Description
Comfort meets culinary magic in this hearty cheesy potato casserole, packed with creamy layers and golden-brown goodness. Crispy edges, melted cheese, and rich potato goodness invite you to savor each comforting, indulgent bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 (32 ounces/907 grams) bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
Dairy and Soup Base:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, melted
- 1 (10.5 ounces/298 grams) can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom for vegetarian)
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
Instructions
- Ignite the oven to 350°F (175°C) and generously coat a 9×13-inch baking vessel with non-stick preparation.
- Harmonize thawed hash browns, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, liquefied butter, minced onion, grated cheddar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a capacious mixing bowl, whisking until ingredients meld seamlessly.
- Transfer the velvety potato mixture into the prepared baking dish, ensuring an uniform distribution across the surface.
- Pulverize Ritz crackers and amalgamate with molten butter in a separate container, creating a rustic crumbly topping.
- Cascade the cracker mixture over the potato foundation, generating a textural crown that will transform golden and crisp during baking.
- Position the casserole in the preheated oven, roasting uncovered for 45-50 minutes until the surface achieves a bronzed hue and the interior reaches a steaming, effervescent state.
- Extract from oven and allow a brief resting period to stabilize before presenting this comforting culinary creation.
Notes
- Swap hash browns for cauliflower rice to create a lower-carb version that’s just as delicious and satisfying.
- Use gluten-free crackers or crushed gluten-free cornflakes if you need a celiac-friendly option to maintain the crispy topping texture.
- Try different cheese combinations like pepper jack or gruyere to add unexpected flavor complexity and make the dish more gourmet.
- Consider adding crispy bacon bits or diced ham directly into the mixture for extra protein and a savory boost that elevates the entire casserole.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 357 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 530 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg