Cheesy potatoes with real potatoes from scratch, like grandma would make. Perfect with almost any meal. With no soup and no frozen potatoes, it is loaded with creamy real potatoes, sour cream, melted cheese, and a browned top.
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👍Why you should try this recipe
- Simple ingredients with excellent results.
- No can of soup and no frozen potatoes are needed. This real potato version is much better than frozen potatoes and canned soup versions.
- They are a great side dish for BBQ, steaks, or almost anything else. But it is required for that Easter ham.
- No special family meal is complete without baked cheesy potatoes in our family.
- This is similar to recipes called Funeral Potatoes or Crack Potatoes. Think of this as the original version of Funeral Potatoes but much better.
- Just follow these easy step-by-step photo instructions.
No inspirational recipe this time. We have been baking cheesy potatoes for over 40 years. My wife has declared this as part of her absolute favorite meal—combined with my Oven Baked BBQ Beef Brisket, and she is in heaven.
🥔Ingredients
- Potatoes—usually Russets
- Sour cream
- Green onions
- Cheddar cheese—sharp, shredded
- salt and pepper
👨🍳How to Make Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes
- Boil unpeeled potatoes until fork-tender—about 40 minutes.
- Refrigerate the potatoes to cool for a couple of hours.
- Peel the potatoes and shred potatoes.
- Slice green onions.
- In a large bowl, shredded potatoes, sliced green onions, sour cream, cheese, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour into a casserole dish and smooth the top.
- Bake until golden brown—about 35-40 minutes but variable by thickness and size.
⬇️Making a half-size recipe
This is an easy recipe to cut in half to make a cheesy potato casserole more "for two" friendly. 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 from 8 to 4.
- 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.
✔️Tips and variations
- 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-large size Russet potatoes.
- Russet potatoes do require peeling after cooking. You can skip the peeling if you choose thin-skinned potatoes like Yukon gold. But any potato type will do for this recipe.
- Frozen potatoes are not recommended due to texture issues. It is just not the same.
- Adding bacon is a good touch to make them "crack" potatoes.
- We don't use a topping, but some cheesy potato casseroles use a topping of crushed potato chips or Ritz crackers with melted butter. Also, a topping of panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter could be added.
❓FAQs
You can, but please don't. Frozen hash browns will leave a texture that is not there with real potatoes. Once you try real potatoes, you will not go back.
Easy to make ahead, cover tight, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. It can come from the refrigerator directly to the oven but may take a few more minutes to bake.
To freeze ahead, I suggest baking first, cooling, double wrapping, and freezing for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven covered with foil.
Yes, cauliflower can be used to replace potatoes. See Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole for the recipe and step-by-step instructions.
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 4 days. Or you can freeze for 3-4 months.
Reheating the microwave is fine. Or in the oven covered.
📖Other Potato Recipes
Not quite the potato recipe you wanted; check out the crock pot version of this recipe Crock Pot Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes. Other great potato recipes to check out are these easy and delicious Crispy Smashed Potatoes or Roasted Baby Potatoes—classic roasted little red potatoes.
Old Fashion Scalloped Potatoes
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Add enough water to cover the potatoes in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat as you scrub the potatoes.
Scrub about 3 pounds of potatoes. I always use Russet, but others should do. 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 badly.
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 due to the potatoes.
Remove from the water and place the potatoes in the 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 of sharp cheddar cheese shredded, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ 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—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
Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes
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
Instructions
- Add enough water to cover the potatoes in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat as you scrub the potatoes.
- Scrub about 3 pounds of potatoes. I always use Russet, but others should do. 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 badly.
- 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 due to the potatoes.
- Remove from the water and place the potatoes in the 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.
- Clean and slice six green onions. To the potatoes, add 2 cups sour cream, 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese shredded, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ 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—about 35-40 minutes. A little more if cold from the refrigerator or less if a half recipe or a thinner in the pan.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Use the potatoes you want, but I suggest Russets and then scrap the skin off after cooking. If you use a thinner skin potato, 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 2 ½ quart casserole dish, a 9X13 dish, or a bit smaller.
- 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 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 needs to reach a set temperature to be safe to eat.
- Leftovers are good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3 months.
To 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 Estimate
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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.
Julie from Kalamazoo
No butter?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
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
You had me at "no soup, no frozen potatoes". Superb recipe. Thanks!
Maureen McGeown
Onions does not have an apostrophe!
Beka
Do you have to use Green Onion's or can you use any kinds
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
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
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
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
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
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
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
No time tonight to do it but it looks good. I'll save it to do with chicken.
DrDan
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
I have a small smoked ham on the dinner menu and this would pair perfectly. Can't wait to give this a try!
DrDan
Hi Lara,
We are planning this for Easter Sunday with our ham.
Thanks for the note
Dan
Suzanne
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
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
My oh my. I'm headed to the store!
DrDan
Thank for the note and rating. This is just so good.
DrDan
Mellissa
We run our potatoes thru a ricer. Would this be an ok texture for this dish? Or would shredded work better? Thanks!
DrDan
Ricer should be fine... I want one and will put it on my Christmas list...
Dan
Apu
Goodness!! Can't stop looking at this dish!!
Dan Mikesell
I wish I had "taste-o-vision" since the picture does not do justice to the taste...
Chris
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.