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Cheesy Potato Casserole recipe is a super easy side dish and perfect for any holiday, family dinner and more. Tons of cheese, creamy potatoes and more combine for the absolute best cheesy potatoes.
This cheesy potato casserole is the perfect side dish recipe for any meal. No peeling or chopping, because I use frozen hash brown potatoes. If you can mix and dump, then you can make this cheesy potato casserole.
We even have a slow cooker version and you can make crockpot cheesy potatoes for another option.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
This cheesy potato casserole is also called funeral potatoes or cheesy hashbrown casserole recipe. It is an easy and perfect side dish to bring to someone after a loss in the family. Particularly in the South, casseroles are dropped off at someone’s home.
Cheesy potatoes are a popular choice but also very popular at potlucks, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter.
Ingredients
- Frozen Shredded Hashbrowns. We used shredded but diced would work just as good.
- Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup. Cream of mushroom is a great substitution. I think cream of vegetable would be good too.
- Milk. Use any type of milk that you prefer
- Onion. Even if your family does not care for oven, add it anyway. It gives the dish great flavor and blends into the potatoes. Onion powder is another option.
- Cheddar Cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese or mild cheddar work great.
- Sour Cream. Now isn’t the time to use light. Full fat is best.
Scroll for the full recipe and ingredient amounts.
Variation Ideas
- Top with bacon. Bacon makes everything better.
- Mix in a packet of ranch mix. This gives the potatoes even more flavor.
- Top with crushed corn flakes on top to make funeral potatoes. (crushed potato chips work well too)
- Top with crunchy fried onions, panko breadcrumbs, or crushed ritz crackers.
- Vegetables – This is a great recipe to sneak in chopped veggies such as bell peppers.
- Use different types of potatoes – shredded, diced or even the ones with veggies in the mix.
How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
- Step 2 – Take your bag of frozen hash browns and break them up in the bag. You don’t want any large pieces.
Step 3 – In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion, cheese, milk, cream of chicken and sour cream. Make sure this is well combined.
Step 4 – Mix in the hash browns until everything is coated.
Step 5 – Press the mixture into the 9×13 baking dish.
Step 6 – Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until golden brown.
Expert Tips
- Chop Onions – One of our favorite time saving tips is to use a small food chopper or processor to quickly and easily chop the onions. Learn How to Freeze Onions with these easy tips.
- Make Ahead – Make ahead to save time the day of the event. You can actually make this 2 days in advance and put in the fridge. Just bake it when you are ready to serve.
- Baking Dish – Prepare the baking dish with cooking spray to easily serve the casserole. It also helps to make cleanup a breeze.
Serving Suggestions
Since we normally make cheesy potatoes around the holidays, we often make this easy 4 Ingredient Crock pot Ham Recipe to go with the potatoes. Also try these other recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can. You will want to use about 30oz of fresh potatoes that have been peeled and diced.
No, there is no need to thaw the hashbrowns before combining with the other ingredients. We just recommend breaking up the frozen hashbrowns to easily combine.
Freeze this casserole up to 2 months. Make the recipe as instructed and freeze without baking in a casserole dish or disposable pan.
Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to eat and bake as instructed.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The leftovers will last about 3-4 days. I think they taste even better the next day.
More Easy Potato Recipes
Easy Casserole
Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
Easy Side Dishes
Lighthouse Inn Potatoes
Easy Casserole
Funeral Potatoes with Ham
Easy Side Dishes
Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe
After you make this, come back and rate it and leave a comment. I love hearing from you!
Cheesy Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 30 oz Frozen Shredded Hashbrowns
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz)
- 1 cup milk
- ½ onion chopped
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 oz Sour Cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
- Break the frozen hash browns up in the bag.
- In a large bowl combine the onion, 1 cup of cheese, milk, cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Stir to combine.
- Mix in the hasbhrowns and stir to coat.
- Pour into a 9×13 pan. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for 5-10 minutes to brown the the cheese is slightly.
It really depends on the size of your pan. If the mixture will be thicker in the middle, you’ll want to add more cook time to make sure that the potatoes are cooked all the way through. I would add 10-15 minutes, taste test it from there and add more time if needed.
If I double or even triple the recipe in one big disposable pan, do I have to add on cooking time?
I’m so glad you love it.
OMG!! My husband and Myrna kids who are 17, 15 and 10 absolutely love and get so excited when I tell them that im making this!! Then that’s all they talk about til I actually make them!!
Thank you so much for such amazing recipe and crowd pleaser
Definitely can’t go wrong with this amazing recipe
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Kids Loved it!
Made as a side and kids loved it. I did substitute hash browns with Tator Tots and was just as good. gave it more flavor since the tators were seasoned.
I use a 28-30 oz bag of frozen shredded hash browns for this recipe.
The question has been asked before but not answered, what size hashbrowns do I use for this recipe?
I made this for my family last night and they loved it !! we will be definitely making this more often!
I made the cheesy potato casserole yesterday for a family get-together and it was a big hit I added rotisserie chicken and bacon bits with green onions will definitely be making this one over and over again thank you
I made these for Christmas dinner. I made them with O’Brien potatoes and I add some velveeta cheese to make the a little more cheesy!!!
Made this for my family as a Christmas side dish! I added ranch seasoning to it and it was great!
I make these potatoes at least twice a month. I have switched up a couple ingredients. I use cream of mushroom instead of chicken and I use cream of celery instead of sour cream. Let me just say they are AMAZING this way!! Love the original version too.
Yes, I think that’ll work great!
Can I make this 2 days beforehand and refrigerate until I bake it?
Each time we make this we convert leftovers into our breakfast burritos. Yum!
I’m making this Christmas Day! It’s my all time favorite potato recipe and so easy!
I used a 30 oz bag for this recipe. Thank you!
What size bag of hashbrowns? This was asked by others above but no answer was given.
Thanks for sharing! The ham and corn addition sounds yummy!
My friend and I both made this for our families for dinner tonight. I added ham and corn to mine. Both of us had to cook it for an hour and a half before it was ready to eat! And that was after cranking the oven up to 400! Delicious meal idea but doesn’t cook up as quick as we thought.
I’m glad you loved it!
Amazing! Made this but used tater tots instead of the shredded hash browns, then threw in a bunch of shredded rotisserie chicken and some bacon and made it a main dish casserole. The kids could not get enough of it and asked if we could have it again tomorrow. Will definitely make it again!
Can this be frozen and baked later?
These were awesome! Everyone loved them, sadly, no leftovers. Thanks for such a great recipe. I will definitely be making them again.
These were awesome!! Made them for Thanksgiving, everyone loved them! Will definitely be making them again. Thanks for the great recipe ??
Could this be made in a crock pot?
Do I have to use cream of chicken soup in it
These potatoes look delicious. They will be on my Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner table ??
What size bag of hash browns?
How large bag of hash browns for this recipe?
So great! I added a shredded jalapeno to mine. You can add anything!
Zoe – Yes, fresh grated or sliced potatoes would be delicious in this recipe. Thank you.
Yes, that sounds delicious Stephanie. Thank you for sharing!
Making tonight with Greek porkchops and brocc… Thank you for sharing ?
Hash towns come in different sizes. How many cups if you wanted to shred your own potatoes?
How much milk to use whole or can milk what size bag of hash browns in pounds or ounces
Hi I’ve never seen the frozen potato / hash brown mix you have used here in Australia is it OK to just use fresh grated potatoes
Let us know how it turns out. Thanks!
Thanks for the recipe. I am going to try it today. Happy Memorial Day!
Great Idea Jasmine!
Mine is in the oven now, but I added some fried hamburger to make it a meal! So excited!!
Laura – Yes, I cook it for 45 minutes at 350. That’s weird that yours was still frozen!
I made and is it really 350 for oven because mine was frozen still after 45 minutes in oven??
I’ve done that before too. You don’t need to make any adjustments.
I’m planning to make this the night before a get together… What adjustments should I make?? Thanks!
I would say just decrease your cooking time by 15 minutes Heather.
Hi! If the hashbrowns AREN’T frozen, how long do I cooked it for?
Thanks!!
Paula, I would say about 10 servings depending how big you want. It is great for parties!
how many servings does this make?
Yes, I would cook it and then crumble it first. Thanks Ali!
I’m so excited to try this recipe! If I wanted to add bacon, I cook the bacon before I put it in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients?
oh no!! I’ll get that fixed right now. You just need to mix it in with the milk and potatoes before you cook it. I’m sorry about that!
Hi I made this tonight but now I’m realizing I didn’t use the sour cream. The directions didn’t include it. Where was I supposed to use it?
Thanks Erica – that is actually my first site – http://www.couponcloset.net. It is my couponing site where I help people save money. My recipes got so popular that they needed their own place, so I created http://www.eatingonadime.com. Sorry for the confusion! Thanks so much though!
I’m pretty sure these people stole your images and reposted your recipe… Just thought you might like to know.
http://www.couponcloset.net/the-worlds-best-cheesy-potato-casserole-recipe-made-with-frozen-hashbrowns/#
It is perfect to take to potlucks!
It basically tastes like a loaded baked potato! YUM!
Thank you! It is!
Looks really good – thanks for the recipe!
so cheesy yum!
This cheesy hash brown casserole is calling me! What a delicious combination of flavors!
Mmmm cheese & potatoes! This sounds like a dream, I really can’t wait to try these. I love all of that delicious melty cheese!
We LOVE Cheesy Potato Casserole! One of my favorite side dish recipes!