Cheesy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These roasted garlic mashed potatoes are rich, creamy and packed with flavour. They’re loaded with cheese then baked until golden and bubbly!

This isn’t just regular mashed potato with some garlic and cheese stirred through. Roasting a whole bulb of garlic first makes it beautifully sweet and mellow, then plenty of cheddar goes both through the mash and over the top. Baking it gives you that gorgeous golden, bubbly crust while the mash underneath stays ridiculously creamy. It’s the type of side dish you could eat straight from the bowl! Follow me…

Ingredients Notes

For such a simple selection of ingredients, I think you’ll be surprised at just how delicious these potatoes are. The full quantities are down in the recipe card, but I just want to highlight a few first:

• Go for a mature/sharp cheddar – you want something with enough flavour to actually come through in the mash. I’d also recommend grating it yourself; freshly grated cheese melts much more smoothly than the pre-grated stuff.
• Use a floury/starchy potato – something like Maris Piper (UK) or Russet (US). They’re light and floury and soak up all that butter, cream and cheese without turning waxy.
• Don’t be alarmed by the whole bulb of garlic – roasting completely mellows the flavour, making the garlic soft, sweet and much less pungent than it would be raw. It’s what gives the mash that proper roasted garlic flavour without overpowering everything else.
• The chives are more than just a garnish – they add a little freshness and a mild oniony flavour that works so well with the roasted garlic and cuts through the richness of the cheese. Plus, they add a nice pop of colour.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

We’ll get to the cheesy part in just a sec, but firstly let’s talk about roasted garlic.

If you’ve been a reader of mine for a while, you’ll have realised I’m obsessed with roasting garlic. Roasting garlic really changes both the texture and flavour of the garlic into something sweet and caramelized. Roasting the garlic also completely softens it, so you get amazing distribution through the mashed potatoes and the garlic flavours the entire thing, not just little pockets here and there.

For a more comprehensive tutorial on how to roast garlic (it’s so easy, promise) check out my Oven Roasted Garlic.

Process shots: slice garlic (photos 1&2), drizzle with oil (photo 3), wrap in foil or baking paper then roast (photo 4).

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

I mean, mashed potato with roasted garlic is great, but let’s take things to the next level shall we? Cheesy mashed potato brings me right back to my childhood (and has stayed with me through adulthood, clearly). You can’t beat it. Plus, cheese and garlic is a marriage made in heaven that we must celebrate at any opportunity.

Baking the mash

I find that when you bake mashed potatoes, especially if they’re loaded with cheese and/or roasted garlic, it marries the flavours together a little more. You also get that gorgeous golden top, which is always delicious.

Process shots: boil potatoes (photo 1), drain (photo 2), mash with roasted garlic, butter and cream (photo 3), mash with cheese and seasoning (photo 4), add to baking dish then add cheese (photo 5), bake (photo 6).

Tips for success

• Let the potatoes steam dry – after you’ve drained the potatoes, leave them sitting in the colander for a minute. This gives any excess moisture a chance to escape, which helps keep the mash thick and creamy rather than watery.
• Don’t reach for the hand mixer – overworking potatoes can release too much starch and turn them gluey. Mash them by hand and don’t worry about getting them completely smooth. A few lumps and bumps are absolutely fine, and some of those little bumps will be cheese that melts beautifully in the oven anyway.
• Season the mash properly – potatoes soak up salt like nothing else, so taste the mash before it goes into the baking dish and don’t be afraid to add more than you think.

Serving Suggestions

Once out of the oven, I love to top with finely diced fresh chives. Try to not think of these as just garnish; they actually add gorgeous flavour and marry with the roasted garlic perfectly. The mash might seem a little loose fresh out of the oven, but it’ll firm up a little more as it rests.

This mash was made to be a side, but it’s too tempting to just plow through the entire thing with a fork and be done with it. Besides the obvious Thanksgiving and Christmas, here are my other favourites to serve with it:

• Chicken and Gravy
• Spatchcock Roast Chicken
• Smothered Pork Chops
• Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce
• Sausages Wrapped in Bacon

After more mash recipes? Check out my Best Ever Mashed Potato Recipes!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into this cheesy roasted garlic mashed potatoes recipe shall we?!

How to make Cheesy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato (Full Recipe & Video)

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Hey, whilst you’re here why not check out my other recipes?

Recipes using Roasted Garlic

• Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese
• Roasted Garlic Aioli
• Roasted Garlic Sweet Potato Mash
• Roasted Garlic Bread

Potato Side Dishes

• Mashed Potato Gratin
• Creamy Bacon Potato Salad
• Roasted Baby Potatoes
• Lemon Browned Butter Baby Potatoes
• Potato Dauphinoise

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