Description
This Spooky Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is a festive and comforting dish perfect for Halloween or any cozy gathering. Creamy mashed Idaho® potatoes are loaded with crispy bacon, melted cheddar cheese, and topped with a fun sour cream spider web for a spooky touch. Easy to prepare with stovetop cooking and finished off in the oven, this casserole serves 8 and blends indulgent flavors with a playful presentation.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Potatoes
- 2 lbs. Idaho® potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon salt (for boiling)
- Additional salt and pepper (to taste)
Mash Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 3/4 – 1 cup milk or half and half
Toppings
- 4 ounces cheddar or colby jack cheese, shredded
- 8 slices bacon
- 1/3 cup sour cream (for spider web)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook Potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a simmer on the stovetop. Peel and chop the potatoes into medium-sized chunks. Add potatoes and 1 tablespoon of salt to the water, then bring to a boil. Boil for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork but still hold shape.
- Cook Bacon: While potatoes cook, fry the bacon slices in a pan over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon onto paper towels to drain excess fat, let cool, then crumble and set aside.
- Mash Potatoes: Drain the potatoes in a colander, then return them to the pot. Place the pot back on very low heat and mash the potatoes with a potato masher, allowing steam to escape. Continue until there are no lumps.
- Add Butter and Milk: Turn off the heat and add 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of milk or half and half. Mash in gently and gradually add more milk until desired creamy consistency is reached (3/4 to 1 cup total). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble Casserole: Spread the mashed potatoes evenly into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Sprinkle shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese on top, then evenly distribute the crumbled bacon over the cheese.
- Bake: Bake the assembled casserole in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Remove and let cool for 10-15 minutes before decorating.
- Create Spider Web: Place the sour cream in a small zip lock bag and cut a tiny hole in one corner. Squeeze the sour cream evenly to draw a ‘spider web’ pattern on the surface. Start with four straight lines intersecting in the center (like a pie cut), then add concentric circles around the center connecting these lines, creating an eight-section web.
- Decorate: Top the spider web with a fake spider made from olives or any decoration you prefer.
- Serve: Serve warm. You can prepare the casserole ahead by refrigerating it after assembly and bake it just before serving, adding the spider web decoration last.
Notes
- You can adjust the milk quantity to get your preferred mashed potato consistency.
- Use half and half for richer mashed potatoes or regular milk for a lighter version.
- Allow the casserole to cool slightly after baking before decorating to prevent the sour cream from melting.
- Make the spider web design with practice lines on a plate if you want to perfect your piping technique.
- This dish can be prepared a day ahead – refrigerate after baking and reheat before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of casserole)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
