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These easy cheesy potatoes bake up creamy and bubbly under a buttery cornflake topping. Made with frozen diced hash browns, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup, this cheesy potato casserole is a simple side for holiday dinners and potlucks.
Serve these cheesy potatoes with my Honey Baked Ham and Slow Cooker Green Beans for an easy family dinner, or browse my Thanksgiving side dishes for more holiday favorites.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This recipe comes from my mom’s handwritten recipe book. I still pull out her book when I make these potatoes, even though I know the recipe by heart. There’s something special about making it from those familiar pages.
I use frozen Ore-Ida hash brown potatoes and keep the buttery cornflake topping just like the recipe calls for. It’s a little piece of my mom’s kitchen that I get to share with you.
- Simple ingredients: frozen potatoes mean no peeling or chopping.
- Creamy filling and a crunchy topping in every scoop.
- One 9×13-inch pan makes 12 side-dish servings.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and complete instructions.
- Diced hash brown potatoes: I use frozen Ore-Ida potatoes for this casserole. Check the bag weight; the recipe calls for 2 pounds.
- Cream of chicken soup: use the condensed soup without adding water.
- Sour cream and cheddar cheese: these make the potato mixture rich, creamy, and cheesy.
- Butter: use one melted stick in the potatoes and a separate melted stick for the topping. That is 1 cup total, divided between the two parts.
- Cornflakes: crush the cereal for the topping, then mix it with its own portion of melted butter.
Variations
- Cracker topping: Crushed Ritz crackers can stand in for the cornflakes. I stick with the cornflake topping from my mom’s recipe, so if you swap in crackers, add the melted butter a little at a time until the crumbs are evenly coated.
- Different cream soup: Condensed cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup works in place of cream of chicken if that is what you have on hand. Cream of chicken is what I use.
- Onion flavor: Stir in sliced green onions, a little finely diced yellow onion, or a pinch of onion powder if your family likes onion in their potatoes. My mom’s version leaves it out.
- Add ham: For a version with ham, try my Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole and follow its ingredient amounts and instructions.
For a shredded-potato version, try my Cracker Barrel copycat Hashbrown Casserole. If you need to keep the oven available, use my Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes recipe for the slow-cooker method.
How to Make Cheesy Potatoes
- Prep and mix. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, stir together the diced hash browns, condensed soup, sour cream, cheddar cheese, 1 stick of melted butter, and salt and pepper.
- Fill the dish. Spread the potato mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Mix the topping. In a separate bowl, toss the cornflakes with the remaining 1 stick of melted butter.
- Add the topping. Sprinkle the buttered cornflakes evenly over the potato mixture.
- Bake. Bake uncovered for approximately 35–45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the casserole is hot and bubbly throughout. The center should reach 165°F. If the topping browns before the center is ready, loosely tent with foil and continue baking. Allow additional time as needed, especially when starting with frozen potatoes.
Kasey’s Tips
- Frozen or microwave-thawed: I usually use frozen potatoes, but I have also thawed them in the microwave to help the casserole cook faster. If you use the microwave, assemble and bake immediately afterward.
- Keep the butter portions separate. One stick goes into the filling; the other goes into the cornflakes.
- Watch the center as well as the topping. Golden cornflakes do not mean the potatoes underneath are ready; tent with foil if needed while the middle finishes cooking.
How to Store and Make Ahead
Leftovers: Refrigerate in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, covered loosely with a microwave-safe cover, until the center reaches 165°F. Stir or rotate as needed for even heating.
Make ahead: I make this the day I serve it, but if you want to get ahead, mix the filling, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Keep the cornflake topping separate and add it just before baking. A cold casserole will need a little extra time in the oven, so go by the 165°F center temperature rather than the clock.
Freezing: I haven’t frozen this casserole myself. If you want to try it, freeze the unbaked filling without the topping in a tightly wrapped freezer-safe dish for up to 2 months, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, add fresh buttered cornflakes, and bake until the center reaches 165°F. Expect the potatoes to be a little softer than a fresh batch.
What to Serve With Cheesy Potatoes
For a comforting family dinner, pair these cheesy potatoes with my Southern Meatloaf. Add a Cucumber Tomato Salad for something fresh and crisp alongside the creamy casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. I usually bake them straight from frozen. When I’m short on time, I thaw the potatoes in the microwave first so the casserole cooks faster, then assemble and bake right away. Either way, check that the center is hot and the potatoes are tender rather than relying only on the timer.
Start uncovered so the cornflake topping can brown. If it gets golden before the middle is hot, loosely tent with foil and continue baking until the potatoes are tender and the center reaches 165°F.
Yes. Mix the filling, cover, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, then add the buttered cornflakes right before baking. A cold casserole needs a little extra oven time, so check that the center reaches 165°F.
I haven’t frozen this one myself, but you can freeze the unbaked filling without the topping for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, add fresh topping, and bake until the center reaches 165°F. The potatoes may be a little softer after freezing.
More Easy Potato Side Dish Recipes
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Hashbrown Casserole
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Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
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Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
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Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin With Gruyere
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Cheesy Potatoes
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- Large mixing bowl for the potato mixture
- Small mixing bowl for cornflake topping
- Mixing spoon or spatula
- instant read thermomater to check the center reaches 165°F
Ingredients
- 2 lb bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes I use Ore-Ida
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, melted, for the filling
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- salt & pepper to taste
Topping
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick, melted
- 2 cups corn flakes crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, stir together the diced hash browns, condensed soup, sour cream, cheddar cheese, 1 stick of melted butter, and salt and pepper.2 lb bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes , 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup unsalted butter , 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, salt & pepper to taste
- Spread the potato mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, toss the cornflakes with the remaining 1 stick of melted butter.1/2 cup butter
- Sprinkle the buttered cornflakes evenly over the potato mixture.2 cups corn flakes
- Bake uncovered for approximately 35–45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the casserole is hot and bubbly throughout. The center should reach 165°F. If the topping browns before the center is ready, loosely tent with foil and continue baking. Allow additional time as needed, especially when starting with frozen potatoes.
If I double the recipe should I increase the bake time?
Can this be prepared in the morning and then baked in the afternoon? I would definitely prepare the cornflake topping right before I bake it.
Can I prepare this in the morning and bake it in the afternoon?
My favorite!
Do you think I could mix this up and freeze then bake later? I’m traveling so it would likely thaw before getting there…
This recipe will always get 5 stars from me! It ALWAYS turns out! You can swap out the cheese, use different potatoes, make ahead, heat up – it’s ALWAYS perfect!
Yum!! So delicious and love the crunch that the topping adds. This recipe is so versatile and you could easily add some veggies to it as well.
These were delicious and so so easy
To make !
Very easy and a big hit with my family
Could u use this recipe but for baked Mac n cheese? Subing potatoes with macaroni?