This old-fashioned cheesy potatoes with real potatoes recipe is the from-scratch version of funeral potatoes before frozen hash brown potatoes and cans of soup. If you haven't tried the original, you will find a world of difference in taste and texture. It is perfect with Easter ham, BBQ brisket, and, yes, funeral luncheons.
🥔Ingredients
Potatoes—usually Russets or Yukon Gold
Sour cream
Green onion
Cheddar cheese—sharp, shredded
Salt and pepper
Optional topping—crumbled cornflakes or potato chips
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🥔Ingredients
- 👨🍳How to Make Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes-Step-by-Step
- 😊Tips and variations to get it right every time
- 👍Other delicious potato recipes
- ⬇️Making cheesy potatoes for two
- 📅How to make cheesy potatoes ahead
- 🤔When to serve cheesy potatoes
- ❄️Storing leftovers
- ❓FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes
Featured Comment from Su8:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"You had me at "no soup, no frozen potatoes". Superb recipe. Thanks!"
We have been baking cheesy potatoes with this recipe for over 40 years. It is required with our Easter ham, and no special family meal is complete without baked cheesy potatoes—no "faking it" with hashbrowns and cans of soup.
👨🍳How to Make Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes-Step-by-Step
1. Start the boiling water and scrub the potatoes.
2. Cook until fork-tender—about 40 minutes. Then, cool in the refrigerator.
3. Clean and slice green onions
4. Peel the potatoes and shred the potatoes.
5. Mix shredded potatoes with cheese, sour cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, salt, and black pepper.
6. Spray a larger baking pan with PAM and add the mixture.
7. Smooth the top. At this point, you can cook or cover and refrigerate for a day before cooking.
8. Bake until golden brown—about 35-40 minutes.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
😊Tips and variations to get it right every time
Use a 9 by 13 baking dish or a 2½ to 3-quart casserole dish.
This potato casserole will bake at almost any oven temperature from 375° to 425°. We use 350° convection (375° conventional) if we do not cook something else simultaneously that needs a different temperature, and then adjust the time accordingly.
A full recipe uses about 3 pounds of potatoes but is a casserole, so you don't need to be that exact. That is about 6 medium to large Russet potatoes, but Yukon gold potatoes are a strong second choice for the best texture.
Frozen potatoes are not recommended due to texture issues. It is just not the same, but they will work.
While I recommend sharp cheddar cheese, mild cheddar or Colby jack cheese are commonly used.
Adding bacon or ham is an excellent flavor addition to make them "crack" potatoes.
We don't use a topping, but it is easy to top with cornflakes, crushed potato chips, or Ritz crackers with melted butter. Panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter can also be used.
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👍Other delicious potato recipes
Not quite the potato recipe you wanted? Check out Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Roasted Baby Potatoes, Twice Baked Potatoes, or Old Fashion Scalloped Potatoes.
Crock Pot Cheesy Potatoes
Crock Pot Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes are so easy to make from scratch with real fresh potatoes—no frozen potatoes here. They are an excellent side dish for any meal.
⬇️Making cheesy potatoes for two
This recipe is easy to cut in half to make cheesy potato casserole for two (with leftovers). The full recipe makes about 8 servings, and a half recipe will make 4 large servings.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- A half recipe fits in a deep 8-inch round or a 6X9 baking dish.
- It will cook a bit faster.
📅How to make cheesy potatoes ahead
It's easy to make ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. It can be taken directly from the refrigerator to the oven, but it may take a few more minutes to bake.
To freeze ahead, bake first, cool, double wrapping, and freeze for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven covered with foil.
🤔When to serve cheesy potatoes
My wife has declared this part of her absolute favorite meal, combined with BBQ Baked Beef Brisket. But this potato casserole is great for any casual dinner or large feast. It is particularly good with ham at Easter.
This potato casserole is excellent with Baked Turkey Breast, Seared and Baked Strip Steak, or Honey Glazed Ham.
❄️Storing leftovers
Leftovers can be stored refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3-4 months. They can be heated in the microwave or the oven, covered with aluminum foil.
❓FAQs
Yes, but with cauliflower to replace the potatoes. See Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole for the recipe and step-by-step instructions.
You can, but frozen hash browns will leave a texture that is not there with fresh potatoes. Once you try fresh potatoes, you will not go back.
The best choices are Russet potatoes closely followed by Yukon Gold potatoes due to the starch content keeping everything thick.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes - about 6 medium large Russets
- 2 cups sour cream
- 6 green onions
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese - shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add enough water to cover the potatoes in a large pot, and boil over high heat while you scrub them.
- Scrub about 3 pounds of potatoes. I always use Russet, but Yukon Gold will work well, too. A medium Russet is 7-8 oz. Poke each potato a few times with a fork. This will help them not break apart in the pot. They may still split some, but not as severely.
- Add potatoes to the boiling water. Turn the heat down to low so the water doesn't boil off, and cover. Cook until fork-tender—when you can stick them with a large fork, and it will go all through—about 40 minutes. Time may vary due to the potatoes.
- Remove the potatoes from the water and place them in the refrigerator to cool for a few hours. Peel the potatoes.
- After they have cooled, the skin comes off easily with scraping. Shred the potatoes. I hand-shred, but a food processor would be fine.
- Clean and slice six green onions. Add 2 cups sour cream, 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the green onions to the potatoes.
- Mix well. Spray a 9 by 13 or 2½-quart casserole dish with PAM, add the mixture, and smooth the top. At this point, you can cook or cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 350° convection (375° conventional). Bake until golden brown—about 35-40 minutes. A little more if cold from the refrigerator or less if a half recipe or a thinner in the pan.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- You can use the potatoes you want, but I suggest Russets or Yukon Gold for the best creaminess. Scrap the skin off after cooling. If you use a potato with a thinner skin, you don’t need to peel it.
- The exact amount of potatoes can vary a little—no need to weigh them.
- A full recipe needs about 3 pounds of potatoes. One medium-large Russet is about 8 oz.
- A full recipe fits in a 2½ quart casserole dish or a 9×13 baking dish.
- A half recipe fits in a deep 8-inch round or a 6X9 dish. It will cook a bit faster. But I highly recommend making a full recipe for leftovers.
- You can make this up and store it refrigerated for about 2 days before cooking. You can also freeze after cooking for 3-4 months.
- Done is when the top is nicely brown. Nothing in this casserole must reach a set temperature to be eaten safely.
- Leftovers are good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally published October 5, 2013. This recipe was in my top 10 recipes of 2013. I have repeated this dish hundreds of times. Please enjoy one of our favorite dishes. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
This recipe is featured in Thanksgiving Recipes, Christmas Recipes, and Easter Recipes roundups.
Sue Shortley says
Hi Dan, can I use a ricer on the potatoes instead of a grater? Thanks so much. Happy Easter!
Julie from Kalamazoo says
No butter?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Julie in Kalamazoo,
Welcome to the blog from Spring Lake.
No butter is needed, although you could melt some and add it if you want. There is lots of dairy fat from the cheese and sour cream so not needed, and it has enough flavors competing for attention, another is not needed to me.
Dan
Su8 says
You had me at "no soup, no frozen potatoes". Superb recipe. Thanks!
Maureen McGeown says
Onions does not have an apostrophe!
Beka says
Do you have to use Green Onion's or can you use any kinds
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Beka,
Welcome to the blog.
The green onion has a milder distinctive taste. I did substitute once and was not very happy but I probably used too much. So if you do, then a small amount, but my wife will probably be unhappy with me if I do it again.
Dan
Tammy says
We love this recipe. I wanted to make this quick one night so I used hashbrown potatoes that you have to hydrate. Followed the rest of the recipe exactly and it came out petfectly. My husband who does not normally eat a lot of potatoes had three helpings. He's excited that I’m making them tonight.
DrDan says
Hi Tammy,
Welcome to the blog.
This is my wife's must have side dish for any special meal.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Wendy says
This has been on our holiday meal menu for many years my Mom made it now I make it for my family. One thing that we do is use block cheese cracker barrel tastes the best we melt the cheese with a stick of butter until creamy. Take off the heat and mix with the sour cream. Yummy.
Arlene Bartolino says
I can't wait to try this recipe. I find your recipes are straight-forward, simple and always giving great tips. I am not a very good cook, and forever looking for help.
Thanks, DrDan. I did the oven baked drummies tonight and they were so good. Couldn't find a link for a reply, so I am replying along in this message.
Keep 'em coming!
Arlene
Laurajay says
Dr Dan, yummmmmm. These are a better version of a cheesy potato recipe my family has made for years, that we always called party potatoes. I can't to try your version.
Mark says
No time tonight to do it but it looks good. I'll save it to do with chicken.
DrDan says
Hi Mark,
I'm doing this for the weekend with our ham. We almost always do this with ham.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Lara says
I have a small smoked ham on the dinner menu and this would pair perfectly. Can't wait to give this a try!
DrDan says
Hi Lara,
We are planning this for Easter Sunday with our ham.
Thanks for the note
Dan
Suzanne says
I loved this casserole! The taste is wonderful, but my favorite thing is the flexibility. I have physical issues so being able to wait a day to bake is awesome. This recipe is actually almost identical to one I grew up on, but my mom's doesn't have the step which chills the potatoes. It makes a big difference since potatoes shred neatly. Hers tastes wonderful, but the texture is more chunky. I like this one better.
DrDan says
Hi Suzanne,
This continues to be a go-to recipe at our house featured at many family holidays. As you know there is some work to this recipe and I have a smaller easier crockpot version you may like. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/crock-pot-cheesy-potatoes/
Thanks for the note
Dan
steve roth says
My oh my. I'm headed to the store!
DrDan says
Thank for the note and rating. This is just so good.
DrDan
Mellissa says
We run our potatoes thru a ricer. Would this be an ok texture for this dish? Or would shredded work better? Thanks!
DrDan says
Ricer should be fine... I want one and will put it on my Christmas list...
Dan
Apu says
Goodness!! Can't stop looking at this dish!!
Dan Mikesell says
I wish I had "taste-o-vision" since the picture does not do justice to the taste...
Chris says
I'm going to try something risky with this one. I don't have two cups of sour cream but I do have 2 cups of sour cream based chipotle cream sauce leftover from our fajitas. I think that will taste good used in this recipe but might be too strong.