These Simply Potatoes Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole are cheesy, creamy and delicious and make a great side dish. They only take 15 minutes to prep, then throw them in the oven and watch them bake to perfection.
This Cheesy Potato Casserole is my go to side dish on busy holidays like Easter, when I don't feel like pulling out the mandoline and making Scalloped Potatoes. They are also super easy to prep ahead of time, when we are grilling Smash Burgers and hot dogs & I can just bake them in the oven.
There are a million names for these potatoes. I've heard them called Party Potatoes, Funeral Potatoes, Hashbrown Casserole, Cheesy Potato Casserole and more.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- This potato recipe is so easy to make!
- It takes minutes to throw the recipe together and load it into the casserole dish for baking.
- Minimal prepping with just dicing onion and garlic & grating the cheese.
- It's so yummy with super creamy, cheesy hashbrowns and a crispy garlic buttery topping.
If you need more easy side dish ideas, be sure to try my brown sugar and honey glazed carrots, which are always really popular around the holidays. This pesto tortellini salad is also a really yummy side dish. I love it because it's a more creative side item that people aren't expecting and it's packed with flavor!
Ingredients:
Shredded Hashbrowns- the base of this recipe and I love using Simply Potatoes because they are in the fridge section and not frozen. Frozen hash browns work in this recipe too, but need to be completely thawed first. I personally prefer the final product with the Simply Potatoes better. I highly recommend the plain Shredded hash browns versus the Southwest or anything seasoned for this recipe.
Sour Cream-A full 8 ounce container is used for it's creamy, thick texture and tangy taste.
Cheddar Cheese- Mild Cheddar cheese melts perfectly in this recipe and blends fantastic with the other flavors. I suggest using a block of cheese and shredding it yourself for a better melt. Pre-shredded bag cheese has an anti-caking agent in it, which doesn't allow for a great melt. However, it will work fine in this recipe if you want to save time.
Cheddar Soup- Cheesy, thick soup with a cheddar flavor adds a nice, thick consistency when mixed into this casserole.
Onion- For added flavor and a little additional texture. I highly recommend using a sweet, yellow onion for it's sweet and mild taste.
Garlic, Butter and Panko- Used to make the crunchy, buttery topping. These ingredients are optional. I've made it a million times without the topping, and I really like it both ways. It's really just your preference.
Variations and Substitutions for Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole:
Not crazy about the garlic butter panko topping? Leave it off or you can mix 1 cup of cornflakes with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and use that for a more traditional Southern topping.
Can't find Simply Potatoes? Make sure to check in the refrigerated area near the cream cheese and eggs. If not, use frozen hash browns and allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge or 2-3 hours before making the recipe on the countertop.
Don't feel like shredding cheese? You can use an 8 ounce bag of shredded mild cheddar (it should equal about 2 cups of cheese)
Not big on Cheddar Cheese Campbell's Soup or just missing it from your pantry? You can substitute it with Cream of Chicken Soup.
How to Make Simply Potatoes Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole:
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Here are the Step by Step Instructions for this Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Into a large bowl, combine hashbrowns, soup, ¾ of the cheddar cheese, onion, sour cream, and salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
Step 2: Grease a 9x13 casserole dish with butter or cooking spray. Pour the casserole mixture into the dish and use a spoon to pat it down evenly. Cover with remaining cheddar cheese.
Step 3: (Optional Panko Topping Step)Into a large skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the garlic and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant, but not browning.
Step 4: (Optional Panko Topping Step) Add in the Panko bread crumbs and cook for another 2 minutes stirring frequently.
Step 5: If you've made the panko topping, spread it over the top of the casserole dish. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes. If you want it really crispy, feel free to broil it for the last few minutes. Just make sure to keep on eye on it to avoid burning.
Step 6: Allow the potatoes to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Cut into squares to serve. Enjoy this cheesy goodness!
Expert Tips:
- Dice the onions really fine for the casserole. We aren't cooking them beforehand and they will cook faster in the casserole when they're smaller. If they are too large, it could result in a crunchy texture, that we don't want.
- For the best creamy texture, shred your own block of cheese rather than buying pre-shredded.
- For a nice golden brown topping, broil on high for a few minutes at the end of cooking. Just don't take your eyes too far off the casserole. It happens quick!
- Pair these cheesy potatoes with my Dutch Oven Pulled Chicken recipe for the perfect Southern Meal!
Love Casseroles? Try my Chicken Tater Tot Casserole, Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread, Tortellini Alfredo Casserole, and Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole too!
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, It is recommended to thaw frozen hash browns or use a brand like Simply Potatoes, that it already thawed out. The problem with frozen hash browns is they stick together in clumps and you can't get the ingredients mixed well with them. Then, when baked, you end up with parts of the casserole that are plain with no cheese, seasoning, etc. It can also end up soggy from the additional water.
The easiest way is to put them in the fridge the night before. If you forget, leave them out in the morning on the counter. I don't recommend leaving them outside of the fridge for more than 2-3 hours.
Storage:
This Cheesy Potato Casserole tastes incredible as leftovers for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Store in the fridge, in the casserole dish covered with plastic wrap or in individual sealed containers for up to 3 days.
Reheating Party Potatoes:
Microwave Method: To reheat, microwave in 30 second increments until hot.
Oven Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the casserole into square slices and cook however many you would like on a cookie sheet for 10 to 15 minutes until nice and hot.
Big on Cheesy Potato Recipes? Try my Cheesy Smashed Potatoes too!
Recipes to Pair with Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole:
If you tried this Party Potatoes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Simply Potatoes Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Description
These Simply Potatoes Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole are cheesy, creamy and delicious and make a great side dish. They only takes 15 minutes to prep, then throw them in the oven and watch them bake to perfection.
Ingredients
- 20 ounce bag of Simply Potatoes Shredded Hashbrowns (do not buy the seasoned version)
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 8 ounce block of mild cheddar cheese, shredded fine to medium
- ½ a can (5 ounces) of Campbells Cheddar Cheese Soup (or Cream of Chicken)
- ¾ cup yellow onion, diced fine
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Panko Topping Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
You also need butter or cooking spray to grease the casserole dish.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Into a large bowl, combine hash browns, soup, ¾ of the cheddar cheese, onion, sour cream, and salt and pepper.
- Using a spoon, combine until all of the ingredients until they are mixed well.
- Grease a 9x13 casserole dish with butter or cooking spray. Pour the casserole mixture into the dish and use a spoon to pat it down evenly.
- Cover with remaining cheddar cheese. (*The next two steps are for the panko topping. Feel free to skip them and bake as is, if you don't want the crunchy topping.)
- Into a large skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the garlic and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant, but not browning.
- Add in the Panko bread crumbs and cook for another 2 minutes stirring frequently. Pour the topping over the cheesy potato casserole.
- Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for additional 10 minutes. If you want it really crispy, feel free to broil it for the last few minutes. Just make sure to keep on eye on it to avoid burning.
- Allow the potatoes to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy this cheesy goodness!
Notes
Dice the onions really fine for the casserole. We aren't cooking them beforehand and they will cook faster in the casserole when they're smaller.
For the best creamy texture, shred your own block of cheese rather than buying pre-shredded.
For a nice golden brown topping, broil on high for a few minutes at the end of cooking. Just don't take your eyes too far off the casserole. It happens quick!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: american
Keywords: Simply Potatoes Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole, Cheesy Potato Casserole, Party Potatoes, Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole, Funeral Potatoes
Holly
These are so yummy!!
★★★★★
Tara Smithson
Totally agree! Thanks for the review!