Cheesy Potato Casserole
This cheesy potato casserole is the most delicious comfort food! It's made totally from scratch, with a creamy homemade sauce and so much cheesy goodness!
Okay, full disclosure: I grew up in Utah, where this dish is usually called funeral potatoes, and is served not just as funerals, but at pretty much every family function, church potluck, or neighborhood get-together in the state. I've decided to call my own recipe cheesy potato casserole because 1) I hate the name "funeral potatoes", and 2) I feel like cheesy potato casserole is a much more descriptive and appetizing name! I've eaten dozens of different varieties of this dish throughout my life, topped with everything from frosted flakes (what?!?) to crushed goldfish crackers, and I think my version is the very best of the best!
As a rule, I'm not a fan of canned cream soups, so I like to make the sauce for these potatoes from scratch. (If you love them, no hate from me! I just prefer the taste and texture of homemade sauce.) It's really not very much harder than opening the can, and the end result is completely delicious! I used frozen hash browns to save on time a little bit, but I've also made this recipe with grated baked potatoes and it has turned out well. As far as the topping goes, corn flakes are traditional, but I much prefer crushed Ritz crackers. The combination of creamy smooth sauce, tender potatoes, gooey cheese, and crisp buttery crackers is totally irresistible!
You can easily assemble the casserole day or two in advance, and pop it in the oven an hour before you're ready to eat. Just store the cracker topping separately in the fridge so it doesn't get soggy on top of the casserole. This cheesy potato casserole is the perfect addition to a holiday meal, or just an every day side dish when you're in the mood for comfort food!
Cheesy Potato Casserole
for the casserole:
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 bag (26 ounces) frozen shredded hash browns
for the topping:
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until softened. Stir in the flour to form a paste, and cook 2-3 minutes, until golden. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, followed by the milk, a little at a time. Add the salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and sour cream until smooth. Mix the hash browns into the sauce, then pour the mixture into the prepared pan. To make the topping, mix together the crackers and butter, then sprinkle the crackers over the top of the potatoes. Cook 40-45 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges.
adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
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