Description
Comfort meets culinary magic in this irresistible cheesy potato casserole that brings warmth to family dinner tables. Golden, bubbling cheese and tender potatoes create a symphony of flavor you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 lbs potatoes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
Dairy and Creamy Additions:
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 0.25 cup butter
- 0.5 cup milk
Seasonings and Extras:
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.25 cup chopped green onions
- 0.5 cup crispy bacon bits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and thoroughly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Wash and peel the potatoes, then slice them into uniform thin rounds to ensure even cooking and consistent texture.
- Create a creamy base by whisking together sour cream, heavy cream, milk, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl until smooth and well-combined.
- Layer half of the potato slices across the bottom of the prepared baking dish, creating an even, slightly overlapping foundation.
- Generously sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar cheese over the potato layer, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
- Pour half of the creamy mixture evenly across the cheese and potato layer, allowing the liquid to seep between the potato slices.
- Repeat the layering process with remaining potatoes, cheese, and creamy mixture, creating a rich, multi-dimensional casserole.
- Dot the top layer with small butter pieces to enhance richness and promote golden browning.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, maintaining moisture and even cooking.
- Remove foil, sprinkle crispy bacon bits and chopped green onions across the surface, then return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender and top is golden and crispy.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes after removing from oven, which helps the layers set and makes serving easier.
Notes
- Use starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold for the creamiest and most consistent texture in the casserole.
- Slice potatoes uniformly using a mandoline for perfect, even thickness that ensures consistent cooking throughout the dish.
- Rinse potato slices in cold water to remove excess starch, which helps prevent a gummy or sticky final texture and promotes better browning.
- Experiment with cheese varieties like Gruyère or Swiss for a more complex flavor profile while maintaining the casserole’s creamy consistency.
- Reduce calories by substituting half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream, without significantly compromising the dish’s rich texture.
- Add depth by incorporating herbs like thyme or rosemary into the cream mixture for an aromatic and sophisticated twist.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 404
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 651 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 58 mg