy. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Disclosure: This was a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Little Potato Company. Sponsored posts help me pay for the costs associated with this blog (groceries…lots of groceries), and help support me as I pursue a career in recipe development and food photography. All opinions are 100% my own.