Cheddar Chive Mashed Potatoes are creamy and flavorful. It is the perfect mashed potato recipe for holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas but easy enough to make for weeknight dinners too!

A bowl of cheddar cheese mashed potatoes in a yellow dish topped with green onion

My husband is addicted to mashed potatoes, he would probably eat them daily if I would make them that often! (He also loves Roasted Potatoes and Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes too!) When we were first married I honestly used the mashed potato flakes from the grocery store to make them (gasp!)

Over the years I've realized it's SO much better to make them from scratch, and I enjoy trying new flavor combinations and variations. For this year's Thanksgiving we'll be having this Cheddar Chive Mashed Potato recipe that I'm in love with lately!

Why I love this recipe

These mashed potatoes are packed with flavor.

The recipe is easy to customize too-if you like a thinner consistency add more half and half and mash more with the potato masher. Increase the salt and chives for even more powerful flavor! Make them your own!

Ingredients

This recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients:

Yukon gold or russet potatoes
salt
salted butter
sour cream
sharp cheddar cheese
half and half
chives

A top view of cheddar cheese mashed potatoes topped with chives and cheese

Step by step

If you've never made homemade mashed potatoes before, don't worry, it's so easy! All you'll need is a large pot, potato masher, and large bowl for mixing.

Chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and boil until soft (it's up to your preference whether to peel first, I personally leave the peels on.)
Drain the potatoes and add butter, then mash to your desired consistency. Some people like their mashed potatoes on the chunky side (raises hand!) and others prefer to mashed them until they are quite smooth, it's up to you!
After mashing stir in the sour cream, cheese, and half and half and stir until the cheese is melted.
Lastly, stir in the chives and season to taste with salt.

What Potatoes are Best for Mashed Potatoes?

While any potato can technically be mashed, I prefer Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes for making delicious creamy mashed potatoes.

How Long to Boil Potatoes

I cut my potatoes into 1" cubes to cut the boiling time down to twenty minutes. This method ensures they are perfectly soft and ready for mashing!

Cheddar Chive Mashed Potatoes in yellow casserole dish

Variations and add-ins

You can customize this recipe so many ways!

Add in crumbled bacon
Substitute different cheeses for the cheddar cheese
Adjust for richness by using milk for a lighter flavor or heavy cream to amp up the creamy flavor
Add herbs such as parsley, rosemary, or thyme

Tips for best results

Be sure to salt the water for boiling the potatoes as instructed, this helps reduce the amount of salt needed at the end of the recipe.
Drain potatoes completely before mashing.
Soften butter while potatoes are boiling for the best results, cold butter will not mash as well with the potatoes.

Freezing and storage

You can store these mashed potatoes in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

For longer storage, these mashed potatoes freeze well. Allow mashed potatoes to cool completely then store in an airtight freezer container up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat as usual.

Need more Thanksgiving-worthy recipe? Check these out!

Sides

Desserts

And be sure to check out my Thanksgiving Planner Printable as well to help keep your holiday stress-free and organized!

If you try this recipe, please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!