Brace yourself for the best cheesy potatoes ever! This recipe is a holiday-worthy side dish with tender diced potatoes baked with sour cream, condensed soup, and fistfuls of cheese beneath a crispy cracker topping.
Lovers of potato dishes like my cheesy hash browns, and fans of mac and cheese, this casserole has your name all over it. It’s cheesy, creamy, and totally irresistible!
Can you feel that? I bet you it’s the feeling of the festive season approaching. I’m already hearing Christmas music in the stores, which is my cue to start planning holiday menus. Today’s cheesy potatoes have me covered for Thanksgiving AND Christmas (and beyond).
With ingredients like sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, and melty cheddar cheese, these potatoes are rich, creamy, and extra cheesy. They’re also perfectly browned, thanks to a crispy crumb topping. In some circles, these are called funeral potatoes, but if you ask me, heavenly potatoes are the most accurate name!
What Makes This the Best Cheesy Potatoes Recipe?
- Rich and cheesy. These potatoes are an easy side dish that’s ultra-creamy and flavorful. I love the contrast between the gooey, cheesy potatoes and the crunchy, buttery cracker crumbs on top. Comfort food at its finest.
- Easy to make. It’s as easy as boiling chopped potatoes (or thawing out a bag of frozen potatoes) and folding everything together before baking. The sauce takes minutes to prep.
- Any occasion. Whether it’s a weekday or a holiday dinner, these cheesy potatoes are never out of place. They fit right in alongside cozy pot roasts and glazed ham at Christmas and everyday baked chicken.
- Make-ahead-friendly. I love that I can prep these cheesy potatoes in advance, especially when things get a bit wild during the holidays. Leftovers store and reheat well, too!
What You’ll Need
The stars of the show here are potatoes and cheese, but all of the ingredients in this cheesy potatoes casserole are easy to find. If your pantry is stocked with canned soup like mine is, there’s a good chance you have what you need already. I’ve included some notes below. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete recipe details.
- Potatoes – I recommend all-purpose Yukon gold potatoes or a waxy variety, like red potatoes for this recipe. Starchy russets, for example, don’t hold their shape as well when boiled (save the starchy ones for mashed potatoes!). You could also use frozen potatoes for this recipe, just thaw them first.
- Butter – Unsalted butter, to melt for the sauce and to combine with the crushed crackers for the topping.
- Sour Cream – In a pinch, you can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup – There’s nothing like an old-fashioned can of condensed soup to pack a recipe full of retro vibes. You can use any “cream of” soup here, including chicken, broccoli, celery, etc.
- Chives – I use dried chives because they’re easy to find, but fresh chopped chives work, too.
- Cheddar Cheese – Trust me, you’ll want to use freshly grated cheese, not the packaged kind. Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly and tastes so much better. You can use mild or sharp cheddar, or a mix of melty cheeses like Gruyere, Gouda, or Monterey Jack.
- Cheese Crackers – This can be Cheez-Its, cheese-flavored Ritz crackers, or even homemade cheese crackers. I like to use cheese crackers with a sharper flavor. If you have regular Ritz, cornflakes, or potato chips in the cupboard, those will work, too!
How to Make Cheesy Potatoes
Here’s how to get this easy side dish prepped and in the oven in minutes!
- Prep the potatoes. First, you’ll peel, dice, and then boil the potatoes in salted water. You don’t need to cook the potatoes all the way through, just 4-5 minutes so that they soften a little.
- Make the sauce. Next, whisk melted butter with sour cream, mushroom soup, and chives. Fold in the potatoes and most of the cheddar cheese.
- Assemble. Now, dump your cheesy potato mixture into a square baking dish and top it with more cheddar cheese.
- Add the topping. Crush up the crackers for the topping. I like to add the crackers to a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin. This way, I end up with a crunchy mix of fine and coarse crumbs. Then, stir the crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle the mixture over the potatoes.
- Bake. Pop the cheesy potatoes into the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350ºF. Afterward, let the potatoes rest for a bit before garnishing with spring onions and serving.
Make It Ahead
You can prepare this cheesy potato casserole 1-2 days in advance. Follow the recipe steps right up until you’re ready to add the topping (I recommend leaving that off until you’re ready to bake). Cover the unbaked potatoes with foil and keep the casserole dish in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, add the cracker crumb topping and bake as usual. If the casserole is cold from the fridge, you’ll need to add an extra 15 minutes or so to the baking time.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the potato pieces the same size. I usually aim for ½” chunks. This way the potatoes will cook through evenly.
- Speed things up with the food processor. If you’re in a hurry, you can blitz the crackers in your blender or food processor instead of using a rolling pin. Just be careful not to over-process the crackers. We don’t want them too fine.
- Add bacon. Make this similar to a loaded potato casserole and fold in cooked crumbled bacon.
- Change up the herbs. Instead of or in addition to chives, mix in thyme, dried parsley, or any other fresh or dried herbs you like.
- Give it some kick. Add crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, or a dash of hot sauce to the sauce for extra spice. You could also stir in a small can of diced green chilies.
- Bulk it up. Turning this cheesy potato casserole into a one-pan meal is as easy as stirring in shredded chicken (you can boil chicken and then easily shred it) or pulled pork.
Serving Suggestions
Cheesy potatoes are the perfect side dish for just about any dinner, casual or otherwise. They’re a wonderful holiday side and they make the best comfort food on a weeknight! Serve them with roast turkey, a green bean casserole, and stuffing at Christmas, and with juicy tomahawk pork chops or baked chicken breasts and a salad the rest of the year. For dessert, I’ve been loving this pear cake lately.
I even crack these out at brunch sometimes as a stand-in for hash browns. All that cheese and potatoes balance out sweet dishes like pancakes perfectly!
Storing and Reheating Cheesy Potatoes
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover cheesy potatoes airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. The best way to reheat this potato casserole is in the oven, to crisp up the topping again. Warm them at 350ºF until the filling is hot throughout.
- Freeze. Even with the dairy, these cheesy potatoes freeze well before or after baking. Double-wrap the baking dish in plastic wrap or store the potatoes in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before baking/reheating.
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Prepare the potatoes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel the potatoes with a veggie peeler. Dice the potatoes into ½-inch chunks. Add the potatoes to a pot with boiling water and cook them for 4-5 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool down a bit.
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Preheat the oven. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350ºF.
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Make the sauce. Whisk melted butter with sour cream, mushroom soup, and chives in a large bowl. Fold in the prepared potatoes and ¾ of the cheddar cheese.
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Assemble. Transfer the potato mixture to a 9-inch baking dish. Add the remaining cheddar cheese on top.
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Add the topping. Crush the cheese crackers and add them to a bowl. Add melted butter and stir to combine. Spread the crackers mixture on top of the cheese and potatoes.
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Bake. Bake the potatoes for 50-60 minutes or until tender and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes.
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Serve. Garnish the funeral potatoes with sliced spring onions and serve.
- Prepping the crackers. Add your cheese crackers to a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling in. This way, you will be able to control the coarseness of the crumbs. Also, use your desired type of crackers. I love those with a sharper flavor.
- Potato options. Use waxy potatoes for this recipe. Other types will not hold their shape while boiling.
- Herbs. Chives, thyme, dried parsley, or any other herbs you like can be used in this recipe.
Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 618mg | Potassium: 898mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2165IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
