Cheesy Potato Bake

Cheesy Potato Bake is the ultimate in rich, creamy, delicious, crowd-pleasing casseroles. It’s not light or healthy or diet-worthy, it’s got butter and canned cream of chicken soup and sour cream and cheese.

But it’s SO GOOD, and always turns out golden and creamy and deliciously comforting. It’s an old standby for me, one of those recipes you can count on to turn out just as it’s supposed to every single time you make it.

It’s an easy make-ahead dish, perfect for potlucks, holiday dinners, and casual weeknight meals when you’re in a cheesy potato kind of mood.

It’s super-easy to make, requiring no more than a handful of basic ingredients that any reasonable person should have on hand at all times, one large bowl to mix in, one dish to bake in, and one hour of quality one-on-one time with your local oven. It’s an old-fashioned recipe that tastes like it should be complicated and takes forever to make, but in fact isn’t either.

What Two Cans of Soup and Thawed Hashbrowns Actually Do

There are just two changes I’ve made over time, both of them for the better:

• Instead of just one can of cream of chicken soup as the recipe calls for, I use two. Trust me on this one, it’s the difference between OK and really creamy and delicious.
• Instead of dumping the frozen hashbrowns directly into the recipe, I thaw them out first, and two hours in the fridge has worked well. Ice crystals hold water, and I think it keeps the casserole from getting too soupy that way.

Other than that, I’ve been true to the original recipe for years. Here are a couple other tips for making sure you get the most of your Cheesy Potato Bake:

• Instead of stirring in melted butter, I drizzle it over the top. It makes a nice, golden, slightly-set top to the casserole.
• Resist the urge to cover this one with foil, it’ll get much better results, including that aforementioned golden top, uncovered, allowing the steam to escape while it’s cooking.
• After removing from the oven, give Cheesy Potato Bake about five minutes to settle before serving. The texture will be much more cohesive, making it easier to scoop out portions that don’t crumble apart the second they hit the plate.

And then…

…there’s the second boo boo I’ve made with this recipe. Adding the can(s) of cream of chicken soup.

Again, don’t cheat here, add them straight from the can. Diluting them will leave your casserole runny and lacking in salt.

This recipe does take a couple of hours to prepare, but it’s nothing to be overly fussy about. However, these are not steps I recommend skipping.

Tasting it before it hits the casserole dish is important as well because this is where you’ll be able to add additional seasonings if desired. Additional salt may not be necessary though.

The condensed soup is very high in sodium as well.

Eight Ingredients and One Unexpected Doubling

Frozen Shredded Hashbrowns is a 30 oz. bag

Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup is 2 cans (10¾ oz. each)

Milk is 1 cup

Sharp Cheddar Cheese is 8 oz., shredded

Sour Cream is 8 oz.

The recipe calls for a bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns and they absolutely must be defrosted before adding them to the mix. I learned the hard way about that one, folks!

Adding them still frozen will leave your hashbrown casserole on the watery side. After adding another 20 minutes to the cooking time, my casserole still came out underdone.

Defrost your hashbrowns in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or even overnight. You can use diced hashbrowns but the end result won’t be as cohesive and will be a bit more chunky.

Two cans of cream of chicken condensed soup go into this recipe, which may seem odd. Trust me though…it’s wonderful.

Again, resist any urges to water it down. The soup helps provide the saltiness and thickness for this dish.

You can use cream of mushroom instead of cream of chicken using the same method and ratio.

A cup of milk helps coat all of those potatoes. I’d go for whole milk here, but 2% will do.

I wouldn’t go any lower than that.

Next up is eight ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Mild will get lost amongst the rest of the flavors.

Shredding a block of cheddar melts down much easier and more smoothly. Bagged shredded cheese is okay but not as good as shredding your own.

Last but certainly not least is eight ounces of sour cream.

Next up…the steps!

How to Make Cheesy Potato Bake

Step 1: Thaw the Hashbrowns

To make this recipe, I recommend starting by thawing the frozen shredded hash browns about 2 hours before you plan on preparing the casserole, or you can thaw them overnight. Lay them on a baking sheet lined with a paper towel, and when ready to prepare the casserole, blot them with paper towels to get rid of excess moisture.

This way, your casserole will not turn out too watery.

Step 2: Mix the Filling

One final thing from my post! Preheat oven to 350F.

Take the largest mixing bowl you own and combine both cans of cream of chicken soup (from the can, not prepared with water), 1 cup milk, 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar, 8 oz. sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Add in the diced onion now if using.

I find it best to use full-fat sour cream for this casserole, as it lends a very specific texture to the dish. Plain Greek yogurt is no substitute – it tends to curdle in the heat of the oven, resulting in a very different and undesirable texture.

Sour cream also lends a bit of acidity, which is important for cutting through the richness of the dish. There’s quite a bit of cheese and soup already in this dish – it would be pretty over-the-top without the sour cream.

If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can add an optional topping of cornflakes to make the dish a bit more visually appealing, and lend it a nice, crunchy, golden-brown crust. Simply toss 3 cups cornflakes with a bit of melted butter and sprinkle them on top of the casserole.

Before adding any salt to the recipe, give the casserole filling a taste – the soup is pretty salty, so you may not need to add any (or even close to the full amount) to the dish.

Note that I specify adding melted butter on top of the casserole, not mixed into the casserole. Use all 6 tablespoons.

When baked, the top of the casserole turns a beautiful, rich, golden-brown color thanks to the drizzle of butter on top.

• 1/4-1/2 cup diced onion, which is optional. As they bake, the onions become very soft and lend a nice savory flavor to the casserole. However, I would dice them as small as possible so they become practically invisible.

People averse to the look and texture of diced onions in their food need not worry. As the casserole bakes for an hour, the onions will “disappear”.

Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake

Add the potatoes and stir until completely mixed and coated with the other ingredients. It will be a very thick mixture.

Make sure all of the potatoes are coated and incorporated.

Scrape the hashbrown mixture into the sprayed 9×13 pan. Spread out evenly and pat it into the corners of the pan for an even bake.

Drizzle melted butter evenly over the potatoes and sprinkle with cornflakes if desired. Use the back of a spoon to spread the cornflakes and press them lightly into the potato mixture.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350°F. Around the 50-minute mark the bubbling will begin to retreat from the edges.

It’s ready when the edges are bubbly, the top is golden, and the middle is not jiggly when gently tapped.

Step 4: Rest and Serve

Remove from oven and set on the counter for 5 minutes. This allows the casserole to set up a bit and take the edge off the heat to make scooping and serving easier.

Enjoy!

Six Specific Things That Make This Come Out Right

Here are a couple things I learned through trial and error and thought would be helpful:

• Use a VERY LARGE bowl. This may seem excessive, but you’d be surprised how much volume 30 oz. of thawed hashbrowns actually takes up. Especially when you’re stirring it all together with the rest of the ingredients. Trust me. You’ll thank me later.
• Don’t add extra water with the cans of cream of chicken soup.
• Make sure all of the hashbrowns are evenly mixed together and coated before transferring to the baking dish. You want to stir until you can no longer see big clumps of hashbrowns. It’s ok to use your hands to incorporate all of it. You’ll be glad you took your time with this part.
• Press the potatoes into the corners of the dish before baking. It makes for a more even bake.
• Bake uncovered. It helps them get bubbly and golden.
• Let them rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven before digging in. It’s tempting, I know. But the hashbrown casserole will be easier to scoop and serve.

Optional add-ins: diced onion, salt and pepper to taste.

Use a spatula to smooth out the hashbrowns and make sure to take them right up to the edges of the dish. Otherwise, you’ll have thinner parts that will over-bake before the thicker parts are done.

And don’t peek. Every time you open the oven you’re letting heat out of it and interfering with that nice toasty browned top getting formed.

Four Ways to Change This Up

Add Ham or Bacon and Make It a Main Dish

If you’d like to make this more of a main dish and less of a side, add a cup or two of diced ham or crumbled, cooked bacon to the dish before putting on the cornflake topping. It will turn this dish into a hashbrown casserole that can stand on its own.

This is a great way to use up some of your holiday ham.

Swap the Cheese

Feel free to play around with using a different cheese. A nice Gruyere would be lovely.

A Mexican cheese would be good, too, or pepper jack would add a little kick that would go well with the sour cream.

Use fresh cheese if possible. Shred your own block of cheese.

Bagged shredded cheeses don’t melt as well because they’ve been treated to keep them separated.

Taste before baking. Cream of chicken soup is pretty salty so you may not need to add the salt.

Ritz Crackers Instead of Cornflakes

I like the texture of cornflakes and the fact that it keeps its crunch for the first hour (maybe two) after it comes out of the oven. It also makes this casserole look done, especially if you’re bringing it to a get-together and want to look good.

But, you can crush Ritz crackers and toss them with a bit of melted butter for a tasty topping. Add the crushed Ritz topping in the last 15 minutes so they won’t brown too much.

They add a salty, buttery crunch to the dish.

Make It in a Slow Cooker

You can make this in a crockpot. It will take about 4-5 hours on low or 2-3 on high.

It’ll taste exactly like the baked version, just without that lovely golden-brown crust.

How to Prep It Ahead and What to Do With What’s Left

Refrigerator Storage

Make-Ahead: This casserole is easy to prepare ahead of time. You can make the recipe up to 24 hours ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate before baking.

Assemble everything except for the corn flakes topping and butter drizzle to keep that crunch. Then, spoon and spread into baking dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap before storing in refrigerator.

Bake when ready and add the cornflakes topping just before baking, adding about 5-10 minutes onto the bake time since casserole is going into the oven from the refrigerator.

What to Do With Leftovers

Cheesy potato bake leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. When ready to eat again, reheat in 325°F oven, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for about 20-25 minutes for a large amount, though individual servings can be microwaved with ease too.

Alternatively, transform leftovers into a hearty, crispy-bottomed breakfast by frying them up in a hot, buttered skillet. Or, add them to a pot of heated chicken broth on the stove for a thick, creamy potato soup.

If the casserole is on the drier side, add a small splash of milk to keep it from drying out further.

The One Ingredient Choice That Pays Off Here

Use the best cheese you can find. I know it’s tempting to use the bagged shredded cheese, but this recipe really shines when you shred a block of cheese yourself, as a box grater comes in super handy here.

Try using a really tasty cheese too, since you’re going to be combining it with two cans of soup and a full container of sour cream, I’d go with something that has some bite. Tillamook sharp cheddar melts beautifully and is flavorful enough to stand up to the rest of the recipe.

Cheesy Potato Bake FAQ

Do the hashbrowns really need to be thawed first?

Yes! Even if they’re a little icy, they need to be completely thawed.

As they bake, any remaining ice will melt into water which can leave your potato bake more watery than it should be and prevent it from setting up as it cools.

• Want a different topping? Totally fine. The cornflake topping is optional and can be omitted. It does stay crispy for the first 1-2 hours though so it’s worth considering. The topping will brown beautifully too even if you don’t use the cornflakes but do add the butter.
• Can you use cream of mushroom instead of cream of chicken? Absolutely. Use two cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup. The end result is more savory and has a nice earthy taste.
• Why is my casserole watery? Frozen shredded hash browns release a lot of water as they cook. Make sure you’ve given them enough time to defrost, usually around two hours, and blot them as dry as you can before adding to the dish.

How many servings does this make?

This will serve 10 to 12 as a side. For a smaller crowd, just cut the recipe in half and cook it in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan.

Reduce the cooking time and check after 45 minutes.

More Potato Dishes That Disappear Fast

• Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes – If your oven is spoken for this is another cheesy potato dish that cooks in a slow cooker.
• Crock Pot Baked Potatoes – Zero work baked potatoes.
• Cheesy Ranch Potatoes – Potatoes, bacon, cheese, and ranch in the best of combinations. Made in the slow cooker with diced potatoes.