The perfect side for weeknight dinners, yet fancy enough to serve alongside your holiday favorites. These Mashed Potatoes will melt in your mouth. Mashed potatoes are the ultimate comfort food and are easily customized.

These potatoes have the perfect balance of richness and creaminess from the addition of the sour cream with bursts of saltiness from the pancetta and cheese. It’s full of savory goodness and is a snap to make with only 20 minutes of hands-on prep. These mashed potatoes are sure to be a crowd pleaser. An added bonus is that they can be made ahead!

• Russet Potatoes (6): The perfect starchy potato for mashing and baking. They mash up perfectly light, fluffy, smooth, and creamy.
• Pancetta (2oz, diced): Provides a burst of salty, robust flavor to the mashed potatoes without adding the smokiness of bacon.
• Green Onions (1/4 cup, sliced): Milder in flavor than other onions, green onions are slightly sweet and add a bit of peppery zip to the potatoes.
• Daisy Sour Cream (1 cup): Adds richness and creaminess to the mashed potatoes, while also adding a slightly tangy component that helps balance the other flavors.
• Kosher Salt (pinch): A large-grain salt that is less refined than table salt and contains no additives. It’s perfect for sprinkling.
• Fresh Cracked Pepper (pinch): Floral and spicy, fresh ground pepper is perfect for potatoes.
• Gouda (1 cup, shredded): A dense cheese with a mild nutty and sweet flavor, with a smooth, creamy texture. It’s a great melting cheese and along with the sour cream, adds richness to the potatoes.

• Uniformly cut the potatoes into cubes before cooking for the perfect textures. Uneven cubes will lead to uneven cooking, with some pieces being overcooked and some undercooked.
• Cook potatoes until just barely tender. To test if they are ready, pierce a potato cube with a fork or knife. They are done when the fork or knife easily pierces the potato pieces. Avoid overcooking as it will make the potatoes mealy.
• Yukon Gold potatoes may be used in place of Russets. Yukon Golds are a yellow, slightly waxier potato, which will yield a buttery mash.
• Be sure to dice pancetta into small cubes to render and make extra crispy bits.
• Bacon may be used in place of pancetta. Bacon will add a smoky flavor.
• Scallions and green onions may be used interchangeably. Finely diced yellow onions may also be used in place of green onions.
• Table salt and ground black pepper may be used in place of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
• Creamy melting cheeses such as Muenster, Edam, Havarti, or Gruyere may be used in place of the Gouda.
• Mashed potatoes can be made hours ahead of time and kept warm in a slow cooker on low. Just give a quick stir before serving.

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Place in a 3-quart saucepan and cover by 1” cold water. Bring water to a boil. Cook potatoes 20 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork or knife. Drain potatoes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pancetta over medium-low heat 5-8 minutes or until crisp. Add green onions and cook 30 seconds.
4. In large bowl, mash potatoes.
5. Add pancetta, green onions, gouda, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Serve immediately or place in slow cooker for holding.