Cacio E Pepe Mashed Potatoes (Upscale Thanksgiving Side) Recipe

With the holidays coming up, you might be looking to expand your repertoire of recipes to impress your guests. Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins shares these cacio e pepe mashed potatoes that are the ultimate upscale Thanksgiving side for your spread. If you're not familiar with the classic Italian recipe, cacio e pepe consists of pasta with cheese and pepper. The simple combination is far more than the sum of its parts, and the same can be said about these mashed potatoes.

"After making these taters, I'm gonna start gathering inspiration for all of my Thanksgiving recipes from classic Italian pasta dishes," Watkins remarks and adds enthusiastically, "These mashed potatoes slap!" While mashed potatoes are already a classic favorite of any dinner spread, she notes, "The combo of butter, EVOO, grated Grana, and copious quantities of cracked black pepper, elevate this side to center of the plate (or dinner table) status." She's so certain of this fact that she says, "Frankly, they might outshine the turkey." If you're all about the creamy rich mash, you can't go wrong with this recipe. 

For these cacio e pepe mashed potatoes, you'll need to get yellow potatoes, which Watkins describes as having "a natural buttery, creaminess." She says, "These are my go-to taters for mashing. They sit [kind of] in the lower-middle of the pack, in terms of starch content," which she notes makes them "way less 'gummy' than, say, Russet potatoes or baking/white potatoes (both super starchy)." 

Next, get salt, butter, olive oil, heavy cream, mascarpone, grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, and cracked black pepper. Regarding the cheese, Watkins recommends, "Stretch that budget a little and grab a wedge of Grana Padano — here's why ... Grana, although a hard cheese, is more buttery, nutty, and softer on the palate than robust Parms and Pecorinos. Less pungency (and sweeter, buttery flavor), means a more well-balanced mashed potato." Aside from the flavor profile, she notes that the mashed potatoes "will also be much creamier too," and explains, "Grana Padano incorporates and 'melts' well into dishes."

Peel the potatoes.

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Season with salt and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cook the potatoes for 30 minutes, or until tender, then drain.

Return the cooked potatoes to the pot.

Mash the potatoes using a potato masher.

Add the butter, olive oil, cream, and mascarpone to the pot and continue mashing until smooth and combined.

Sprinkle the mashed potatoes with 1 cup of grated Grana Padano and 1 ½ teaspoons of black pepper. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and top with the remaining cheese and black pepper. Optionally garnish with extra butter and olive oil.

These creamy mashed potatoes are undeniably an elevated version of a standard mash, and Watkins wistfully says, "I'm really considering having just a plateful." While that may be how you enjoy leftovers, start them off as a side dish. Watkins agrees, "They'll pair well with all the trimmings and fixins'. Roast turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole — all well met and matched."

Mashed potatoes go fast at most meals, and when you add cheese and oodles of creamy goodness, we guarantee they'll go even quicker. "Oh man, if you have leftovers, let me know. I'll be over, ASAP," Watkins jokes. "Otherwise, cool to room temperature, and transfer to a sealable container for refrigerator storage," she continues. As for reheating the cheesy mash, she recommends either in the microwave or on the stovetop. "Add a little heavy cream before reheating, just in case your potatoes have dried out slightly," she suggests.

There was no second-guessing for Watkins when she developed this rich cacio e pepe mashed potato recipe. As she notes, "You're seeing a pattern here [...] Don't skimp on the creamy ingredients, my friends. This makes the mash!" While you could make a lighter version with milk, she doesn't recommend it and even offers suggestions for how to finish off a container of heavy cream: "Plus, you can use any leftover heavy cream to make whip for your Thanksgiving pies."

While you might not be accustomed to adding mascarpone to your mash, this ingredient is an excellent option for amping up the richness. "Mascarpone is, by far, richer and creamier than cream cheese (almost double the milk fat), resulting in a lux mashed potato," Watkins explains. That being said, she concedes, "You can substitute whipped cream cheese — but, I want you to treat yourself this Thanksgiving! You deserve it!"