These cheesy potatoes are made with real potatoes and baked to golden perfection with a rich, creamy sauce and crispy cornflake topping. This delicious casserole recipe is ready in 35 minutes, making it the perfect side dish for casual weeknight dinners and special occasions!
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
- This casserole is made from scratch with real potatoes, no cream of mushroom soup or frozen hash browns here!
- Whip up a delicious batch of cheesy potatoes with just a few simple ingredients and a total time of 35 minutes from start to finish.
- Great make-ahead dish for meal prepping or special occasions.
- This comforting side dish will surely be a crowd-pleaser at special gatherings like Thanksgiving and Christmas!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this cheesy potato recipe, you’ll need potatoes, butter, flour, whole milk, vegetable broth, sour cream, chopped parsley, salt, cheddar cheese, and cornflakes.
Variations & Substitutions
- Potatoes. Russet potatoes are best because of their starchy texture, but Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes can also work well.
- Flour. Use arrowroot flour or potato starch as gluten-free substitutes.
- Whole milk. You can use almond, coconut, or soy milk for dairy-free alternatives.
- Sour cream. If you don’t have sour cream on hand, you can use Greek yogurt or plain yogurt for a similar taste.
- Cheddar cheese. I prefer using sharp cheddar cheese. Alternatively, You can use mozzarella, Colby Jack, Gruyère, or Swiss cheese if you don’t have cheddar cheese. For a dairy-free option, use a vegan cheese alternative.
- Corn flakes. You can also use breadcrumbs, crushed crackers (like Ritz crackers), or crushed potato chips for a similar crunchy texture.
- Season with garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper as desired!
📖 How to make this cheesy potatoes recipe
Step 1:
Cut potatoes in cubes and boil with salted water in a large pot until al dente for 5 minutes. Drain and reserve.
Step 2:
While potatoes are cooking, bring a small pot over medium heat and stir butter with flour, cook for a minute to form a paste. Next, pour the milk and vegetable broth and whisk until the sauce becomes creamy and silky.
Step 3:
Add the sour cream, parsley, a teaspoon salt, and cheese to the pot and stir to combine.
Step 4:
Fold the potatoes in the sauce gently and transfer to a prepared 6×9 baking dish.
Step 5:
Top with crushed cornflakes and more cheddar cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly and cornflakes are golden brown.
Step 6:
Sprinkle extra parsley and serve.
👩🏽🍳 Tips for the best cheesy potatoes with real potatoes
⭐ Prep your potatoes properly. You can either peel for a smoother texture or leave the skins on for more texture. Cut them into uniform cubes to ensure even cooking and fork tender potatoes.
- Don’t overboil potatoes, as they will become soggy. It’s okay to cook potatoes al dente as they will continue to cook in the oven when roasting.
- Whisk continuously when adding the milk and broth to the roux to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Add sour cream and cheese to the sauce on a lower heat setting to avoid separating or curdling the dairy components.
- When incorporating the potatoes into the sauce, fold them gently to maintain their shape and avoid breaking them down into a mash.
- Keep an eye on the oven during the last few minutes of baking to prevent the cornflake topping from burning, as every oven is slightly different.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Yes, you can make cheesy potatoes in advance! You simply need to assemble the dish, cover tightly with a foil or plastic wrap, then refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before baking according to the recipe instructions.
To prevent cheesy potatoes from becoming watery, make sure to drain excess moisture from the potatoes after boiling them. You can pat them dry with paper towels to remove any remaining moisture.
Yes, you can make cheesy potato casserole gluten-free by using gluten-free flour alternatives such as arrowroot four or starch. To substitute cornflakes, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
🍴 How to serve cheesy potatoes
The best thing about cheesy potatoes is that they are versatile and easy to pair with different main courses. It’s the perfect side dish to elevate your weeknight dinner or to celebrate special occasions.
Here are some of our favorite dishes to serve with cheesy potatoes:
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until heated through before serving.
To freeze, allow the cheesy potatoes to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
🍴 More delicious potato recipes
If you like this recipe, check out my other delicious potato recipes:
Authentic Bombay Potatoes (Spicy Indian Potatoes)
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes (Crispy, Garlic)
Classic American Potato Salad
Easy Microwave Baked Potato
Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes
Ingredients
For the filling
- 4 potatoes, medium, cubed
- ⅛ cup butter
- ⅛ cup flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅛ cup chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
For the topping
- 1 cup cornflakes, crushed
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Cut potatoes in cubes and boil with salted water until al dente for 5 minutes. Drain and reserve.
- While potatoes are cooking, bring a small pot over medium heat and stir butter with flour, cook for a minute to form a paste. Next, pour the milk and vegetable broth and whisk until the sauce becomes creamy and silky.
- Add the sour cream, parsley, salt and cheese to the pot and stir to combine.
- Fold the potatoes in the sauce gently and transfer to a prepared 6×9 baking dish.
- Top with crushed cornflakes and more cheddar cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly and cornflakes are golden brown.
- Sprinkle extra parsley and serve.
Notes
- Prep your potatoes perfectly. Peel for a smoother texture or leave the skins on for more texture. Cut into uniform cubes to ensure even cooking. This helps all pieces reach the perfect tenderness at the same time.
- Boiling potatoes: It’s okay to cook potatoes to al dente as they will continue to cook in the oven when roasting. Don’t overcook them as they will become soggy.
- Whisk continuously when adding the milk and broth to the roux to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Add sour cream and cheese to the sauce on a lower heat setting to avoid separating or curdling the dairy components.
- When incorporating the potatoes into the sauce, fold them gently to maintain their shape and avoid breaking them down into a mash.
- Keep an eye on the oven during the last few minutes of baking to prevent the cornflake topping from burning. Every oven is slightly different.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
