Cheesy Potato Casserole
Few dishes are as comforting and satisfying as this creamy, cheesy potato casserole. Whether you’re making it for a holiday gathering, a potluck, or just a weeknight dinner side dish, it’s always a crowd-pleaser! With layers of tender potatoes, a flavorful sauce, and a cheesy and crunchy topping, every bite is perfection.
It’s a Midwest classic.
This potato casserole is a classic here in Minnesota (and throughout the US) and is often served on holidays, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dinner.
Some people know this family favorite as funeral potatoes, as it’s a staple at funeral potluck luncheons. The simplest versions are a mixture of diced potatoes or hash browns, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and/or butter, and some seasonings. I’ve added some extra flavor to my version, but it still has the classic feel.
🛒 Made with simple ingredients: Nothing fancy here, you might even have everything you need already in your kitchen.
😋 Seriously delicious: This casserole delivers creamy, cheesy goodness topped with the perfect crunch.
⏰ Quick 15-minute prep: Just mix, top, and your potatoes are ready to bake. It’s easy to prep ahead as well for holidays or entertaining.
👨👩👧👦 Feeds a crowd: These hearty potatoes are perfect for family gatherings and potluck dinners.
🥶 Freezer-friendly: You can make this ahead and freeze it for up to 3 months.
🔄 Endless variations: Add bacon, chives, or jalapeños to customize it to your family’s taste.
✨ Always a hit: This classic recipe has been a staple for decades! It’s easy to understand why.
You’ll also want to try ham and potato au gratin, Boursin mashed potatoes, and crockpot cheesy potatoes.
Was a hit at our party, everyone loved them, and so easy to make. –Ann
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this holiday dish to the table: diced potatoes, green onions, cream of chicken soup, butter, sour cream, spices, shredded cheese, and French-fried onions.
- Diced potatoes: Oftentimes, the prepared hash browns and potatoes are in the refrigerated section of stores near eggs and dairy. You can also use the diced hash browns with onions or vegetables. Frozen diced potatoes also work; just make sure to take them out to thaw. You can also dice your own potatoes into about 1/2-inch cubes – try Yukon gold or red potatoes for great color and flavor. If you use traditional russet potatoes, be sure to peel them first.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: If you want to elevate this dish a bit, try switching up the cheeses to something a bit fancier. Gruyere or Swiss would be a flavorful addition – or use a blend of sharp cheddar and Gruyere.
- Perfect texture: Squeeze excess moisture from thawed hash browns using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Wet potatoes will make your casserole soggy instead of creamy.
- Cooking methods: I have a slow cooker version of these cheesy potatoes if you need to save oven space or just prefer to make them in the slow cooker.
- Variations: Many funeral potato recipes call for cornflakes, crushed potato chips, or ritz crackers, but I think the savory flavor of fried onions adds a boost of flavor and crunch to this potato dish.
Easy Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Bake
Description
This cheesy potato casserole has layers of tender potatoes, melty cheese, and a flavorful sauce. Perfect for holidays and potlucks.
Ingredients
- 40 oz. refrigerated diced potatoes
- 4 green onions
- 1 cup cream of chicken soup (condensed)
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups fried onions
Instructions
- Prep ingredients:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Thaw potatoes if frozen and drain off any excess liquid.
Thinly slice green onions. - Melt butter in a large bowl and then add the soup, sour cream, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until smooth.
- Fold in diced potatoes, green onions, and sharp cheddar cheese. Place mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle with fried onions and top with aluminum foil. Cook for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat the leftovers in a microwave or a 375-degree F oven until heated through.
- Ingredient notes: Look for a can of cream of chicken soup (condensed), you could also use cream of mushroom soup, or some people like to use cream of celery. I used plain Simply Potatoes Diced Potatoes, but you could also use the version with onions and peppers.
- Prep ahead: Prepare and assemble the potato mixture a day or two ahead, then store it in the refrigerator. Bake when ready.
- Serve with: Roasted chicken, smoked meats, shredded beef, or apricot-glazed ham.
Serving Suggestions
These are a great side to many main dishes and holiday spreads:
- Roasted chicken
- Apricot Glazed Ham
- Slow Cooker Shredded Beef
- Beef roasts or Steak
More Easy Sides
If you like this recipe for cheesy potato casserole, you might also like some of these other side dish recipes. These are suitable for holidays or weeknight dinners!
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
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Cheesy and flavorful!
Cheesy is right, glad you like it, Jen!
My family requests this regularly!
I like how they think! 🙂
Turned out perfect!
YESSSS! Thanks for letting me know, Pam, I really appreciate you leaving a review!
This was a very easy recipe to make. I doubled everything and added about 8 slices of crispy bacon, crumbled. Made two good sized trays so it was perfect for a party of about 16-20 people. Tasted awesome and everyone loved it.
Hi Louise, LOVE the bacon addition, yum. Thank you so much for sharing your doubling amount too, so helpful!
These were really good! I had to make a few substitutions including cream of mushroom soup and diced potatoes with onions and peppers, but it still turned out great! Will definitely make again!
Hi Maren! I bet the peppers and onions added some great flavor, thanks for sharing!
My family requests these potatoes!
Love hearing that!
Was a hit at our party, everyone loved them, and so easy to make.
YAY! Did you make a big pan of them? I should probably add instructions on how to do that, as I think they are big for parties and holidays. (Perfect too as you can assemble ahead.)
5 stars for these cheesy potatoes ~ our Easter dinner guests had seconds or thirds ~ so glad I planned to make a double batch! We’ll make these again, easy and so pleasing.
I added two tablespoons of Dijon Mustard and it came out great! Ty!!!
Nice addition, thanks so much for sharing and leaving a review! 🙂
This is delicious. I don’t like sour cream, so I used mayo as a substitute. Delicious! My elderly father comes over for lunch almost every Sunday. He doesn’t often comment one way or another about what he thinks about the food we cook. This, though, he said was “Good!” I think the fried onions are top are an awesome idea. So much flavor with a little crunch!
I’m so happy to hear this, Judith! Thanks for sharing. I’m glad all of you enjoyed.