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Easy Cheesy Potatoes are the best side dish! This easy casserole recipe is perfect for a potluck or holiday. Start with fresh potatoes for a the best Funeral Potatoes recipe! Seriously, this is one of the best potato recipes I’ve had in a long time!
Several years ago I attended a potluck that had this fantastic cheesy potato casserole recipe. It had chunks of potatoes and was creamy and cheesy and super flavorful. When I asked what it was called the host answered, “Funeral Potatoes” and I was confused. I mean…it was the middle of a summer barbecue and no one had died so the name was weird to me. Fast forward to today and Funeral Potatoes are a real thing. I guess the name stems from the fact that this easy casserole is perfect for a potluck or for bringing to a funeral because it serves a lot of people.
Most recipes call for frozen hash browns or frozen potatoes. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love me some frozen hash brown potatoes but I didn’t have any and I wanted cheesy potatoes ASAP. I did, however, have real potatoes in my pantry…so this easy casserole is a spin on the classic Funeral Potatoes: it’s made with fresh potatoes!
Ingredients Needed
- Real Potatoes – that is, fresh potatoes. We’re going to partially cook them by boiling so they fully soften in the oven. Dice them in small squares. If you want to substitute frozen potatoes you do not need to par-boil them, just thaw before making the casserole.
- Condensed Soup – You can use any flavor, like cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup, you have. There are several condensed soup flavors, so choose your favorite.
- Sour Cream – Adds flavor and body to the sauce. You can substitute greek yogurt.
- Spices – onion and garlic are my favs but you can add anything you want!
- Cheese – obviously! I used shredded cheddar cheese. Shred your own for best melting.
How to make Cheesy Potatoes
- Dice your potatoes into small bite sized pieces. I chose to leave the skin on my potatoes because the skin is where all the healthy stuff is, plus I’m lazy, but you can peel them if you prefer. Then slice and dice them into small cubes.
- You must pre-cook your potatoes. This will ensure they’re done in the final dish. I’ve talked a little bit about par-boiling potatoes before, but it’s a simple step that makes the best potato recipes!
- Once they’re cooked, drain them and then mix them with the other casserole ingredients in a large bowl. Place in baking dish and top with more cheese and bake until golden, bubbly, and cooked through.
Expert Tips
- Make sure your potatoes are on the more cooked end of partially cooked before they go in the oven.
- Don’t skip baking with aluminum foil – it helps the potatoes cook further.
- Many people top their funeral potatoes with corn flakes, potato chips, or ritz crackers. You can do this easily by mixing 1 1/2 cups of your favorite crunchy top with 4 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkling it over the cheese on top.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can make the casserole up to 24 hours ahead and bake when ready to eat (like make ahead mashed potatoes, it makes life easier), or freeze it well wrapped with plastic wrap.
Cheesy Potatoes Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds russet potatoes approximate
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 10.5 ounce can (298g) cream of potato soup (or cream of chicken or cream of mushroom)
- 1 cup (226g) sour cream (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup nonfat milk
- ½ cup chopped green onions about 5
- 3 cups (339g) shredded cheddar cheese sharp, if you have it
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- If desired, peel potaotes. Dice potatoes into small bite sized squares. Place in a large microwave-safe bowl with about 1-inch of water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high power in microwave for about 6 minutes, or until potatoes are just starting to get fork tender. (They shouldn’t fall off the fork; they need to be a bit underdone since they’ll finish cooking in the oven.)
- (If desired, you can boil the potatoes on the stove instead of using the microwave.)
- Meanwhile, mix together the cream cheese, soup, spices, sour cream, and milk. Stir in the green onions and 2 cups of the shredded cheese.
- When potatoes are finished par-cooking, drain them well then stir them into the soup mixture. Spread in prepared pan. Cover with foil
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and add the remaining cheese. Cook until the potatoes are cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges, about 20-25 minutes more.
- Serve hot. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving suggestions for these Cheesy Potatoes
Here are some great dishes that will go perfectly with this casserole recipe:
- Crockpot Pot Roast
- Mom’s Thanksgiving Turkey
- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Roasted Green Beans with bacon
- Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Carrots
Tools for success:
- Large mixing bowl
- Casserole dish
- Chefs knife
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Easy Cheesy Potatoes Casserole is a twist on the classic Funeral Potatoes recipe. These are made with condensed soup and fresh potatoes! This easy casserole is a great side dish or perfect for a potluck.
Since I’m preparing this tonight, I skipped the bread crumbs, potatoes, and onion. I used oats in place of potatoes. I used ground meat, corn, and mushrooms in instead of onions. It tasted great. Haha 🤪