This is the best Cheesy Potato Casserole anyone has ever laid their tastebuds on. It's a good thing this casserole feeds a crowd, because everyone's going to be coming back for seconds!
Fresh ingredients are the difference maker in this recipe! It may be more work, but it pays off in a big way.
CHEESY POTATOES FOR A CROWD
This Cheesy Potato Casserole recipe, also known as "funeral potatoes," goes a long way. Great news if you have quite a few mouths to feed!
This casserole dish is a hit for any occasion. You can also make this in your slow cooker!
Try another potato casserole for your next family gathering: Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows and Pecans.
INGREDIENTS
Potatoes | For Cheesy Potato Casserole, you'll need russet potatoes. Fresh potatoes will cook up creamier and come without the added ingredients.
Butter | Butter is the base of the cheddar sauce, adding tons of richness.
Onion | The onion is simply here for flavor purposes -- deep and fragrant!
Flour | All-purpose flour serves as the thickener to the cheese sauce and helps to create perfect consistency.
Chicken Broth | Make sure you use unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth. If you already have salted chicken broth, wait to add any seasoning until all ingredients are combined (minus casserole topping) and then season to taste.
Cheese | This recipe calls for freshly grated cheddar cheese. This step makes a huge difference in flavor and texture and is totally worth the extra prep time. You could also sub in Colby Jack or any other semi-firm cheese if desired.
HOW TO CUSTOMIZE CHEESY POTATO CASSEROLE
Real potatoes cooked to tender, creamy perfection makes this dish a fan favorite, but let's not forget about toppings that can take it to the next level.
- Cheddar Cheese Sauce - Rich, savory, and homemade, this cheddar sauce is smooth and velvety, you won't want to pass it up.
- Butter - Preferably, use unsalted butter.
- Sour Cream - Sour cream will add a nice pop of acidity to Cheesy Potato Casserole.
- Bacon - Dice, then cook the bacon in a skillet. We recommend using thick-cut bacon -- it's easier to cut when raw!
- Green Onions - The green onions add a mild onion flavor to the casserole without overpowering it. They also add a pretty pop of color, too!
Another cheesy bake potato recipe that lets you pile on the toppings is Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole!
CORNFLAKE TOPPING
If a cornflake topping is your preference, omit the cheese sauce. Crush 2 cups of Cornflake cereal and combine with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over the casserole before baking.
POTATO SUBSTITUTIONS
If you don't have time to peel and chop potatoes, no problem!
Substitute refrigerated hash browns. These won't require any pre-boiling. Just add them straight to the sauce and send to the oven.
If you use frozen hash browns (shredded) or frozen diced breakfast potatoes, allow them to thaw before adding to the Cheesy Potato Casserole. They will not require a pre-boil.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY POTATO CASSEROLE
The first steps for your Cheesy Potato Casserole are grease a 9 x 13" baking dish and preheat your oven to 350°F.
Next, move on over to the potatoes! For this recipe we will use fresh russet potatoes. Peel your potatoes and dice into half-inch pieces. The size of the dice is pretty important because it affects the size of the potato – keep that in mind!
Once potatoes are peeled and diced, add them to a large pot of water covered by about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Boil the potatoes for about for 5-to-6 minutes, just until they have reached al dente. Then pull the potatoes from the stove top and drain well.
Next up: the cheese sauce! If you've never made a cheese sauce before, fret not. This is actually very easy to do from scratch and I provide you with a positively foolproof method.
Start by sautéing the onions. Add butter to the pan, allow it to melt, and add the diced onion. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the onion is completely softened and cooked through.
Next, sprinkle flour over the onion and stir until the onions are evenly coated with the flour. Add your chicken broth one big splash at a time, stirring until it's all been poured in.
Once all broth has been added, allow the mixture to simmer for about 3-to-4 minutes until the sauce looks slightly thickened. Then, remove your sauce from the heat and stir in the sour cream, salt, and pepper.
Add your freshly grated cheddar cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is smooth. Note: at this point the sauce is going to taste very salty.
Add your potato mixture to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
Lastly, add everything to a greased baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and you're ready to bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Then, remove the aluminum foil and bake15 minutes more!
HOW TO SERVE CHEESY POTATO CASSEROLE
Cheesy Potato Casserole can be served at breakfast, brunch, or holidays. It goes well with eggs or a quiche and salad! Or serve alongside other potluck heroes, like green bean casserole and cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving.
Make sure you have some fluffy yeast rolls to scrape up any cheesy goodness left on the plate!
This perfect side dish is great with roasted turkey or holiday ham. It's also a hit at big family dinners with pork chops or fried chicken (or roasted--whichever!)
Basically, there's no wrong time to serve Cheesy Potato Casserole!
HOW TO STORE CHEESY POTATO CASSEROLE
Casseroles reheat well, so Cheesy Potato Casserole can be stored covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There are a few other names by which Cheesy Potato Casserole goes. One is hash brown casserole. Cheesy potatoes is another.
However, the most common name for this cheesy potatoes recipe is funeral potatoes.
It is called funeral potatoes, because it is commonly served as a potluck dish brought to after-funeral dinners.* But don't let that depress you!
Cheesy Potato Casserole is meant to warm lots of hearts and lots of bellies. Filling and comforting, this potato casserole will be everyone's favorite side dish at any potluck you attend!
Absolutely! You can make this dish up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate covered and set out 30 minutes before baking to remove the chill.
Bake as directed. You may need to add 10 minutes to the total cooking time. If this is the case, cover with aluminum foil during extended bake time.
Unfortunately, no. There is too much dairy to freeze well. It will separate when reheated.
*Source:
Endicott, Arianna. “What Are Funeral Potatoes and Why Are They Called That?” The Daily Meal, The Daily Meal, 21 Oct. 2023, www.thedailymeal.com/1424922/what-are-funeral-potatoes/.
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Known as funeral potatoes, Cheesy Potato Casserole is the perfect side dish for potlucks, holidays, and family gatherings!
- 4 large russet potatoes or 6 medium-sized ones
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups unsalted (or low-sodium) chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ¾ cups freshly grated cheddar cheese
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13" baking dish. Scrub, peel, and cut the potatoes into small cubes, no larger than a ½". The size of the potatoes will affect the cook time.
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Add the diced potatoes to a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Boil for about 5-6 minutes (just until al dente) and drain well.
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Add the butter to a medium-sized sauté pan over medium-high heat. As soon as it has melted, add the diced onion and sauté for 4-6 minutes, until softened and cooked through.
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Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until evenly coated. Then, add the chicken broth about a ¼ cup at a time, stirring until fully incorporated after each addition. Allow to simmer 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened, stirring often.
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Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream, salt, and pepper. Add 2 cups of the cheddar cheese and stir once more. The sauce will taste very salty. Add the potatoes to the sauce and stir to coat.
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Transfer to a greased 9x13" casserole dish, add the remaining cheese over the top and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.
Recipe Video
Linds says
Love all your recipes
Thank you for sharing great tips!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Linds!!! 🙂