By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 40 minutes plus 30 minutes’ baking
- Rating
- 4(3,845)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This casserole may upset some mashed potato purists, but take heart: one bite and they'll be won over. The genius of this recipe, besides its utter deliciousness, is that it can be made the day before, or even two. Cook the potatoes, assemble the casserole, wrap tightly and store it in the refrigerator. When dinnertime comes, dust it with the cheese, butter and bread crumbs and bake the whole thing off. (And for everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)
Featured in: What Can I Prepare Before the Actual Day of Thanksgiving?
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Ingredients
Yield:12 to 14 servings
- 14tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, and more for the pan
- 6pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½cups sour cream
- 1teaspoon black pepper
- 6tablespoons finely chopped chives
- ⅔cup bread crumbs
- ⅔cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (14 servings)
349 calories; 19 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 574 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Step
1
Lightly grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan.
Step
2
In a large pot, bring the potatoes, 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.
Step
3
Mash potatoes with 10 tablespoons butter, sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Mash in the chives. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Spread potatoes into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate for up to three days.
Step
4
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, bread crumbs and cheese. Mix together until it forms coarse crumbs. Crumbs can be refrigerated for three days.
Step
5
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the potato casserole and bake until golden and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.
Ratings
4
out of 5
3,845
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Cooking Notes
Ellen
If you make this ahead of time and store it uncooked in the refrigerator, it will go into the oven cold and will need considerably more than 30 to 40 minutes to bake. Count on at least an hour.
Nancy
This is my "go to" make ahead mash potato recipe. It feeds a large crowd. It's very rich so it goes a long way. I follow the recipe. I have made the mistake 2 times of adding all 14 tablespoons of butter (instead of 10) to the mash potatoes, sour cream, etc. Thus making the potatoes too wet. I wasn't paying close attention to the recipe, just a heads up: 10 tablespoons for potatoes and 4 for the topping. Panko breadcrumbs work nicely too.
Gael C
I have made a recipe like this for many years at Thanksgiving and other special occasions. I added 2 beaten eggs to the mix which allows the potato casserole to rise...a bit like a souffle! I love the chives and the crunchy topping...and especially the fact that you can prep this the night before the event and then just bake it when needed. Killer recipe!
Mike Meshenberg
I almost never peel potatoes whether mashing, frying, roasting, or anything. Just scrub really well in soapy water and rinse. Peels add color, texture, flavor, and food value.
Kathy
I'm not having a large crowd so I'm wondering if anyone has ever halved this recipe? It sound wonderful and I want to make it but 6 pounds of spuds is a lot of spuds!
Janet
How does it taste without the cheese and breadcrumbs since my family likes to put gravy on their potatoes?
Mark
A holiday lifesaver: moving mashed potato tasks to a day or two before. For more traditional potatoes skip the bread crumb/cheese topping. To mitigate the sour cream cut that by half and sub in a little softened cream cheese and some warmed milk (skim!), which also provided the extra moisture others have noted. Kept for 2 days in the fridge in an ordinary foil steam pan, potatoes reheated perfectly (an hour at 350 - not 400) and tasted "just made."
Kerry Rosen
Want you all to know that this freezes well. Made it two weeks ahead of Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. Increased proportions to serve 21 and subbed low fat cream cheese for the sour cream. It was a huge hit and no one could tell it had been frozen! You do need to thaw it in the refrigerator the day before and bake at 350 for 45 minutes to heat through.
dimmerswitch
NOTES: 1) Made full size, half size & 1/3 of recipe. Delicious every time. 2) Set aside 1C or more hot potato cooking water b/4 draining. Add it in at mash step as needed to get to desired consistency. 3) Adjust final salt in dish as needed given cooking water is salted. 4) 1/3 recipe (2# potatoes) feeds 6 as side. 5) If making ahead remove from fridge at least 90 min before baking. then add crumbs. 6) Bake 350 degrees not 400 - for 40 min. to make crumbs golden / no risk of burning.
Fran@11229
Do people eat this plain (since it has the bread crumbs and the cheese) or do they put gravy on it (like with mashed potatoes)?
Anne
But ooh, check with your host first. If it's for Thanksgiving the oven will be in high demand. When I host, I really appreciate it if guests who are bringing dishes bring completed dishes, ready to serve. This would mean baking ahead of time and keeping warm in a blanket, a cooler stuffed with a blanket, something.
Judy
Can these be cooked in a crockpot and kept on low to serve? I'm not a crockpot user, so afraid to try!
Kathy
HELP PLEASE
Willa
I took others advice about the topping burning and I only added it the last 10 minutes or so. It worked out great and it was delicious.
Mike
What drives me nuts about NYTs recipes is that the photo does not match the text. In this case, 9x12 pan is nowhere to be found!
Kim McElroy
I have made this many time for various events, including Thanksgiving, and it's great that you can make it in advance. It's always a hit and gets completely devoured. I don't add the topping as the potatoes will all that butter and sour cream are wonderful without it.
Diana
Made 1/2 recipe the day before, put in 8x8" pan, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated without topping. Brought out to sit on counter for 2 hours before dinner next day, applied topping, baked 1 hour at 350. Served w/roast beef, gravy, roasted brussels sprouts, etc for Christmas dinner. The potatoes were lovely, tangy and browned on top.
Linda Dysart
I prefer to the traditional mashed potatoes and it was wonderful leftover.
Maya S.
The quantity was too large for our thanksgiving (12 guests) , next time will cut quantity down a bit . Also, We did not bake for the full time since we were in a rush to warm several dishes for thanksgiving- it would’ve been better if we did.
Francesca
Added cream cheese and milk and heavy cream, otherwise they were a little bit dry. Should have cut the recipe in half, and not a fan of the topping.
Deb
Came out fantastic. Downsized for two, but can't wait to make it for a crowd.
Stephanie
Yep, everyone loved it. I do not like everything tasting like onions, so no chives. Bay leave and thyme sprigs in potato water. Home made breadcrumbs not the disgusting store bought! (To try to save (a tiny bit) of time I tried the store bought and threw the crumb mixture out - gross - and made again).
Maya
Picked this recipe because it could be made ahead. I didn't peel the potatoes, but that was about the only change I made. It was a big hit. Oh, I added slightly less butter, I think 8 tablespoons instead of ten and 3 to make the topping. Will definitely make this again.
Robin
Shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese also works well.
jason
This was a huge hit at my Thanksgiving dinner. The sour cream and chives gives this such a good flavor. I had to add a little more bread crumbs to the topping mixture because it made more of a flight than coarse crumbs. But I’ll definitely make this again.
Jammy
This is out of this world!! Can’t wait to eat it again. Light and fluffy and I made it the night before. Definite keeper.
Jane
I prepared this the day before as stated using a potato ricer instead of mashing. The directions are straightforward and easy. I removed the casserole from the refrigerator an hour before putting into the oven and it was still cool requiring longer baking time. My only comment for next time is that I would add the crumbs towards the end of the cooking time, as they became too browned, Otherwise it was delicious and everyone seemed to enjoy.
Mary
Have much better recipe:Boil 12 potatoesWhip with 8 oz cream cheese, cube of butter, salt to taste, milk— 1 cup milk or more for mashed potato texture.Pile into casserole dish and chill.Bake at 350 till hot and lightly browned. Never fails to delight
jim
different, not necessarily much better
Betsy
I added 2 beaten eggs to the mix which allows the potato casserole to rise...a bit like a souffle!
kay
I'm not a big fan of chives so I think I'll add rosemary instead. Thoughts?
AKNannie
Kay, the chives gives the potato a mild onion flavor. I’m guessing that’s what you don’t like? If that's not it, you could add thinly sliced scallions. Otherwise just leave the chives out. Rosemary has a completely different flavor profile and is quite strong. For me, too strong for the turkey/potato/veggie meal. The spuds will be delicious anyway. You can’t miss!
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