Cheesy Potato Casserole is a crowd-pleaser, super simple, and easy potato recipe you can prepare this Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is creamy and cheesy with a crispy topping. In short, this recipe is comfort food at its best.
Background
I can't believe we are halfway through November. This year has been pretty fast for me because time simply flies past when I am with my little one. He keeps me so busy with his naughtiness and new activities every single day. Some of his activities are too cute, while the others scare me a lot 🙂
I am sorry to all my readers if I haven't responded to your comments and queries like I used to earlier. I hope you guys understand me 🙂
What are your plans for Thanksgiving? For my family, any dinner party is incomplete without a potato recipe. I hope it's the same for you too. This Thanksgiving, we are hosting a party in our house as it is my son's first Thanksgiving here in the USA. This time it's my hubby who is planning the menu, and the first item he added to the list was this Cheesy Potato Casserole.
This weekend I prepared Cheesy Potato Casserole and was surprised that this frequent super hit item was not posted on my blog yet. I thought, better late than never 🙂 Here is my no-fail cheesy, creamy potato casserole recipe. If you have not yet planned your Thanksgiving menu, I highly recommend you add this one to the list. Even picky eaters will love this, and everyone will come back for a second serving 🙂 This casserole can be served as a side or as an entree for guests who are vegetarians. Of course, for the vegetarian version, substitute cream of chicken soup with cream of mushroom in the recipe below.
Ingredients
- 1 can (10 oz) Condensed Cream of chicken soup (any cream soup of your choice)
- 2 cups (16 oz) Sour Cream
- 2 cups (8 oz) Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil leaves
- 2 tablespoon Chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
- 1 teaspoon Red chile powder (vary as per taste)
- 1 package (30 oz) Shredded Hashbrown potatoes
For topping
- 2 cups Crushed corn flakes
- ¼ cup Butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon Dried basil leaves (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon Red chile powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt (optional)
How do you make Potato Casserole from scratch?
The four main ingredients for Cheesy Potato Casserole are a bag of hash brown potatoes, condensed cream of chicken soup (you can substitute it with cream of mushroom, celery, or even turkey), sour cream, and cheddar cheese. All the other spices that I have added are what my family loves. You can vary the flavorings as per your taste. Feel free to add red or spring onions to this if desired.
For the topping, I used crushed cornflakes and butter. This topping gives a nice crunch to the cheesy potatoes. To enhance the taste, I have added some flavorings to the topping, which is optional.
The recipe below fits perfectly in a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan. To make it look festive, I have baked this in two different pans. Bake this at 350 degrees F for about 55 minutes, and you are done.
Isn't this recipe super easy? I love how simple it is to put everything together. Do prepare this for Thanksgiving and impress your guests. You can also prepare Cheesy Potato Casserole for your upcoming tailgating events or game nights or potluck, Easter, Christmas, and holiday parties! You can serve this alone or with flatbreads, rice, or salad. Be sure you make plenty because your family and friends will definitely ask for multiple servings.
Also, don't forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me with #cookwithkushi so I can see all the recipes you make and give them a ♥.
FAQs
Yes, this is a good recipe to make ahead before big events. Bake the casserole as instructed. After it cools down completely, double-wrap it using cling film or close it using the casserole lid. Freeze the casserole for up to 3-months. Follow a similar storage procedure for left-over casserole.
To use, thaw the frozen casserole in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove the covering, and reheat in the microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat it in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 45 mins or until the cheese becomes bubbly. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
I prefer to use frozen hash browns for a couple of reasons. First, they are convenient to use and thus reduce prep time and cleanup. Also, they are par-cooked and have just the right amount of moisture content.
If you are using fresh potatoes, wash them thoroughly, and shred them using a grater or a food processor. Squeeze out the excess liquid from the grated potatoes before adding them to the recipe. Also, note that there is no need to peel off the skin as long as you have given the potatoes a thorough wash and scrub if needed. Increase the cooking time by 10 mins, and check for doneness before removing it from the oven.
Cheddar cheese works best in the recipe. However, if you do not have access to cheddar, you can use any other melting cheese, such as swiss cheese, provolone, gruyere, etc.
Potato casseroles are often served at after-funeral luncheons or gatherings. These being comfort food and loaded with carbs, they are often a crowd favorite.
Meat such as ham, grilled /seared fish, beef or pork tenderloins, ribs, rack of lamb, grilled chicken, grilled lobster, etc., goes well with potato casserole.
Recipe card
Crispy and Cheesy Potato Casserole | How to make Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole with Cornflakes?
Equipment
- 1 Casserole or Baking Pan 9-inch x 13-inch
Ingredients
- 1 can Condensed Cream of chicken soup any cream soup of your choice, 10 oz
- 2 cups Sour Cream 16 oz
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese shredded, 8 oz
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil leaves
- 2 tablespoon Cilantro or coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Red chile powder vary as per taste
- 1 package Hash Brown potatoes 30 oz, shredded
For topping
- 2 cups Cornflakes crushed
- ¼ cup Butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon Dried basil leaves optional
- ¼ teaspoon Red chile powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon Salt optional
Instructions
Step I
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan or casserole (or multiple pans of any desired shape) and keep it aside.
Step II
- In a large bowl, whisk together soup, sour cream, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, basil leaves, cilantro, and red chile powder.1 can Condensed Cream of chicken soup, 2 cups Sour Cream, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Onion powder, 1 teaspoon Dried basil leaves, 2 tablespoon Cilantro, 1 teaspoon Red chile powder
- To this, add cheese and hash browns, and stir until it is mixed. Spread this evenly onto the baking pan.2 cups Cheddar cheese, 1 package Hash Brown potatoes
- In another bowl, mix together butter, cornflakes, garlic powder, basil leaves, red chile powder, and salt, and mix well.2 cups Cornflakes, ¼ cup Butter, ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon Dried basil leaves, ¼ teaspoon Red chile powder, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Sprinkle this evenly on top of the hash brown mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 50 to 55 minutes or until it is heated through. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top it with spring onions if desired.
- Cheesy Potatoes Casserole is ready. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- For the vegetarian version, use cream of mushroom/celery soup instead of chicken soup.
- Sour cream (2 cups) can be substituted with 1 cup of thick yogurt and 1 cup of heavy cream.
- I like to use the hash browns package available in the freezer section of the grocery aisle, as they are convenient to use (no prep work and clean up) and are par-cooked.
- You can also use real potatoes instead of frozen hash browns. Wash and scrub the potatoes thoroughly. No need to peel off the skin. Shred the potatoes using a grater or a food processor. Squeeze out excess water from the potatoes and then use it in the recipe. Bake for 5 to 10 additional minutes to thoroughly cook the potatoes. Don't forget to check for doneness before removing the casserole from the oven.
- In place of cheddar cheese, you can use any other melting cheese such as swiss cheese, provolone, etc.
- The use of spices and herbs is optional. Adjust their amounts in the recipe as per your preference.
Nutrition
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Toni
I love this!! Such a great idea!!