Side Dishes
Cheesy Mashed Potato Gratin
By: Katie Lee Biegel
Cookbook author and television host Katie Lee Biegel gives classic mashed potatoes a cheesy, golden-baked twist with Tillamook Original Cream Cheese, Tillamook Extra Creamy Unsalted Butter, Tillamook Cultured Sour Cream, and Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese, finished with crispy garlic cracker crumbs. It’s a new take on a classic potato gratin that’s make-ahead friendly and a real crowd-pleaser.
1HR 5MINserves 8-10
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
4 pounds Russet potatoes, cut into chunks
Kosher salt, to taste
1 (8-ounce) package Tillamook Original Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 stick Tillamook Extra Creamy Unsalted Butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing
3⁄4cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove, grated
4 Cups freshly grated Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese, divided
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley (optional)
Crispy garlic cracker crumbs
1 garlic clove, minced
3⁄4cup crushed butter crackers
Pinch each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and generously salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to low, and simmer until fork-tender, about 20 minutes; drain well.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
Make ahead: Assemble and refrigerate before baking; if baking straight from the refrigerator, increase baking time to approximately 45 minutes. Avoid overmixing the potatoes.
For the cracker crumbs, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat; add the minced garlic and cook about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed crackers, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until golden and toasted.
In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to combine the cooked potatoes, cream cheese, 1 stick butter, heavy cream, sour cream, and grated garlic until smooth and just combined. Gently fold in 2 Cups of cheddar; do not overmix.
Transfer to the baking dish and top with the remaining 2 Cups cheddar and garlic cracker crumbs. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly
Broil 1 to 2 minutes if desired, then top with parsley and serve.
Optional variation: Omit the parsley garnish if preferred.
Shop this recipe
Tillamook Extra Creamy Unsalted Butter
Tillamook Sour Cream
Tillamook Medium Cheddar
Meet the chef
Katie Lee Biegel
Katie Lee Biegel is an Emmy-nominated culinary personality, host, author, and producer best known as longtime co-host of Food Network’s THE KITCHEN, which concluded its successful 12-year run in 2025. She also hosts Dear Media’s ALL ON THE TABLE WITH KATIE LEE BIEGEL and the YouTube series IT’S NOT COMPLICATED, and previously served as the inaugural host of Bravo’s TOP CHEF. Most recently, Biegel stepped behind the camera as a producer of TOP OF THE WORLD, a CNN Films and TIME Studios documentary about Windows on the World, which premiered in select theaters and on CNN this fall.
Beyond television and film, Biegel is the co-founder of Kind of Wild Wines, a certified organic, zero-sugar wine brand, and the author of several cookbooks and the novel GROUNDSWELL, which was adapted into a Hallmark film, followed by CATCH OF THE DAY, which she wrote, produced, and starred in. She splits her time between New York City and the Hamptons with her husband, Ryan, their daughter, Iris, and their dog, Gus.
