Equipment
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 1500 g russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5cm cubes
- 15 g salt
Creamy Sauce
- 225 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 240 g sour cream
- 115 g unsalted butter, melted
- 6 g garlic powder
- 4 g onion powder
- 6 g salt
- 2 g black pepper
Cheese and Topping
- 250 g sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated, divided
- 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 361 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 884 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 51 mg
- Potassium
- 605 mg
- Calcium
- 210 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 40 mg
- Phosphorus
- 211 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 209 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 21 mcg
- Water
- 124 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Place diced potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add the boiling salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until tender but not falling apart. Drain well in a colander.
While potatoes boil, use a whisk and a mixing bowl to combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth.
Gently fold the drained potatoes and 150g of the grated cheddar cheese into the cream cheese mixture until evenly coated.
Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 100g of cheddar cheese.
Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes at 175 C (350 F) until the edges are bubbly and the cheese on top is melted and golden brown.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh chives if desired.
Chef's Notes
- Always grate your own cheddar from a block. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting smoothly.
- For an extra layer of texture, you can top the casserole with 50g of crushed butter cracker crumbs or panko breadcrumbs during the last 15 minutes of baking.
- Ensuring the cream cheese is fully at room temperature is crucial. Cold cream cheese will result in an unpleasantly lumpy sauce.
- Dicing the potatoes to a uniform size ensures they cook evenly. A 1.5cm dice provides the ideal ratio of tender potato to creamy sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze unbaked or baked; texture may change slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175 C/350 F oven until warmed through, or microwave individual portions.
Troubleshooting
Casserole is too watery
Cause: Potatoes were not drained properly or steam was trapped in the mixture
Fix: Bake uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes to evaporate excess moisture
Prevention: Let boiled potatoes sit in the colander for 5 minutes to allow excess steam to evaporate before folding them into the sauce
Potatoes are hard after baking
Cause: Potatoes were undercooked during the boiling phase
Fix: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes until tender
Prevention: Test potatoes with a fork during boiling; they must be completely tender before draining
Cultural Context
Potato casseroles, often referred to as party potatoes or funeral potatoes in the American Midwest, are a staple of communal gatherings. Evolving from mid-twentieth-century convenience cooking, they have become a beloved holiday tradition prized for their comforting, rich textures and ability to feed large crowds.
