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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.
Featured with this recipe
- A Favorite Potato Side Dish
- Ingredients in Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Corn Flake Topping Substitutes
- Hash Brown Casserole Variations
- Questions about Cheesy Potato Casserole
- What to Serve with Cheesy Potato Casserole
- More Perfect Potato Recipes
- How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe Recipe
A 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
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 below.
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.
What to Serve with Cheesy Potato Casserole
This deliciously cheesy potato casserole pairs beautifully with our Honey Baked Ham Copycat Recipe or our Slow Cooker Ham with Maple and Brown Sugar. Try these other recipes for dinner too:
- Honey Baked Ham
- Oven Roast Beef
- Paprika Chicken
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Oven Roasted Green Beans
- Rosemary Tri-Tip Roast
- Lemon Pepper Chicken
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!
How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole
Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe
Video
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.
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.
-
- Mix bacon or diced chicken into the potatoes.
-
- Omit the crunchy corn flake topping and sprinkle with extra cheese.
-
- 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.
Substitute cornflakes with crushed Cruncky Cheetos.
I’ll have to try that! Maybe even hot Cheetos!