Old Fashion Cheesy Potato Casserole

Our favorite side dish. No special family meal is complete without this delicious old-fashioned cheese potato casserole. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.

Editor's Note: Originally published October 5, 2013. This post has been expanded with more information for you, and the photos are updated. 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.

This is another old family recipe that was to be one of the first posted on the blog, but somehow it just didn't make it early on.

Ultra tasty, everyday simple but company good. A great side dish for BBQ, ham or almost anything else.

Cheesy potato casserole has been a standard on holiday table for 35 plus years and is a recipe everyone must have. It is that good.

My Rating:

My wife has declared this as part of her absolute favorite meal. Combined with my Easiest Oven Baked Kansas City BBQ Beef Brisket and you have her in heaven.

Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Cheesy Potato Casserole:

This is similar to recipes called Funeral Potatoes or Crack Potatoes. Think of this as the original version.

Almost all the newer versions use frozen potatoes. Please, please, please don't do that. Cooking your potatoes will take this recipe from good to fight over the leftovers great.

Boil some potatoes. Shred. Mix with sour cream, cheddar cheese, chopped green onion, salt, and pepper. Bake. Sometimes the simple ones are the best.

The Potatoes

I really don't like frozen potatoes of any type here. There are definite taste and texture issues. It is ok with frozen, but it is fantastic with cooking your own potatoes.

We usually use Russet potatoes, but any potato type will do.

Variations:

You can try to make it a bit healthier by using lower fat ingredients. There is little change with the lower fat sour cream, but low-fat cheese just does not cut it here.

I do have a lower carb version with cauliflower replacing the potatoes if you want. Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

If you want to be lazy, try my crockpot edition that uses raw potatoes. Crock Pot Cheesy Potatoes from Raw Potatoes

To make it more of a crack or rebaked potato casserole, add bacon.

I always make this as written which is cooking for leftovers which are oh so good. An easy recipe to cut in half from the current version (but why would you do that?)

How about a low carb version? Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

In a large pot, add enough water to cover the potatoes and bring to boil over high heat.

Scrub 6 medium potatoes. I always use Russet, but others should do. Poke each potato a few times with a fork. This will help them not "explode" in the pot. They may still split some but not as bad.

Add potatoes to the boiling water. Turn the heat down to low so you don't boil all the water off and cover. Cook until fork tender. That is when you can stick them with a large fork, and it will go all the way through. About 40 minutes. Time may vary some due to the potatoes.

Remove from the water and place in refrigerator to cool for a couple of hours. Peel the potatoes. After they have cooled, the skin comes off easily with scrapping. Shred the potatoes. Here I'm hand shredding, but a food processor would be fine. I'm too lazy to get it out and clean it.

Clean and slice six green onions. To the potatoes add 2 cups sour cream, 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, one teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the green onions.

Mix well. Spray a larger baking pan with PAM and add the mixture. Smooth top. At this point, you can cook or cover and refrigerate for a day before cooking.

Preheat oven to 350 convection (375 conventional). Bake until golden brown. 35-40 minutes. A little more if cold from the refrigerator or a little less if a half recipe or a thinner pan.

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3.62 from 36 votes

Old Fashion Cheesy Potato Casserole

Our favorite side dish. No special family meal is complete without this delicious old fashion cheese potato casserole. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time2 hrs 55 mins

Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Servings/Adjust Amount: 8 serving

Ingredients

• 6 potatoes - Medium
• 2 cups sour cream
• 6 green onions
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

US Customary - Convert to Metric

Instructions

• In a large pot, add enough water to cover the potatoes and bring to boil over high heat.
• Scrub 6 medium potatoes. I always use Russet, but others should do. Poke each potato a few times with a fork. This will help them not “explode” in the pot. They may still split some but not as bad.
• Add potatoes to the boiling water. Turn the heat down to low-medium so you don’t boil all the water off and cover.
• Cook until fork tender. That is when you can stick them with a large fork, and it will go all the way through. About 40 minutes. Time may vary some due to the potatoes. Remove from the water and place in refrigerator to cool for a couple of hours.
• Peel the potatoes. After they have cooled, the skin comes off easily with scrapping. Shred the potatoes.
• Clean and slice six green onions. To the potatoes add 2 cups sour cream, 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, one teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the green onions.
• Mix well. Spray a larger baking pan with PAM and add the mixture. Smooth top. At this point, you can cook or cover and refrigerate for a day before cooking.
• Preheat oven to 350 convection (375 conventional). Bake until golden brown. 35-40 minutes. A little more if cold from the refrigerator or a little less if a half recipe or a thinner pan.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips:

1. Use the type of fresh potatoes you want.
2. Please do not use frozen hashbrowns. That will take the taste and texture down a couple of points.
3. Suggestions for variations in the discussion.
4. Make ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days covered.

 

Course Potato

Cuisine American

 

HAVE A QUESTION? - Look in the full post.Make it Perfect First Time and Every Time. Don't miss out, check the full post above. Almost every recipe includes easy step by step photo instructions so you can visualize yourself cooking this recipe along with helpful tips and options.

 

ADJUST THE RECIPE SIZE:

You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.  

Nutrition

Calories: 283 kcal | Carbohydrates: 9 g | Protein: 10 g | Fat: 22 g | Saturated Fat: 13 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 66 mg | Sodium: 548 mg | Potassium: 157 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 750 IU | Vitamin C: 9.1 mg | Calcium: 260 mg | Iron: 0.4 mg

 

Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.

 

All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

Originally Published October 5, 2013