Make this easy mashed potato casserole using your leftover rice. The combination of loaded mashed potatoes with fluffy white rice makes it a worthy contender for special occasion dinners.
Serve it with some Cajun roasted turkey or a plate of sous vide pork chops and your guests won’t even notice that this is a leftover mashed potato and rice casserole.
What’s in Our Mashed Potato Casserole
A casserole with baked mashed potatoes and rice is the perfect all-in-one dish you’ll love making at home. And what’s not to love? Rich, creamy potatoes mixed with fluffy white grains will give you a glorious mouthfeel with their depth of texture.
For our mashed potatoes, we recommend using Yukon Gold potatoes. They have a slightly sweet taste, waxy texture, and moist flesh. It’s slightly starchy so it holds better when cooked. Alternatively, you can also use Idaho russet potatoes which have a fluffy, and soft texture.
The velvety texture and the rich bite of the marinara sauce also perfectly blend with our cheesy mashed potato casserole. Plus, the added savoriness of the grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese balances the slight sweetness of white rice. You won’t be able to resist this heavenly combination of all the richness of the ingredients in this casserole!
More Toppings You Can Add
You can actually add your own flair into this loaded mashed potato casserole with rice. Here are some tips and tricks in making this recipe:
- Add some heat by including bits of jalapeno peppers to your mashed potato or use a spicy marinara sauce.
- Add leftover homemade rotisserie chicken into your casserole for a hint of smokiness.
- Mix some bacon to your mashed potato or sprinkle it on top with the cheese.
If you need a meal that can be served quickly with ease, you can prep a make ahead casserole of mashed potatoes with rice by reading our CAQ section down below.
For similar recipes, try this easy potato casserole with lemon chicken. You can even make desserts using potatoes, like our Irish potato cake with coconut frosting. But for now, let’s make this tasty and hearty mashed potatoes and rice combo.
How To Make Mashed Potato Casserole With Rice
No leftover rice will be put to waste with this mashed potato casserole with rice recipe. With every bite, you'll taste an amazing blend of cheese, rich marinara sauce, creamy potatoes, and fluffy rice.
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Marinara sauce, prepared
- 7 oz long grain rice, steamed
- 10½ oz potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed and peeled
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese, grated, plus more for sprinkling
- ⅓ cup cheddar cheese, grated
To Serve:
- fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
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Prepare a stockpot and transfer your potatoes into it. Pour water into the pot, enough to cover the potatoes.
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Boil the potatoes until tender when poked with a tester, for approximately 30 mins.
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On a saucepot, combine milk, turmeric, and butter. Bring mixture to a boil, or until butter has melted. Set aside.
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Drain the potatoes and discard the water.
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Mash the warm potatoes using a masher or ricer, and transfer to a bowl.
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Add both kinds of cheeses together, and gradually with the milk mixture. Fold until creamy and smooth.
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Season the mashed potatoes to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Adjust accordingly then mix it. Set aside.
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Layer the cooked rice into the bottom of a rectangular baking dish.
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Next, spread the mashed potatoes on top of the rice, enough to cover.
- Finally, sprinkle mozzarella cheese around the baking dish, leaving a space in the middle
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Add the marinara sauce to the middle of the casserole and spread as necessary to cover the middle space.
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Bake the casserole for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and has melted.
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Serve hot, fresh from the oven, garnished with parsley.
Nutrition
- Sugar: 3g
- :
- Calcium: 138mg
- Calories: 266kcal
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Cholesterol: 26mg
- Fat: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Iron: 1mg
- Potassium: 357mg
- Protein: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Sodium: 166mg
- Vitamin A: 343IU
- Vitamin C: 11mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this casserole dish ahead of time?
Yes! If you’re a bit busy the day before you’re planning to serve this, prepare your steamed rice, cook your mashed potatoes, and spread the mashed potato on top. Cover and store it in your fridge overnight. When you’re ready to serve your casserole add in the cheeses and bake according to our recipe instructions.
What cheese can I use for this mashed potato casserole?
You can use any of your preferred or favorite cheeses in making this easy potato casserole. In this recipe, we used a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. We also recommend using Mexican four cheese or Colby Jack for this recipe. Just note that we suggest purchasing a block of cheese and grating it yourself, as it contains fewer preservatives.
Conclusion
Satisfy those hunger cravings with a mashed potato casserole with rice that you can make in just 35 minutes. Your leftover rice from last night’s celebration won’t be put to waste. Layer it with creamy mashed potatoes on top for a completely new delicious dish!Have your own special recipe to share? Submit Your Recipe Today!
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