Easy Cheesy Potatoes Casserole goes with almost any meat dish, reminds everyone of home, and satisfies the stringy, melty cheese craving. This cheesy potatoes casserole recipe uses REAL potatoes and is the perfect make-and-take recipe.
Simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand come together quickly for a delicious side dish from a traditional baked ham to smoked brisket. When you want a comforting, cheesy side dish this easy cheesy potato casserole recipe is the answer.
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe
- Make ahead. You can make and freeze as many unbaked potato casseroles as you like so that they are ready to go. Then thaw them in the refrigerator and bake as needed.
- Easy recipe. You won’t find any complicated steps or bewildering ingredients in this recipe. Just prepare and bake.
- Feeds a lot of people. Our recipe for the best cheesy potatoes goes a long way! You can even add chunks of ham so that it becomes the main dish.
- Goes with any kind of meat. Serve up cheesy potatoes with anything off the grill, any meat baked in the oven, and any kind of meat you would fry. It’s a perfect match for everything!
Equipment Needed to Make the Best Cheesy Potatoes
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- Mixing Bowls – I use these bowls for everything including mixing and storage.
- 9×13 Baking dish – I’ve got a couple of these dishes that make holiday baking a breeze.
- Spatulas – Treat yourself with this set. We hang on to those worn out gadgets way too long.
- Mandoline Slicer – This makes quick work of slicing. You’ll wonder what you ever did without one.
Ingredients for Cheesy Potatoes Casserole
- Russet Potatoes. Substitute red potatoes if needed.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup. I use a low-sodium variety but any will work. You can substitute another creamy soup such as cream of celery or cream of chicken.
- Heavy Cream. Half and Half or whole milk can be substituted.
- Salt and Pepper.
- Onion Powder.
- Shredded Colby Jack Cheese. You can use cheddar or a blended cheese of your choice.
- Cooking Oil. Olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Unsalted Butter. If you use salted butter, only use 1 tsp of salt.
Please note, that the printable recipe card has ingredient quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.
How to Make Cheesy Potatoes Casserole
Making our cheesy potato casserole recipe is so easy! Simply cut the potatoes and then mix all the ingredients. Bake it and serve hot! Here are step-by-step instructions.
Step One. Preheat the oven.
Step Two. Slice the potatoes.
Step Three. Mix all of the ingredients except the potatoes until all are combined.
Step Four. Add the potatoes to the mixture.
Step Five. Place oil and butter in the bottom of the baking dish.
Step Six. Spread out the potatoes evenly.
Step Seven. Bake for 30 minutes until it is nice and bubbly, and you have a slight crisp on the edge.
Step Eight. Take the aluminum foil off and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Step Nine. Add more cheese and bake again.
Step Ten. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
What Main Dish Goes With Cheesy Potatoes?
Any kind of meat is going to work perfectly with this recipe as a side dish. Choose from this list!
- Baked Corned Beef Brisket
- Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf
- Baked Blackened Salmon with Brown Butter Lemon Drizzle
- Hamburger Steak With Mushroom Onion Gravy
Substitutions & Additions
- Cheese – I used Colby Jack because it melts really well and adds a bit of color. Cheddar, Mozzarella, Gouda, or a mix of your favorite cheeses will work.
- Add thinly sliced onion or bell pepper.
- Exchange Cream of Mushroom soup for Cream of Celery or your favorite cream-based soup.
- Add crumbled bacon or diced ham.
- Top with Bread crumbs or cornflakes
- Replace half of the cream with yogurt or sour cream if you like to add some tang.
- Add or substitute garlic powder for onion powder
- Cream – half and half or any milk variety can be substituted.
How To Reheat & Store Cheesy Potatoes Casserole
Can you make cheesy potatoes ahead of time?
Yes. Keep the unbaked casserole for up to 2 days in the fridge. Freeze unbaked or baked casserole for up to 2 months.
Best Way To Store Cheesy Potato Casserole with Real Potatoes
How Long Will Cheesy Potatoes Casserole Last In the Fridge?
You can make this up to 2 days ahead of time, and keep it covered with foil in the fridge. Wait and add cornflakes or bread crumbs until right before baking. Freeze unbaked. Thaw in the refrigerator and bake as instructed.
Can I Freeze/Thaw Cheesy Potatoes?
Baked Cheesy Potatoes Casserole can be frozen for up to two months. Unbaked cheesy potatoes can also be frozen for two months. Thaw in the refrigerator and bake or reheat as instructed.
Can you freeze cheesy potatoes before baking?
Yes! Thaw in the refrigerator and bake as instructed.
How To Reheat Easy Cheesy Potato Casserole
Reheat leftovers in single portions in the microwave for one minute at a time until you reach the desired level of heat and melted cheesiness.
Frozen single portions can be reheated in the microwave in the same manner.
Reheat frozen casserole-size portions by thawing them first in the refrigerator and then placing them in the oven until heated through and bubbly. Use the same temperature as when first baked.
Reheat frozen unbaked casseroles by thawing them first and then following the original instructions.
Best Cheesy Potatoes FAQs
No. I scrub the peeling and then dice the potatoes.
Yes. You can use either diced or sliced frozen potatoes.
The cheese on top will be melted, bubbly, and starting to crisp up on the edges. The potatoes will be tender when pierced with a knife or fork.
To add ham to the recipe simply cube 1 to 2 cups of baked ham or leftover ham and bake it in the mixture with the potatoes.
Tips to Make the Perfect Cheesy Potatoes Casserole Recipe
I don’t recommend using previously cooked sliced or diced potatoes. Rebaking them will make a mushy casserole.
Cut the potatoes all approximately 1/4 inch thick so they cook at the same rate.
Lightly spray the underside of the foil that will cover the casserole so the ingredients don’t stick to it.
Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent that will throw off the final cheesiness of the dish.
Other Potato Recipes You’ll Love
- Easy Twice Baked Potatoes
- Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic Fingerling Potatoes Recipe
- Grilled Sweet Potatoes In Foil
- Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
Easy Cheesy Potato Casserole with Real Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 cups Russet potatoes – sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 6 potatoes)
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup – I use low sodium variety but any will work
- 1 cup cream – half and half or whole milk can be substituted
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3½ cups Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
- 1 tbsp cooking oil – olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter – diced. If you use salted butter, only use 1 tsp of salt.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- Wash and dry the potatoes and then slice them 1/4-inch thick and cut each slice into quarters.
- In a large mixing bowl, pour cream of mushroom, cream, salt, ground pepper, onion powder, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Add the potatoes to the mixtures and mix until all potatoes are covered with the mushroom/cream mixture.
- In a 9 x 13 baked dish, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pieces of butter in the bottom of the dish.
- Add the potatoes and spread them evenly.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. (Until it is nice and bubbly, and you have a slight crisp on the edge.
- Take the aluminum foil off and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Add the remaining shredded cheese on top and bake until the cheese is melted.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
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This recipe is in celebration of National Dairy Month. I’m teaming up with some very talented bloggers for this event. Just look at all of these amazing recipes!
Cizon
Saturday 29th of June 2024
Hi! Made this a year ago and it’s fabulous. I used canned nacho cheese instead of cream of mushroom and it ended up super cheesy delicious. I’m looking at recipe again to make today. I see written to use yogurt instead of sour cream if wanted. When in the recipe is sour cream used? We love sour cream!
Julie Menghini
Saturday 29th of June 2024
Love your sub, Cizon. Cheezy good! I clarified that you can replace half of the cream with sour cream or yogurt if you lid a little tang.
Kim
Thursday 27th of June 2024
This is an easy dish for picky eaters like my boyfriend. He adores those box mixes and I despise them. If I use a divided dish and half the recipe, I place sliced onions in between my potato slices on my side of the dish. Boyfriend eats like a toddler, and he loves this recipe. Keeps me from buying those boxed potatoes.
Julie Menghini
Friday 28th of June 2024
Thank you, Kim! My mother liked those box meals too. Yuck. It's just as easy and creating them with real ingredients and no preservatives. Thank you for your tips. It will help those of us that have a picky eater lol.
Darcy
Sunday 4th of December 2022
Really good! Made with ham instead of scalloped potatoes and these were so much better! This will be my go-to cheesy potato recipe!
Julie Menghini
Sunday 4th of December 2022
Thank you, Darcy! Adding ham to these potatoes would be delicious.
Lin E
Thursday 15th of September 2022
I made this for a potluck dish and it was an absolute hit!
Julie Menghini
Friday 16th of September 2022
Thank you, Lin! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!
Christie
Monday 11th of July 2022
So much flavor in this casserole. Potatoes and cheese are a fave combo of mine. I'm adding it to the must make list.
Julie Menghini
Thursday 14th of July 2022
Thanks, Christie! We love this recipe.