This is one of the best cheesy potatoes recipe you will find out there.
Cheesy potatoes are a staple for holidays, potlucks, funerals, and parties in the Midwest. Found on every table, especially during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, this recipe is easy to make, delicious and comforting.
Best Cheesy Potatoes Recipe
Cheesy potato casserole is the most expected item on the table around holidays in my house. We live in Minnesota, and there is nothing more comforting during the winter months than potatoes cooked in different ways.
This recipe brings joy to Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas.
I have known this recipe for almost 20 years, but I had no idea it is also called Funeral Potatoes.
Funeral potatoes get their very unique name from being a crowd-pleasing side dish served at funerals. It is a straightforward recipe to make, easy to transport, and so comforting. Who doesn't love potatoes?
The recipe is also called a hash brown casserole, cheesy hash browns, church potatoes, etc.
I remember one year when we were trying to lose some weight. Before Thanksgiving, I was thinking about the menu and ways to make some low-carb dishes.
I "dared" to announce to my family: " This year, we are not going to have cheesy potatoes for Thanksgiving. I am going to make different salads, low-carb recipes, so we do not gain weight over the holidays".
The reaction was a complete shock. I can still hear the gasp and the tension in the air.
Both my husband and my daughter reacted: " WHAT? No cheesy potatoes? There is no REAL Thanksgiving without cheesy potatoes! Have you lost your mind? "
Today you skip the cheesy potatoes, and tomorrow you will serve us what? Tofurky dinner? Cheesy potatoes are a tradition in our house, and this is how they should stay! "
Afraid of a "strike," as my daughter announced to me that if she doesn't get cheesy potatoes, she will not come home from college and spend the weekend with us, I decided to keep it the same way we always had Thanksgiving since we moved to Minnesota.
So, cheesy potatoes it was!
No Can of Cream of Chicken Soup Story:
Many years ago, when we moved to the United States, I had no idea what people ate besides turkey for Thanksgiving, so I started to ask around.
I got a bunch of recipes from friends who were more than happy to share their traditions with me.
This particular recipe, though, comes from a very good friend of mine, Audrey, who, over the years, shared many of her recipes and traditions with us.
She is a truly Minnesotan, so her recipes are genuinely traditional for this part of America.
The recipe had the traditional can of cream of chicken soup. During the first few years in Minnesota, I tried to make the recipe the way it was, but I was not very pleased.
I found it very salty for my taste, and the soup can bothered me a lot.
If you think about the ingredients, the can of chicken soup binds the ingredients together and provides the creaminess in the potatoes.
However, I was never a fan of the ingredients listed on the can of chicken soup, so I decided to change the recipe slightly and make it more palatable for us.
The can of chicken soup needed to go.
I now mix a small amount of flour with chicken stock, stir well to get rid of any lumps, pour over the potatoes and the rest of the ingredients, and bake.
The result is a better version of cheesy potatoes that will not make you feel guilty using cans in your cooking. Also, it cuts down the calories and the salt that cans of soups contain.
I found out that I am not the only one who doesn't like the "cans of creamy whatever" in their cooking. Many people avoid them and cook foods from scratch, relying on fresh, natural ingredients and less processed foods.
The creamy sauce, a mixture of flour, chicken stock, and sour cream, is enough to bring out the beauty of these cheesy potatoes.
Even my friend who shared this recipe with me many years ago made the recipe without the can of chicken soup.
The result is a better version of cheesy potatoes that will not make you feel guilty about using cans in your cooking.
This recipe can be made in the regular oven but also in the crockpot.
Note: My friend Audrey says: "The recipe can be made in a crockpot which can be set up on "Low" for 4-6 hours. It makes it nice to take to potlucks, or when you have company, you can forget it or not have to use oven space. "
My observation about what she says: The recipe is excellent in the crockpot if you don't care for the crust formed while baking it in the oven.
We like the crust, but if you prefer moist, crustless cheesy potatoes, the slow cooker is a great option.
And indeed, it saves your oven space when you have to bake a lot for the holidays.
I recently got an Instant Pot. I am still experimenting with recipes, but I learned that not every recipe under the sun needs to end up in the Instant Pot.
Hash Browns:
If you are in the US, the chances are that you will find frozen shredded hash browns or cubed/diced hash browns. Both versions are great for this dish.
You will need to defrost them before you assemble the dish.
Try This Recipe With Raw Potatoes Instead Of Frozen Ones:
This recipe can be made with raw potatoes instead of frozen ones.
I was in Europe one year, visiting family. While in Bucharest, my family asked me to make cheesy potatoes, as they saw many pictures of this dish posted by me on social media over the years.
I could not find anywhere frozen shredded potatoes, so I peeled and shredded potatoes, then placed them in a clean kitchen towel and squeezed the water and the starch out of them.
After this step, I continued with my recipe. I, honestly, loved the taste of that casserole!
Frozen potatoes are fine if you are in a hurry, but you can really take this recipe to the next level if you use real potatoes that you shred or dice.
What other ingredients do you need for these cheesy potatoes:
- Unsalted butter
- Sour cream
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- All-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper
- Chicken or vegetable stock
- Chopped onion (optional)
- Corn flakes (optional)
The first six ingredients act as a binder for the potatoes. The last two ingredients are optional, but they bring extra flavor and texture to the dish.
Cheesy Potatoes Toppings and Variations:
I think that this recipe, in particular, needs some crunch that can only be obtained by browning the top of the potatoes in the oven OR using some other toppings on top.
- Corn flakes - these are the popular choice. However, if you don't like or have them, breadcrumbs, fried onions, and crushed potato chips are all good.
- Added ingredients- You can add some other items to the dish. Chopped ham, cooked crumbled bacon, and vegetables are all good choices for making this dish more complex.
Cheesy potatoes FAQS:
Yes, you can. Assemble the dish but do not add the topping. Cover and refrigerate for up to two days. When you decide to bake the dish, add the topping and bake as directed.
Yes, you can freeze it unbaked. Assemble the dish but do not add the topping. Freeze them covered tightly for up to 3 months. Bring the dish to room temperature(defrosting overnight in the refrigerator is the best way), add the topping, and bake as directed.
Yes, you can double the recipe or make as much as you need. The dish is perfect for feeding crowds, church events, funerals, big Thanksgiving parties, etc.
Enjoy, and let me know what you think!
Pin this for later:
Ready for some other ideas for the holidays? Here are my suggestions:
Best easy Thanksgiving side dish recipes
Best Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey recipes
Oven roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon
Easy sausage, cranberries and walnuts stuffing
30 Cooking and baking tools for the holidays
Cast iron Brussels sprouts with ham
French Tartiflette- The American Way
See the web story for this article: How to make cheesy potatoes(no cans of soup)
📖 Recipe
Best Cheesy Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen hash browns thawed or fresh potatoes diced or shredded
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium chopped onion optional
- 12 ounces sour cream
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¾ cup chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ cup corn flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
- Butter a 9x13 inches baking pan.
- Defrost the potatoes if you use frozen ones.
- If you use raw potatoes, peel, wash, shred or dice the potatoes according to your taste. Place them in a large bowl.
- Melt the butter.
- Over the potatoes, pour the melted butter and sour cream.
- Separately, mix flour and chicken stock in a small bowl and make sure there are no lumps. Bring the mixture to the consistency of thinner sour cream.
- Pour the flour and chicken stock over the potatoes, butter, and sour cream and stir to combine.
- Add the shredded cheese, stir again, then place the mixture on the 9x13 inches buttered pan.
- Optional, add the cornflakes on top.
- Bake for 1 hour at 350F/180C.
- Note: You can make the recipe in a crockpot which you can set up on "Low" for 4-6 hours.
Lisa Contreras says
Thank you! I'm going to try this recipe this year for Christmas. We too love cheesy potatoes, and I have been looking for a healthier version, without the cans of soup!