Description
Caramelized onion and bacon mashed potatoes elevate comfort food with rich, savory layers of flavor. Creamy potatoes blended with crispy bacon and sweet caramelized onions promise a hearty side dish you’ll crave at every gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats and Aromatics:
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Potatoes and Dairy:
- 2 pounds (2 lbs) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled or unpeeled (cut into quarters)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1/3 cup sour cream
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Render bacon in a large skillet over low heat for approximately 15 minutes, stirring periodically until fat releases and bacon turns crispy.
- Incorporate sliced onions and shallots into bacon, coating them with rendered fat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions soften and darken.
- Elevate heat to medium-low, deglaze pan with red wine and brown sugar. Simmer until liquid evaporates and onions become deeply caramelized. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
- Prepare caramelized onion mixture up to 3 days in advance, storing in refrigerator in sealed container.
- Gently warm cream and butter in small saucepan until butter melts completely. Fold previously prepared caramelized onions into warm mixture, maintaining temperature.
- Fill medium pot with cold water and potatoes, adding salt. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes become tender when pierced with fork.
- Drain potatoes thoroughly, returning them to original pot. Mash using potato masher or hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Integrate warm cream-butter mixture and sour cream into mashed potatoes, mixing thoroughly.
- Fold in crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and fresh thyme leaves. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer to serving dish immediately and enjoy while hot.
Notes
- Make bacon extra crispy by starting with a cold pan, allowing fat to render slowly for maximum crunch and flavor.
- Caramelize onions patiently on low heat to develop deep, sweet flavor without burning, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Use starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold for creamy, fluffy mashed texture that absorbs seasonings beautifully.
- Prepare caramelized onions ahead of time to save cooking effort and intensify flavor development in the dish.
- Replace cream with dairy-free alternatives like coconut milk for lactose-intolerant diets, maintaining rich and creamy consistency.
- Add roasted garlic for extra depth and complexity, blending seamlessly with bacon and caramelized onion profile.
- Enhance vegetarian version by substituting bacon with smoked paprika or liquid smoke for similar smoky undertones.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 374 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg