Loaded Mashed Potato Cups Recipe

Mashed potatoes are one of the most beloved side dishes out there, but even the tastiest mashed spuds can get a bit dull after a while. You could always pull out a few tricks to take your regular mashed potatoes from ordinary to extraordinary, or you could reinvent the dish entirely. In this loaded mashed potato cups recipe, I take the latter approach by transforming the soft, creamy, comforting dish we all know and love into adorable oven-baked cups with perfectly crispy edges and cheesy tops.

What I love most about this recipe is that it essentially captures all the loaded goodness of a baked potato and all the creamy goodness of mashed potatoes, combining them into one cohesive dish. The mashed potatoes stay creamy and cheesy in the center, while the edges get slightly crisp as they bake. Bacon crumbles add a smoky, salty flavor, while sour cream keeps the potatoes rich and tender. While this recipe does call for preparing the mashed potatoes from scratch, you can use leftovers if you have them (read on for details on how exactly to do so). These cups are highly customizable, super easy to serve, and even easier to go in for seconds on.

For the mashed potato base, start with russet potatoes, butter, sour cream, and eggs to bind the mixture together. To make these true loaded potatoes, you'll also need shredded cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, and chopped chives, along with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized chunks.

Transfer the potatoes to a large pot of salted water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Add the potatoes to a large clean bowl along with the butter. Mash the potatoes until mostly smooth, then let them sit and cool for 5 minutes.

Add the sour cream, eggs, 1 cup cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the mashed potatoes. Mix until everything is well combined.

Grease a 12-cup muffin pan very well with nonstick cooking spray (or line the pan with baking cups).

Divide the mashed potato mixture evenly between the muffin cups, filling each one nearly to the top. Smooth out the tops to create flatter surfaces.

Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese over the potato cups.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden and the edges are slightly crisp.

Let the potato cups cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing them. Run a thin knife around the edges if needed. Top with additional sour cream, bacon, and chives if desired.

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There are quite a few amazing ways to use leftover mashed potatoes, and this recipe is yet another great example. Leftover mashed spuds are definitely fair game here, but you'll need about four cups' worth in total, so make sure that you've got enough before proceeding. 

Since the leftover mashed potatoes you'll be working with very likely already have butter, salt, and milk or cream in the mix, you may need to adjust the inclusions that this recipe calls for. Before adding any salt or sour cream, taste your leftovers to see where you're at. Adjust other seasonings (like the garlic and onion powder) as needed. To give the leftover potatoes a little more structure, you may still want to mix in the two eggs that the recipe calls for so that the cups will hold their shape when baking. Also, if you're starting with particularly soft or creamy mashed potatoes, you may also want to add a little more shredded cheese to thicken up the mixture. Otherwise, you can proceed with the recipe as written and use up those leftovers all in one go.

There are plenty of ways to customize these loaded mashed potato cups and make them truly your own. To start, other potato varieties will work here; my favorite alternative to russets are Yukon golds, which have a delightfully creamy, buttery texture. Red potatoes or white potatoes would also work, and you can always mix and match since they'll all end up mashed in the end. I'd avoid super waxy potatoes like fingerlings as they won't mash quite as easily.

One of my favorite ways to switch up a main flavor profile in these cups is by swapping out the cheese. Cheddar is a classic, mild choice, but if you want something with a bolder kick, go with pepper Jack or a sharper cheddar. Other mild cheeses like Monterey or Colby Jack would also work well here. If you want a meaty addition beyond the bacon, I recommend going with something like crumbled sausage or even diced ham. If you want to add a decadent touch to these mashed potato cups, mix in some roasted garlic for a touch of richness and subtle sweetness. Finally, give the cups a slight veggie boost by mixing in finely chopped roasted broccoli.

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