The Test Kitchen

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Name: Cheesy Potato Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter, plus more for the casserole dish; 1 yellow onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock; 2 cups grated cheddar cheese; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 30 ounces frozen hash browns; 3 serrano peppers, sliced; 2 tablespoons olive oil; Coarse salt

8 servings

servings

15 minutes

active time

1 hour 5 minutes

total time

Start Cooking

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, plus more for the casserole dish

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

30 ounces frozen hash browns

3 serrano peppers, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter or grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Make the cheese sauce: In a medium pot, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until onions turn translucent but not browned. Then add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in flour and continue to cook for a minute or two until the flour turns a tan color. Slowly whisk in stock and bring sauce to a slight simmer. The sauce will thicken as it heats. Once the sauce is thick like gravy, stir in the cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Combine the potatoes and the sauce: In a large bowl add the frozen hash browns and pour the sauce over the hash browns. Stir together well to combine and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top.

Bake the casserole: Place the casserole in the center rack of your oven and bake for 45 minutes at 400°F. Then turn on the broiler and broil for 5 minutes on high to crisp up the top of the casserole. If your casserole dish is not broiler-safe, then turn the oven up to 500°F and bake for 3 more minutes.

Serve: Let the casserole cool slightly but serve while warm. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. Did you love this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!

Make the crispy serrano rings (optional DAD ADD): Slice serrano peppers into thin coins. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Once it is hot, add serrano coins and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to brown. Remove the coins from the skillet and let drain on a paper towel. Season with a pinch of salt.

Nutrition

Serving Size

Serves 8

Calories

424 kcal

Total Fat

28 g

Saturated Fat

10 g

Unsaturated Fat

0 g

Trans Fat

Cholesterol

43 mg

Sodium

629 mg

Total Carbohydrate

37 g

Dietary Fiber

4 g

Total Sugars

1 g

Protein