Papas con Chile (Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Recipe) (2024)

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Tex-Mex Style - Papas con Chile

Do you love mashed potatoes? You're going to fall in love with this version of the dish.

Imagine your favorite creamy mashed potatoes recipe, but then add in lots of cream cheese for even more creaminess, melty cheddar, chopped jalapeno peppers, along with spicy Mexican chorizo. Boom!

This recipe is going to blow your mind with flavor. You'll never go back to regular mashed potatoes again once you try this popular Tex-Mex dish.

Let's talk about about how to make Tex-Mex Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, aka Papas con Chile, shall we?

Tex-Mex Cheese Mashed Potatoes (Papas con Chile) Ingredients

• Potatoes. 1 pound red or yellow potatoes. I used yellow here. Other potatoes can work here as well.
• Mexican Chorizo. 6 ounces chorizo, the crumbly kind. Do not use Spanish chorizo, which is cured. I used hot chorizo, though mild is great here.
• Chili Peppers. I used 2 jalapeno peppers and ½ red bell pepper, both chopped. Add in serrano peppers for a spicier version. Hatch chile peppers are great here as well
• Onion and Garlic. I used 1 shallot, though a small white onion is good, and 1-2 cloves garlic.
• Cheese. I used ½ cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese. Use any cheese that is more melty. Cheddar is best.
• Cream Cheese. Use 2 tablespoons cream cheese. This adds to the creamy, cheesy quality.
• Sour Cream. I use 1-2 tablespoons crema or sour cream. I love Mexican crema for this.
• Salt and Black Pepper. To taste
• For Serving. Chopped cilantro for serving as well as spicy chili flakes.

How to Make Papas con Chile (Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Chorizo and Peppers) - the Recipe Method

Boil the Potatoes. Quarter the potatoes and set them into a large pot of salted water. Be sure they to cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil the potatoes about 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are tender enough to break apart with a fork. It could take up to 30 minutes. Boil over high heat for quicker potatoes. Drain and set into a large bowl.

Cook the Chorizo. While potatoes are cooking, heat a large pan to medium heat. Add chorizo and cook about 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Set into the large bowl.

Cook the Peppers, Onion and Garlic. To the pan, add peppers and shallot/onion. You should still have the oils from the chorizo, but if needed, add a dash of olive oil. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.Add garlic and stir. Cook another minute. Into the mixing bowl it all goes.

Add the Cheeses and Mash the Potatoes. Add cheddar cheese, cream cheese and crema or sour cream. Just add half the crema at first, then add more in to your desired creaminess. Mash it all up with a potato masher or stir with a large fork.

Season, Garnish and Serve. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Serve with sprinkled cilantro and spicy red pepper flakes!

Recipe Tips & Notes

• Scale it Up. This recipe scales up nicely. I often use under a pound of potatoes and scale back the other ingredients accordingly, then serve it for two, usually with only a little bit leftover for the next day. But, if you're having a big bash, you can easily double, triple, quadruple, or more. This is an extremely forgiving recipe in that if you put in too much chorizo or too many peppers or not enough onion, it will still taste amazing. So, feel free to mix things up a little here and there to your tastes.
• Other Ingredients. Consider other ingredients. Grilled corn is AWESOME in this dish. Try other chili peppers. Don't be afraid to spice it up. Want more cheese? Go for it! Consider pepperjack or Monterey jack cheeses.
• The Heat Factor. Not a fan of the spice? Lose the jalapeno peppers and double up on the bell peppers. Skip the chorizo, though that is one of my favorite parts, or go with a less spicy version. Double the cream cheese. Or triple it! Get it REAL creamy.

Again, Papas con Chile a very forgiving recipe, as is pretty any much any mashed potatoes recipe, so just have fun with it.

Patty knows how that goes! She's the official mashed potato maker at every family gathering.

Hey, it's tradition!

Storage and Leftovers

Store any leftover cheesy mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To enjoy again, reheat in a pot with a 2 tablespoon of milk.

You can freeze papas con chile in vacuum sealed freezer containers for 3 months.

Patty's Perspective

OMG! True, I am the mashed potato maker of the family, and I truly love the way you can manipulate mashed potatoes to your flavor preference. They're like a blank canvas. We obviously lean toward spicy and seriously BOLD flavors, so this was a no-brainer recipe to share.

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

• Scalloped Potatoes
• Potato Salad Recipe
• Papas Arrugadas (Wrinkled Potatoes)
• Papa a la Huancaina (Peruvian Potatoes in Spicy Cheese Sauce)
• Papas con Chorizo
• Patatas Bravas
• Dirty Rice
• Cajun Red Beans and Rice
• Hoppin' John
• Cajun Corn Maque Choux
• Jalapeno Popper Twice Baked Potatoes
• Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Herb Roast Turkey
• Spicy Deviled Eggs with Bacon and Jalapeno