Cheesy Potato Casserole

This easy and quick cheesy potato casserole is rich, creamy, and covered in crispy breadcrumbs. It’s hearty and comforting and loaded with gooey melted cheese. 

Easy & Cheesy Potato Casserole

Some foods just go perfectly together, and potatoes and cheese are great examples. What could be better than tender and hearty potatoes covered in rich, melty cheese? This cheesy potato casserole recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat cheese and potatoes. It’s super creamy, with milk, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup. But the star is the golden brown panko breadcrumb topping, which gives this hash brown casserole a crispy and crunchy texture. 

This is a side dish that I make all year long, but I especially love to serve it during the holidays. It’s so rich and comforting, so it’s a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas spread. You’ve definitely got to try making this creamy and cheesy potato casserole recipe this winter. 

Why You’ll Love This Hash Brown Casserole

This is one of those soothing recipes that I make all the time. Give it a try and you’ll quickly see why it’s so popular in my house! Here’s why I love it.

• Easy. It’s so easy to make this holiday hash brown casserole. All you have to do is mix the ingredients together, put them in a baking dish, add some toppings, and throw it in the oven. It’s that easy! 
• Comforting. This is my go-to comfort meal side dish. Something about steaming seasoned potatoes with gooey cheddar cheese always puts me in a good mood.
• Great for any meal. I usually make this cheesy potato casserole as a side dish, but it’s also great as a lunch or dinner entree. And sometimes I eat it with eggs for breakfast! 
• Easy to adjust. This easy cheesy potato casserole recipe can easily be tailored to fit your tastes. You can add meat, change up the seasonings, or include some veggies to make it just how you like it. 

What You’ll Need

You only need a few common household ingredients to make this tender and creamy potato casserole with cheese. Scroll to the recipe card at the end of the page for the exact amounts of each ingredient.

• Sour cream – You can also use 8 ounces of cream cheese instead. 
• Milk – Use whole milk for the richest casserole. 
• Cream of chicken soup – You can use cream of mushroom or cream of onion soup if you prefer.
• Pepper – Always use freshly cracked pepper.
• Garlic powder
• Seasoned salt – Regular salt will also work.
• Shredded cheddar cheese – I recommend mild cheddar cheese for this recipe because it melts better.
• Frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
• Salted butter – The butter needs to be melted.
• Panko breadcrumbs – You can also use regular breadcrumbs, crushed potato chips, crushed cornflakes, or crushed Ritz crackers. 
• Fresh parsley – This is an optional garnish. 

How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole

Recipes don’t get much easier than this garlicky and cheesy potato casserole. Here’s how to make it.

• Prep. Preheat your oven to 350F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. 
• Make the seasoning. Add the sour cream, milk, cream of chicken soup, pepper, garlic powder, seasoned salt, and most of the cheese to a large bowl. Stir until well mixed.
• Add potatoes. Pour the frozen hash brown potatoes into the bowl and mix until well combined.

• Pour into the dish. Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared baking dish, and spread it out evenly.
• Add cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top of the potato mixture.
• Top with breadcrumbs. Mix the melted butter and panko breadcrumbs together in a bowl, then sprinkle over the casserole.

• Bake. Put the baking dish in the oven and bake until the casserole is golden brown on top and bubbly. This should take about 50-55 minutes. 
• Serve. Serve while hot with an optional garnish of fresh parsley.

Tips & Variations

There are so many different things that you can do with this easy and cozy casserole side dish. These are a few of my favorite variations, as well as some tips. 

• Rotate. I recommend rotating the casserole dish halfway through the baking. A lot of ovens don’t heat evenly, which can lead to one half of the casserole baking more quickly than the other half.
• Tent, if needed. Keep an eye on the cheesy potato casserole in the oven and make sure it doesn’t burn. If the cheese is starting to burn before the casserole is done cooking, just loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
• Add meat. I love to add meat to this casserole recipe. To turn this side dish into a full meal, just shred some rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken into the casserole. You can also use chopped-up pieces of leftover steak. 
• Top with bacon. If you want to take the crispy breadcrumb topping to the next level, try adding some chopped-up cooked bacon! Who doesn’t love bacon with their potatoes?
• Change the seasonings. Instead of using salt, pepper, and garlic powder, you can add extra flavor by using a ranch seasoning packet or Italian salad dressing mix. 
• Add onions. Onions go so well with potatoes. If you’re a fan of onions, I recommend caramelizing a pan full of onions and adding them to the casserole. You can also cook some vegetables with the onions and add them.
• Make it spicy. If you like heat, just add some cayenne pepper to the seasoning mixture. Or you can add fresh or pickled jalapeños or even your favorite hot sauce. 

Can I Make Hash Brown Casserole In Advance?

This is a great recipe to make in advance! All you have to do is prepare the cheesy potato casserole, then cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge. It will last for 2 days, and then you can bake it whenever you’re ready to. 

Serving Suggestions

There’s no wrong way to eat this rich and creamy potato casserole with melty cheddar cheese. But my favorite way to eat it is by serving it as a side dish alongside a hearty and comforting entree. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to eat with hash brown casserole.

• Easy Salisbury Steak
• Instant Pot Short Ribs
• Melt In Your Mouth Chicken
• Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
• Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Leftover comforting potato casserole will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container. You can reheat the casserole in a 350F oven for 15 minutes, or in the microwave in 30-second increments. To freeze, place the casserole in an airtight container and put it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw or defrost before reheating. 

More Cozy Casseroles To Try

I can never get enough casseroles. They’re such an easy and cozy addition to any meal. Here are some more casseroles that I think you’ll love making and eating.

• Squash Casserole
• Easy Pizza Casserole
• Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
• Broccoli Cheese Casserole
• Corn Casserole
• Cheesy Chili Mac Casserole

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