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Our Cheesy Potato Casserole is sure to please a crowd! You’ll love the tender potatoes, lots of cheese and a unique crunchy topping.
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Our Favorite Potato Side Dish
Cheesy Potato Casserole is a staple for feeding large groups of people. Most church potlucks, family gatherings or large luncheons feature some sort of take on this casserole dish alongside a ham, salad and rolls. There are dozens of variations to this recipe, but this one has been a family favorite of ours for generations.
We make this cheesy potatoes recipe every year for our Easter dinner as it goes perfectly with Easter ham and all the trimmings. This cheesy potato casserole recipe is also a perfect side dish at numerous Christmas, Thanksgiving, basically any holiday dinner in our family. No matter what you serve it with or where you serve it, you’ll absolutely love this cheesy potato recipe.
Ingredients in Cheesy Potato Casserole
Here’s our tried and true recipe for cheesy potatoes. They always turn out delicious and get devoured quickly!
- Hash Brown Potatoes – I like using the frozen shredded hash brown potatoes. Thaw the potatoes before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Salt – about three teaspoons, or to taste
- Black pepper – to taste
- Grated cheddar cheese – Use sharp cheddar cheese for the best flavor!
- Butter – this recipe calls for half cup butter or one stick.
- Cream of chicken soup – some recipes call for cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup, but I don’t like the flavor as well as good old cream of chicken soup.
- Sour cream – this gives the potato mixture extra creaminess that is so delicious!
- Milk – any kind of milk works for this recipe.
- Cornflakes – regular corn flake cereal, crushed to make two cups. Any brand will do.
Corn Flake Topping Substitutes
It may sound strange to you, but I promise you will love the crunchy corn flake topping. Adding a couple of cups of crushed corn flakes gives this Potato casserole a golden brown crust, a delightful crunch and a nutty, buttery flavor that goes so well with all the cheese and cream in the potatoes. However here are some other topping ideas if you don’t have Cornflakes on hand:
- Potato chips
- Ritz crackers
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Other crushed crackers or plain cereal
How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole
Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- Conventional Oven
- 9 X 13 inch Pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
- 3 teaspoons salt
- pepper to taste
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cube butter ½ cup or stick
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups corn flakes crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix hash browns, cheese, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Heat butter, soup, sour cream, and milk in a saucepan until butter is melted.
- Stir heated sauce into hash browns.
- Pour mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Top with corn flakes and a little melted butter.
- Bake for 1 hour.
Video
Notes
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- Add finely diced onion (about half a cup) to your Potatoes for extra flavor. If you don’t like the crunch of onions, you can grate the onion too.
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- Add cubed ham and add it straight to the potatoes for a delicious meaty meal.
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- Mix bacon or diced chicken into the potatoes.
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- Omit the crunchy corn flake topping and sprinkle with extra cheese.
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- Cook up your own potatoes instead of using diced hash browns. You’ll need 6-8 good size potatoes to make these Cheesy Potatoes. Just peel and dice into bite size pieces and follow the rest of the instructions in the recipe card below.
Nutrition Information
Hash Brown Casserole Variations
- Add finely diced onion (about half a cup) to your Cheesy Potato Casserole for extra flavor. If you don’t like the crunch of onions, you can grate the onion too. Or just top with green onions or chives.
- Add other veggies like broccoli or peppers.
- Add cubed ham and add it straight to the potatoes for a delicious meaty meal.
- Mix bacon or diced chicken into the potatoes.
- Omit the crushed cornflakes topping and sprinkle with extra cheese.
- Cook up your own potatoes instead of using hash browns. You’ll need 6-8 good size potatoes to make Cheesy Potato Casserole. Just peel and shred, or dice into bite size pieces and cook til they are tender. Then follow the rest of the instructions in the recipe card above.
Questions about Cheesy Potato Casserole
Try plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.
Cheesy potato casserole uses shredded cheese and hash browns or diced potatoes. Scalloped potatoes are sliced and use a cheese sauce made with heavy cream and a flour and butter roux.
Yes, this is a great one to make the night before. Just add everything but the topping, cover with plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge. Then when you are ready to make it just bring the casserole to room temperature, add the topping, and bake.
More Perfect Potato Recipes
Hailing from Idaho, we know a thing or two about good potato recipes, besides these easy Cheesy Potatoes. Try a few of our very favorites!
Turned out wonderful! Great flavor and everyone enjoyed.
My family loves it too! I’m glad it was a success for you!
I know this will be delicious and a family favorite. Has anyone tried it with French’s fried onions?? Curious if it tastes good added with the cubed potatoes . Thanks!!
The potatoes in the picture are not shredded, but small chunks. I’m making this today, and have used the shredded potatoes many times in making my Cheesy Potatoes for our Homeless Supper. They love it.
I made this recipe and the family loved it. It was so delicious. I will make it again
This was a game changer for our family dinner. Thank hou
This casserole is a traditional comfort food that has to be at every family gathering🥰
I love Emily‘s recipe because it is basic yet perfect. Sometimes less is enough, not complicated🧡
I was so excited when I found Erica‘s decorative sugar, eggs recipe/project🐣 in my inbox
🥰💜 I made those years ago with my daughters, now this year, we are making them with my grandchildren.
I can’t thank you enough Erica for posting that project🥰 you started a new tradition with us that we will continue to pass down for the next generations.🥰🐣
💜🐣 happy Easter🐣💜
This recipe is now a family favorite. I made it just like the recipe and did add some shredded ham. Both original and the one with the added ingredient is fantastic.
⭐🌟⭐
This is a simple recipe that sounds delicious. My family loves cheesy potatoes.
I love this recipe because everyone in my family loves it. It’s a dish they will eat without complaining. I have 2 granddaughters, my grandson, and my great-grandson; they are all the pickiest eaters on the planet. I thank you for a recipe that they all like.
I love this recipe because everyone in my family loves it. It’s a dish they will eat without complaining. I have 2 granddaughters, my grandson, and my great-grandson; they are all the pickiest eaters on the planet. I thank you for a recipe that they all like.
I love desperado casserole because it’s so easy.And it can be used anytime at the year with any meal. It’s delicious!
there is nothing wrong with cheesy and creamy potatoes. they not only look good they taste better. thank you for the recipe.
Delicious