Frozen hash browns, heavy cream, cheddar cheese and seasonings are baked to perfection to make an easy & comforting side dish. These Cheesy Potatoes are perfect for a family dinner, brunch or potluck!
There are few foods as comforting as a big pan of Cheesy Potatoes. There are so many variations to this dish and almost as many names. Whether you call them cheesy hash browns, funeral potatoes, or au gratin potatoes one thing is for certain: they are cheesy potatoes. Hence the name I chose for this dish. Creative, huh?
What You'll Need
Unlike many recipes for Cheesy Potatoes, this one requires only a few basic ingredients. No sour cream. No canned creamed soup. Chances are you have everything you need for these Cheesy Potatoes already in your kitchen.
- Frozen hash browns - don't try to get fancy here. Frozen store-bought hash browns work best for this recipe. No need to thaw them.
- Heavy whipping cream - to create the most perfect creamy sauce for the cheesy hash browns. This is not a low-fat recipe. Everything in moderation, right?
- Sharp cheddar cheese - the star of the show to make these hash browns nice and cheesy
- Salt
A Make-Ahead Dish
These Cheesy Potatoes are best thrown together and refrigerated overnight. In numerical terms, overnight means around 12 hours. If you are planning these for an evening meal you could put them together in the morning and keep them in the fridge until an hour before supper time and that would work too. Letting the assembled potatoes sit refrigerated allows the hash browns to thaw and soak up some of the cream.
Start by spreading half the bag of hash browns in the bottom of a greased 9X13 baking dish and sprinkle 1 cup of cheddar cheese & half a teaspoon of salt on top. Repeat with the rest of the hash browns, cheddar cheese & another half teaspoon of salt.
Pour heavy whipping cream evenly over the top of the pan. That's it! Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate overnight, or around 12 hours. If you only have time to let them sit for say 9 or 10 hours, don't panic, that will be just fine.
Short cut version: Thaw hash browns ahead of time and the Cheesy Potatoes can go right in the oven instead of sitting in the fridge overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the baking dish and bake for 1 hour until heated through and the top is bubbly & starting to brown.
How to Serve Cheesy Potatoes
I love serving Cheesy Potatoes with thick-sliced ham, making them a perfect addition to an Easter meal. Steam a vegetable or serve with a garden salad to add some color to your plate (and for some balance). Serving them with other proteins like steak or chicken breast would also be great options. I remember having a steak at a fancy steakhouse once and it was served with potatoes like this. So. Good.
These Cheesy Potatoes are also a great way to kick up your next brunch as a variation to traditional hash browns. Serve with some bacon, eggs cooked your way & some fresh fruit and all will be right in the world.
This dish is also a popular potluck recipe as it's easy to scale up to feed a large crowd and it goes a long way. You will be the star of the show when you show up with a big pan of these Cheesy Potatoes!
Other side dish recipes:
Cheesy Potatoes
Ingredients
- 30 oz. bag shredded hash browns frozen
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9X13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour ½ bag of hash browns in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese & a half teaspoon of salt evenly on top.
- Pour the rest of the hash browns on top and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese & half teaspoon of salt.
- Pour heavy whipping cream over the whole pan. Do not stir! Cover and refrigerate overnight, or around 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover baking dish and bake for 1 hour. Serve immediately.
Helpful Equipment & Ingredient Links
Notes
- Thaw hash browns ahead of time and the Cheesy Potatoes can go right in the oven instead of sitting in the fridge overnight
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