Smoked Mashed Potatoes With Crispy Bacon and Cheese

Sharing is caring!

Once you’ve tried my smoked mashed potatoes recipe, you’ll never go back to the boring old stovetop ones! 

Plus, it’s super simple to cook them alongside whatever you have in the smoker. It doesn’t matter what temperature you’re running at; you just want some smoky flavor and heat for the cheese to melt.

Why You’ll Love These Smoked Mash Potatoes

Picture this.  You’ve got a piece of meat smoking away.. What better side dish than some buttery, creamy mashed potatoes smoking right alongside?

Throw on a few root vegetables, and dinner is done with zero fuss. These are like regular mashed potatoes, but a hundred times better! No matter how you like your mashed potatoes—with cream, butter, cheese, or milk—add the smoky flavor.

You can make smoked mashed potatoes two ways. You can cook the potatoes on the pellet grill, mash then re-smoke them. Or you can boil as normal, mash then smoke the masked potatoes on the pellet smoker.

Either way, boil them in salty water to enhance the flavors. Drain the water completely from the pan. Cook on low heat the evaporate after draining, if need be, to remove the last of the water.

Make sure all the extra ingredients are ready to go when the potatoes are ready. Adding everything while the potatoes are warm will yield a much better result. The potatoes stay smooth and creamy, rather than clumpy and gummy.

Potatoes to Use for Smoked Mashed Potatoes

When it comes to mashed potatoes, you can’t go past the Yukon Gold potato. They are firm and not too starchy, perfect for boiling, mashing, and smoking.

The flavor of Yukon Golds is a little buttery, so perfect for a mash. Red potatoes are a close second, but you must be careful how you mash them so they don’t become pasty and gluey.

Russet potatoes tend to become watery when boiled and mashed, so they are much better suited to baking or roasting.

What You Need for Smoked Mashed Potatoes

Yukon Gold Potatoes
Heavy cream
Butter
Kosher salt
Diced bacon
Cheese
Sour cream
Green onions

How to Make Smoked Mashed Potatoes 

Below are my six simple steps for delicious smoked mashed potatoes.

Step 1 – Fry the Bacon Off

Slice your green onions and set aside. Dice bacon, then fry it in your cast iron skillet (or whatever pan you are going to use for smoking the potatoes). Set aside bacon. We’ll use this same pan later to spread the mashed potatoes on.

Step 2- Cook the Potatoes

Dice the potatoes and place them in a pot filled with cold, salted water (2 tbsp salt). Bring to a boil for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. Strain and return the potatoes to the pot.

Step 3 – Mash the Potatoes

Mash the potatoes. If you have a potato ricer, use it for a smoother consistency. Otherwise, just use a regular potato masher.

Step 4 – Add Seasonings

Add heavy cream, butter, and 1/2 tsp salt to the pot and continue mashing until there are no lumps and a smooth consistency. Stir in some green onions, about 1/4 cup. Spread the mashed potatoes onto your cast iron pan. Top with cheese.

Step 5 – Cook

Smoke at 275°F-300F° for 1 hour until cheese is golden brown. Serve with sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, and more cheese 🙂

How to Tell When the Smoked Potatoes Are Done?

Knowing when the potatoes are done is a simple process. Pierce them with a fork or skewer; if it goes through to the center with no resistance, they are done. Alternatively, check them with a temperature probe. When it reads 200°F, they are ready.

What Can I Season the Mashed Potatoes With?

There are many ways to vary your mashed potatoes. One is to smash the potatoes rather than mash them.

Or use sour cream instead of milk. Heavy cream or cream cheese also adds a great flavor twist. Add flavorings like fresh or dried herbs, chili flakes, garlic cloves, or green onions. Season with salt and black pepper. And everything tastes better with bacon bits!

What to Serve With Smoked Mash Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a big holiday meal or weeknight dinner; they are always a crowd pleaser. Here is what I like to serve the smoked mashed potatoes with;

Grilled Pork Loin

Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

Oven-Baked Turkey Sliders

Oven Roasted Pork Butt

Grilled Pork Chops

Smoked Beef Cheek

Smoked Tri Tip

Traeger Smoked Brisket

📌 Did you try this recipe?

Have you made this delicious recipe and loved it?

I would love it if you took a minute to leave a star rating and review. It is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that; thank you!

📌 Please also pin the image below, then you can find the recipe for the next time you want to cook.

Smoke On!

Charlie

Hungry For More?