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Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard combines creamy mashed potatoes with cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, sour cream, butter, and a variety of vegetables including Swiss Chard and shredded carrots. Even the pickiest vegetable eater will love this dish!
Delicious Comfort Food in a Bowl
Today’s Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard recipe was inspired by a recipe* I saw over on Facebook, shared by a local farm near our home that sell fresh lettuce, herbs, and other greens. The food is grown using a hydroponics growing system – so their produce is super fresh and very delicious!
The owner shared a recipe* for Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard – to promote their freshly-grown Swiss Chard – and we immediately took a ride over to the farm to buy some. (Now that’s effective marketing!)
Mashed Potatoes with Cheese, Swiss Chard & Carrots
This Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard casserole is a great way to serve more vegetables to your family. Creamy mashed potatoes are flavored with both cheddar and Parmesan cheese, butter, sour cream, onions, and garlic – plus salt, pepper, dried thyme and mustard powder.
We also included some shredded carrots in addition to the Swiss Chard – upping the vegetable quotient in the dish. Plus, the carrots add a sweet undertone that goes nicely with the fresh greens.
*We assumed our local farm found the recipe online. After searching around, we believe Mangia Bedda should be credited for the inspiration behind this delicious recipe, although we made some changes to the method and ingredients.
Why you’ll love Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard
- The flavors of the mashed potatoes and cheese go so nicely with the fresh greens and carrots.
- It’s a filling side dish that goes nicely with chicken, steak, or pork – or enjoy it as a hearty, meatless meal on its own.
- You can vary the vegetables and cheese based on your tastes.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Swiss Chard – This mild-flavored, fresh green really is the star of the show as it tastes delicious and is loaded with nutrients. If you can’t find Swiss Chard, Tuscan kale is a good alternative.
- Yellow or Yukon Gold Potatoes – Either variety of potato will work for this dish – although the cooking time may vary a bit depending on the size and variety of potato you buy. Russets can also be used but just keep in mind the finished dish will be less golden in color, plus the cooking time will be different. (Also – Be careful not to overcook the Russets.) Avoid waxy potatoes such as the New Red variety – they won’t mash up to the correct texture.
- Other Vegetables – We added yellow onion, shredded carrots, and fresh garlic to the dish. You can leave the carrots out if you’d like, or you can add additional veggies like finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower.
- Dairy – Unsalted butter, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and sharp white cheddar cheese add richness and flavor.
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dry mustard powder add nice undertones of flavor to the casserole.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray
Special Tools Needed
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Pot – To cook the potatoes.
- Potato Ricer or Potato Masher – A potato ricer (if you have one) is a great way to mash the potatoes but still maintain a light and airy texture. Mashing the potatoes by hand is fine too – but we don’t suggest whipping the potatoes with a hand mixer.
- Paring knife
- Tongs
- Large Bowl
- Box grater – To shred the cheese.
- Potato Peeler
- Rubber Spatula
- Large Sauté Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- 2 ½ to 3-quart Oven-safe Casserole Dish
How do I make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard?
- Boil whole unpeeled potatoes in salted water.
- Sauté onions in butter and oil. Add carrots, garlic and seasonings and continue to cook. Finally add kale and cook until wilted. Remove from heat. (You can do this step while the potatoes cook.)
- Once potatoes are tender, drain the water in the pot. One hot potato at a time, peel off the skin with a paring knife. (See Chef’s Tip below.)
- Press each peeled hot potato through the large holes of a potato ricer (or mash by hand) into a large bowl.
- Add butter, cubed cheddar cheese, sour cream, mustard powder, and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
- Reheat the onion and greens mixture in the skillet, then stir into the potato mixture.
- Pour into a three-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake 30 minutes, then broil a minute or two to brown the top of the casserole.
- Serve immediately.
Tips & Tricks
Cooking potatoes whole, with the skin still on, will help keep moisture out of the potato and prevent overly mushed mashed potatoes.
With a little practice, peeling hot potatoes with a paring knife after they are cooked is actually easier and quicker than peeling potatoes before they are cooked with a potato peeler! The skin easily peels right off in big sheets after they are cooked. Just use tongs or oven mitts to hold the potato in place while peeling.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard ahead of time? You could sauté the vegetables and cook the potatoes ahead of time. When ready to bake, reheat both, add remaining ingredients and then assemble to bake.
- How do I store leftovers? Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- How do I reheat leftovers? We find it easiest to reheat individual portions of this casserole in the microwave.
- Can I freeze? No – we don’t recommend freezing this dish.
You might like these other Potato Recipes:
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Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard combines creamy potatoes with cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, plus Swiss Chard and shredded carrots.
Ingredients
3 pounds yellow potatoes
1 teaspoon of kosher salt to salt the potato water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, diced (about one medium onion)
1 cup carrots, shredded on large holes of a box grater (about 2 medium carrots)
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
12 ounces (in weight) freshly cleaned Swiss Chard leaves, coarsely chopped, and rinsed with cold water. We started with 20 ounces before removing and discarding stems and ribs (12 ounces usable leaves and 8 ounces stems and ribs discarded). Depending on how the bunches look, you may need to start with more than 20 ounces
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, half cubed and half shredded on large holes of a box grater
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Instructions
- Place the skin-on whole potatoes into a large pot and cover with a water, a few inches higher than the potatoes. Place on to boil. Once boiling, add one teaspoon of the kosher salt and lower heat to a medium boil. Boil for about 30-40 minutes until tender. Insert a paring knife to test for doneness.
- While potatoes are cooking, in a large skillet, melt one tablespoon of olive oil with two tablespoons of butter over medium high heat and once hot and frothy, add onions and sauté for three minutes.
- Add shredded carrot, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme and cook for one minute.
- Add the last tablespoon of olive oil and the cleaned and rinsed chopped Swiss chard leaves and cook about two minutes or until wilted but still firm. Set this pan aside.
- Once the potatoes are tender, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. with oven rack in center.
- Drain the potatoes. Using tongs, remove one potato at a time to your cutting board and use a paring knife to scrape off the skin. The skin should pull right off in large pieces. Use the tongs or an oven mitt to hold the potato steady.
- Over a large bowl, pass the cooked peeled potatoes through the large holes of a potato ricer, or simply mash by hand.
- Add two more tablespoons of butter, the cubed cheddar, sour cream, Parmesan, and dry mustard to the bowl with the potatoes and combine.
- Heat the skillet with the Swiss Chard back up then add to the bowl with the mashed potatoes and stir.
- Taste and only add more salt if needed.
- Spray a 2 ½ – 3-quart casserole dish with kitchen pan spray and using a rubber spatula, transfer the potato mixture to the casserole dish.
- Dot with the remaining two tablespoons of butter and sprinkle on the shredded cheddar cheese and bake for 30 minutes uncovered.
- Place under the broiler for one to two minutes to brown and serve.
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