If you need a comforting side dish that’s basically guaranteed to be a winner with even the pickiest of eaters, this loaded mashed potato casserole will provide exactly what you’re looking for. Buttery, creamy and satisfying, this is far from your average mashed potato side dish.
Packed with smokey bacon bits, cheese, sour cream and chives — just like a “loaded” baked potato — this recipe is easy to whip up and makes for a great addition to any dinner table.
Blogger Dinner at the Zoo can attest that these jazzed-up taters are easy to customize. She suggests adding your favorite toppings, like jalapenos, garlic and fried onions, to make it extra special. Her version takes only an hour to make: 20 minutes to prep and 40 minutes to cook. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!
And check out how delicious the final results are:
Over at Natasha’s Kitchen, the blogger breaks down another loaded mashed potato casserole recipe. Her easy-to-follow steps also feature some useful tips. For example, she suggests allowing the potatoes to cool before adding cheese if you’re not planning on baking them immediately.
She also recommends using your preferred choice of cheese. Among her suggestions: Mexican four cheese, Colby Jack or a combination of mild cheddar and mozzarella.
One other tip: Buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself while prepping to whip up this dish. Why? The recipe states that shredded cheese not only tastes better, but also contains fewer preservatives.
Another way to make this indulgent side dish: Mash the potatoes with sour cream instead of milk or cream cheese. Blogger Dinner then Dessert says that’s the key to getting the perfect texture of smooth, mashed potatoes.
She also suggests substituting half the amount of mashed potatoes with cauliflower if you’re trying to be extra healthy. Trust us, no one will be able to taste the difference! Not to mention, you’ll be sparing yourself a lot of extra calories and carbs by using cauliflower instead.
Who’s ready to take try one of these recipes and take their mashed potatoes to the next level?
This article originally appeared on Simplemost and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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Healthy comfort foods for your fall table
Casseroles are amazing — that’s all there is to it. They feel like a giant bear hug on a cold day, making them the ultimate comfort food.
But, unfortunately, that hug is packed with a few hundred more calories than you actually want in one meal.
Thankfully, Better Homes and Gardens made a long list of healthy casseroles for fall so that you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in a rich, bear hug-like comfort food.
Here are five healthy casseroles for fall, because sometimes we need a pick me up in the middle of a tough winter weather.
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This delicious casserole includes fun cavatelli pasta, rich Italian turkey sausage, button mushrooms, sweet red pepper, onion and garlic, among other flavor-packed ingredients.
One serving has only 254 calories, according to Better Homes and Gardens. Get the recipe here.
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These meatballs are low in fat but still juicy and flavorful thanks to lean ground beef.
You can make this paste in no time with gnocchi, tomato sauce, Italian herbs, a few vegetables and a bit of mozzarella cheese, and it’s only 234 calories per serving, according to BHG. Find the recipe here.
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Oh my God. Talk about scrumptious and comforting — this biscuit bake combines the warmth and richness of biscuits and gravy while sticking to lean beef and veggies to keep things healthy.
But that doesn’t mean that it’s lacking in richness or savory qualities. All of that topped with flaky, golden-brown biscuits — this casserole will definitely prepare you for a winter hibernation but at a guilt-free 309 calories per serving. Find out how to make it here.
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This casserole capitalizes on one of Thanksgiving’s greatest combinations: perfectly cooked poultry and seasoned stuffing.
BHG said it’s a Thanksgiving take on the old rice-and-chicken classic. Instead of using high-fat cheese, though, this recipe opts for cream of chicken soup and sour cream, which makes each serving only 383 calories. Get the recipe here.
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This pilaf-style side-dish casserole is full of hearty grains including wheat berries, farro and wild rice, and it boasts four grams of fiber and five grams of protein per serving.
It uses dried cranberries and chopped apples to add serious flavor while keeping the dish under 200 calories per serving, according to BHG. Here’s the recipe.
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That’s right, there’s a mac n’ cheese dish on this “healthy” recipe list. And you thought being healthy was no fun!
This mac n’ cheese uses herb and garlic semisoft cheese, mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and Munster combined with butternut squash to create a healthy but addictive version of a tried-and-true favorite.
And, shockingly, each serving is only 266 calories. Find the recipe here.
More great Autumn recipes:
- Crisp cider cocktails perfect for Autumn sipping
- The only soup, stew & chili recipes you need this fall & winter
This article originally appeared on Simplemost
and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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Featured Image Credit: ALLEKO / iStock.
