Cheesy Potato Casserole
Published 11/8/2021 • Updated 3/17/2024
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Cheesy potato casserole is a midwestern holiday staple. Our recipe is made completely from scratch with frozen hash browns, a homemade cheese sauce, and more cheese on top!
We’re honoring our sister site, Cheese Knees, with this epic cheesy potato casserole recipe! This casserole is made completely from scratch and a midwestern staple that we enjoy at pretty much every holiday or event.
Classic Wisconsin cheesy potato casserole is made with hash browns (shredded or cubed), tons of cheese, and either cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup. We put our Fit Foodie spin on this casserole and created a feel-good version that’s made with only real, fresh ingredients. There is no canned creamy soup involved in today’s recipe – instead, we make a homemade roux-based cheese sauce!
Not only does this casserole feed a crowd, it’s easy to make (don’t be intimidated by all of the steps!). You’ll combine the hash browns with shredded cheese, prepare the roux, make the cheese sauce, mix it all together, and bake in the oven until golden and bubbly. It’s cheesy, creamy, and our go-to holiday side dish!
#1 Tip: When cooking with cheese, our best tip is to shred it yourself. Freshly shredded cheese not only tastes better, but it melts more easily, too.
What is in cheesy potato casserole?
This potato casserole is 100% made from scratch with real ingredients! You’ll need:
- Frozen hash browns
- Shredded Swiss and cheddar cheese
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Flour
- Broth
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Cheesy Potato Casserole Variations
Mix up this cheese + potato casserole with any of these simple ingredient swaps:
Hash Browns: Instead of shredded hash browns, use frozen cubed hash browns.
Cheese: Definitely use the shredded cheddar cheese, but feel free to swap the Swiss for mozzarella, Colby jack, gouda, or any shredded cheddar blend.
Flour: Replace the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or a 1:1 gluten free flour blend. We don’t recommend using almond flour or traditional whole wheat flour – they’re a little too heavy for the roux.
Broth: Any kind of broth works great! For a vegetarian casserole, use veggie broth.
Sour Cream: Swap the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt for extra protein and creaminess.
Add a Protein: Turn this casserole into a complete meal and add cubed ham or shredded chicken/turkey (a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey).
FAQ
Absolutely! Feel free to use grated fresh potatoes in this recipe instead of frozen. We used frozen because it simplifies the prep.
As written, this potato casserole is not gluten free. To make it GF, simply swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 GF all-purpose flour blend.
To make a half batch, simply halve all of the ingredients and bake the cheesy potato casserole in an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch pan. It will take a little less time than the full casserole to bake, so keep an eye on it in the oven.
Storage
Once the cheesy potato casserole is completely cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For best tasting leftovers, reheat this casserole in the oven. Transfer leftover casserole to an oven-safe dish and reheat at 350ºF until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes.
We don’t recommend freezing cheesy potato casserole. The texture and consistency of the potatoes becomes grainy and not that tasty. This cheesy casserole is best enjoyed fresh (or reheated as refrigerated leftovers).
Make Ahead Cheesy Potato Casserole
This is a great holiday side dish to prepare ahead of time! Make the recipe as instructed through mixing the cheese sauce with the hash browns. Store the baking dish (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to bake the casserole, continue with the recipe – you may need to add a few minutes to the first bake time as the potatoes will be cold straight from the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
Here in the midwest, this cheesy potato casserole is welcome at every holiday, potluck, tailgate, or party! Serve it as part of your Thanksgiving menu, as a weeknight side, or anytime you’re craving something cheesy and savory.
Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. frozen hash browns, we used 2 bags of these!
- 1.5 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
- 2.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1.5 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups broth*, any kind
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour the hash browns into the casserole dish. Add 1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the hash browns. Mix together in the baking dish until combined. Set aside.
- Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium/high heat. When the butter is melted, reduce the heat to low, add the flour, and whisk together until a crumble forms.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, mixing continuously until a thick roux forms.
- Mix in the remaining salt and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the roux, whisking until the cheese is melted. Add the sour cream and mix until combined.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the hash browns and use a spatula and combine everything together. Spread the cheesy hash browns in an even layer in the baking dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and top with the remaining shredded Swiss and cheddar cheeses. Bake for 15 more minutes.
- After 15 minutes, keep the baking dish in the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the top of the casserole is golden brown.
- Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, serve, and enjoy.
Tips & Notes
- Storage: Once the cheesy potato casserole is completely cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat: Transfer leftover casserole to an oven-safe dish and reheat at 350ºF until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes.
- Make Ahead Instructions: Make the recipe as instructed through mixing the cheese sauce with the hash browns. Store the baking dish (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready to bake the casserole, continue with the recipe – you may need to add a few minutes to the first bake time as the potatoes will be cold straight from the fridge.
- Broth: We used chicken broth, but any kind of broth works great! For a vegetarian casserole, use veggie broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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