Easy Cheesy Potatoes
This is the cheesy potatoes recipe everyone asks me to bring! Creamy hashbrowns, plenty of cheddar and a buttery Ritz cracker topping make this easy casserole a regular at our parties, holidays and family meals.
Bake these cheesy potatoes in the oven or let the crock pot do the work. Either way, it’s one of our top five most-made recipes on the farm.
Easy Recipe For Cheesy Potatoes
Even though we’ve eaten a lot of potatoes on the farm I’ve never had a cheesy potato casserole as good as this one. This hashbrown casserole with Ritz Crackers is so creamy, cheesy and delicious! It’s definitely one of our favorite side dishes.
I can’t count how many times I’ve made this recipe since my sister-in-law gave it to me almost twenty years ago. We make our famous Twice Baked Potatoes Casserole, Loaded Potato Recipe or these easy cheesy potatoes for parties, potlucks, holidays and anytime we want a nice dish that people will enjoy and remember.
This recipe is so good we’ve adapted it to make a main dish which is really popular on Pinterest, our Smoked Sausage Hash Brown Casserole and another delicious variation, Hash Brown Casserole with Ground Beef.
For a similar recipe that feeds 100 people check out our Cheesy Potatoes for a Crowd.
Ingredients Needed
- Frozen Hash Browns – We prefer frozen hashbrowns in the matchstick shape versus small cubes of frozen potatoes.
- Sour Cream
- Cheddar Cheese – we like sharp cheddar.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup – cream of onion soup is our favorite substitute if you don’t like mushrooms.
- Salt and Pepper
- Ritz Crackers
- Butter
Jennifer’s Recipe Tips and Tricks
I’ve watched my mom peel countless pounds, I mean TONS of potatoes. That never looked very fun to me. Maybe this recipe tastes better because it calls for a bag of frozen hashbrowns. Here are my tips for better cheesy potatoes.
- Dairy products rule. As a former dairy farming family, we’re a big fan of dairy products because they taste great and we know that we’re supporting other farm families like our own when we buy milk, cheese, sour cream and yogurt at any grocery store.
- The original recipe calls for 2-4 cups of cheese, but see point #1 and understand why I always use 4 cups of cheese.
- When adding melted butter to cold ingredients be prepared to stir quickly before the butter sets up.
- I love my white casserole dish with handles for casseroles like this!
Easy Step By Step Recipe
- Find a very large mixing bowl and pour hasbrowns in.
- In a small mixing bowl stir together cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, about half of the cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Melt 1 stick of butter and stir into this mixture as well.
- Pour over hashbrowns and stir well. Pour into a greased 9 x 13″ baking dish.
- Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top.
- In a small mixing bowl melt half stick of butter and crush Ritz crackers or butter crackers into the bowl. Stir well and sprinkle over the potato casserole.
- Bake at 350°F for 50 – 60 minutes until the crackers are browned and the casserole is heated through.
The cheesy potatoes usually bake just fine uncovered, but I like to cover the dish with foil for the first half of the baking time so the Ritz topping doesn’t get too dark.
How Long to Cook Cheesy Potatoes in the Crock Pot
The base hashbrown mixture can be stirred together and poured into a slow cooker liner. Tie the bag shut and store in the refrigerator overnight. Use a 6 quart or larger crock pot for best results.
Set liner in the crock pot and cook on high for 4 – 5 hours. Cook cheesy potatoes on low for 5 1/2 – 7 hours. Cooking time will vary depending on your specific cooking device.
While the potatoes begin to cook butter can be melted for the top and crushed Ritz butter crackers stirred in. This mixture can be sprinkled on top of the potatoes prior to the last 2 – 3 hours of cooking.
Notes For Using A Slow Cooker
- When making crock pot cheesy potatoes ahead of time using a liner is the key to success.
- I do not put the entire crock in the refrigerator to avoid changing temperatures from cold to hot in a short period of time.
- Note that the Ritz cracker topping won’t brown quite as well in the slow cooker as it does in the oven since the moisture is trapped inside.
This potato recipe is one of the all-time most popular dishes at a Midwest Potluck. Check this list with 50 of our favorites.
More Farmhouse Potato Recipes
- Crockpot Loaded Red Potatoes
- Potato Soup with Hash Browns
- Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
- Hamburger and Potato Casserole
Easy Cheesy Potatoes
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 30 ounces frozen hash browns
Topping
- 2 cups Ritz crackers crushed
- 1/4 cup butter melted
Instructions
Cheesy Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13' casserole dish.
- Let hash browns set out on the counter for about 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and separate any chunks of potatoes.30 ounces frozen hash browns
- In a small bowl mix soup, sour cream, 2 cups of cheese, salt, and pepper. Add 1 stick melted butter and mix thoroughly.8 ounces sour cream, 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 cup butter
- Add creamy mixture to the hash browns and mix well. Spread in a casserole dish.
Topping
- Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top of the potatoes.
- In a small bowl mix, 1/4 cup melted butter and crushed Ritz crackers. Spread over potato mixture.2 cups Ritz crackers, 1/4 cup butter
- Cover with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 25–30 minutes until the casserole is cooked through and the crackers are golden brown.
Notes
- Can cook in a crock pot on high for 4 – 5 hours or on low for 5.5 – 7 hours in a 5 or 6 quart crock pot
- Allow hash browns to soften on the counter for 30 minutes before using
Did you make this recipe?
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Rate This Recipe Pin This RecipeOriginally published September 25, 2018, notes for crock pot use added on November 22, 2021 and additional pictures added on February 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026.
The BEST cheesy potatoes!
Can I chop up small and boil fresh potatoes? Or fry/ bake them first?
Great question! I haven’t tested this, but if I did I would want to make sure the potatoes were all the same size and temperature. The cooking times on this recipe are for frozen raw potatoes, so cooking the potatoes will change the cooking time as well. Please let me know if you give it a try!
Edie, I’d parboil diced raw potatoes for five minutes, drain thoroughly, and then proceed with the recipe. The result will be the same as using the frozen product from the store. Hope this helps.
Can I substitute a can of cheddar cheese soup for the cream of mushroom soup? I really love cheddar cheese soup (it’s my favorite) and don’t like mushroom anything.
Hey There! I think that would work. I would also try cream of onion soup for a more mellow flavor. I hope you enjoy 🙂
what size pkg of hashbrowns
30 ounces – Thanks for asking, I made the recipe card more specific. Hope you enjoy! ~Jennifer
can I triple this recipe & put them in a roaster oven
Hey There! We have this cheesy potatoes recipe that’s got more liquid and does better in the roaster – consider giving it a try https://plowingthroughlife.com/cheesy-potatoes-for-a-crowd/
Great recipe we love it!
Our last names are similar. My father’s family came from Holland and settled in New York.
Hi Bonnie – Thanks for the kind comment! My husband said his family is from Borken which is very close to Holland! We hope you find more of our recipes to enjoy 🙂 ~Jennifer
My special education high school students made this recipe. I used it for my observation lesson with my supervisor. Scored some big points there!
Can this be made a day or two ahead of time?
Hey There! Yes, the potato mixture can be stirred together a couple days ahead of time. I like to wait to until ready to bake to add the layer of butter and Ritz crackers on top. Hope you enjoy!