This recipe for Easy Cheesy Potatoes is the perfect side dish for all of your holiday parties and family get-togethers! Think of them as the perfect mashed potato alternative for Thanksgiving, Christmas or a weeknight side dish!
Easy Cheesy Potatoes Recipe
Thanksgiving has always been my second favorite holiday, right behind Christmas. It's probably the fact that there's a lot of food and fellowship around the table.
This recipe for shredded cheesy potatoes is an old family recipe that my grandmother has made for us every year for Christmas.
The potatoes are cooked to perfection then shredded by hand and mixed with sour cream, cream of chicken soup and lots of shredded cheese for a side dish that is full of yumminess!
This recipe is a great alternative to mashed potatoes, which can be really time-consuming and are easy to mess up!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Shredded cheesy potatoes are easy for a novice to put together.
- They are ready in under an hour.
- You only need four ingredients to make them.
- They are an instant hit with adults and kids alike!
Cheesy potatoes are the perfect recipe to make for Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving), Easter or really any holiday gathering, but they work well as a weeknight dinner side dish too. They are wonderful comfort food!
Ingredients
Here is what you will need to make cheesy potatoes:
- Yukon Gold potatoes - You can use other kinds of potatoes but Yukon Golds have a waxy texture that makes them perfect for shredding and holding together.
- sour cream - Full fat or light sour cream will work fine.
- cream of chicken soup - Find this in the canned soup aisle. Get cream of mushroom if you need a vegetarian option.
- cheddar cheese - The best shredded cheese is grated from a block, if you have the time. Otherwise pre-shredded works fine!
- salt and pepper - Sea salt or kosher salt is best for cooking. Fresh black pepper is so good, but whatever works for you!
Are Shredded Cheesy Potatoes Difficult to Make?
I hesitate to even say there's a tricky aspect to this recipe, because it really is super easy, though it may be time-consuming.
These cheesy potatoes are a bit of a labor of love and trust me, over the years my mom and I have tried to cut corners to make these in a quicker way, but they are never the same.
The steps are EASY and you don't need to be a 5-star chef make this recipe, but cheesy potatoes are just one of those recipes that takes a little bit longer to be perfect. It's kind of like microwaving a baked potato. You can do it, but it's just not as good as one baked in the oven.
The trickiest part of this recipe is getting the potatoes to be cooked just right. You don't want them to be totally cooked, but they need to be cooked enough that they don't require extra cooking in the oven.
How to Make Cheesy Potatoes
The best way to cook these potatoes is to clean them first, put them in a pot of boiling water, and cook them until a fork goes into the potato with a little force.
Be careful though! Do not overcook the potatoes. Err on the side of a little bit undercooked.
While they cook, grate your cheese. Grated cheese melts so much better than store-bought shredded cheese. This is because the store-bought stuff has anti-clumping agents added that don't let the cheese melt as well.
Then you will shred the potatoes. You can use the same grater you used for the cheese.
In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, soup, and cheese. Add that mixture to the shredded potatoes and carefully toss to coat.
Pour the potatoes into a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with more shredded cheese if you like.
Then bake for 30-45 minutes or until the top is browned slightly. Serve warm!
Tips for Preventing Overcooked Potatoes
Overcooking potatoes is easy to do if you don't know what you're doing.
Hopefully you have a meat thermometer on hand! They are the best. Take the potato's temperature.
You're aiming for a temp in the sweet spot between 205°F and 212°F. Below that, the texture may still be too dense, and above that, it may become a gummy mess.
How to Shred Potatoes
After the potatoes are cooked, they have to be shredded, by hand, using a cheese grater.
We've tried a food processor before and they just aren't as good that way. Labor of love, I tell you!
Use the side of your cheese grater with the biggest holes to shred the potatoes.
So, in conclusion, you gotta try these cheesy shredded potatoes! Even if you just make them on a Wednesday, just because. They're one of my all-time favorite family meals!
Variations
Cheesier cheesy potatoes: Add more grated cheese on top before baking the potatoes for ultra-cheesy potatoes.
Vegetarian cheesy potatoes: Use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken soup.
Garlic cheesy potatoes: Stir in 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the cream mixture before adding it to the potatoes.
Spicy cheesy potatoes: Use shredded pepper jack cheese. This would be great for Mexican Christmas dinner.
More potato recipes
- Bacon Potato Salad Without Mayo
- Quick Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Roasted Bacon Breakfast Potatoes
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
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Easy Cheesy Potatoes
Shredded Cheesy Potatoes are the perfect side dish for all of your holiday parties and family get-togethers! These shredded cheesy potatoes are the perfect mashed potato alternative for Thanksgiving, Christmas or just because.
Ingredients
- 6 potatoes
- 1 (16 ounce) container of sour cream
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
- Bring water to a boil in a large stock pot.
- Cook whole potatoes in water (with skins on).
- Cook potatoes until slightly tender and a fork goes through with a slight force. Be careful not to overcook. (See post for tips.)
- Let potatoes cool to the touch, then shred by hand using a shredder
- Combine sour cream, soup, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add mixture to potatoes. Carefully toss to coat the potatoes in the cream mixture.
- Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the top is browned slightly.
Notes
Be careful not to overcook whole potatoes. Use a meat thermometer to check they are in the sweet spot between 205°F and 212°F.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 272Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 503mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 11g
SFM says
I love the idea of "friendsgiving"! Thanksgiving, after all, is about being thankful and I'm so very thankful for my friends! And, yes, CHEESE ON EVERYTHING! 🙂
Madison says
I wish we could have a small group-giving!
Rachelle Peterson says
Sooo excited for this Thanksgiving spent with you and your amazing recipes!!!
Madison says
<3 I can't wait!!!!
Nina B says
Every meal does need cheese LOL yummy
Madison says
Preach girl!
Jenna Owens (@aSavoryFeast) says
Cheese is a must have! It is sooooo good in potatoes! This recipe sounds like a great addition to Thanksgiving dinner.
Madison says
So so good! It's a fun addition, but I have to have mashed potatoes, too!
Hayley says
These look super good! They would make the perfect side at any meal!
Madison says
Exactly! They don't have to be reserved for Thanksgiving/Christmas! Just like hashbrown casserole!
Lisa Pray says
Yummy!!! This is SO my jam! More cheese the better!
Madison says
Exactly girl!
Ricci says
This looks super yummy...do you have the recipe?? I would love to make it!! My friends and I have friends giving every year and I LOVE being able to share the holiday with them too!!
Madison says
Ha, yes it's been added! Somehow it was left off. 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
meg - me with the three says
cheese and potatoes. what more could you ask for?
Madison says
Precisely! 🙂
Susannah says
This sounds SO GOOD! Anything with cheese makes my heart happy. 😉
Madison says
Me too girl 🙂
Lindsay Ropella says
Umm, delicious!!!! And perfect for the holidays! Cheese for the win!!
Madison says
Cheese always wins! 🙂
Teresa says
Cheese. Cheese is the best ingredient! haha We do cheesy potatoes for Thanksgiving too, and love them! Ours is a hashbrown potato recipe that Chris's family always does, so if we're in VA I always make them for Chris to feel at home during the holidays.
Madison says
That's funny! I didn't know it was so popular! Awe, that's so sweet of you to make the dish for him to feel at home! 🙂
Amy | Club Narwhal says
Oh yum, this cheesy goodness is making me so happy!
Madison says
Anything with cheese has my stamp of approval!
oldworldnew says
Cheesy anything is good lol, this looks yummy!
Madison says
Exactly!!
Anna @ The Beauty Section says
Looks great! Cheese and potatoes are just the perfect match, especially when they are hot and the cheese is all melty and gooey!! 🙂
Madison says
Amen sister! Give me all the cheese 🙂
Stacia says
This sounds wonderful and indulgent. I may have to give it a try to mix things up around my house. 🙂
Madison says
Honestly, I think I'd still have to make mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, they're just too good! I'll take both!
Sarah Potts says
These look so so yummy! We make a similar cheesy potato dish for almost all family holidays!
Madison says
That's too funny! I always assume we have one of a kind recipes but usually not 😉
Elizabeth T says
Oh yum! I'm definitely making this for our Thanksgiving!!
Madison says
Yay! I hope y'all love it!
Erica Thompson says
That looks so yummy! Cheese and potatoes are my fav combo!
Madison says
Me too girl! So tasty 🙂
Tiffany Khyla says
These are such lovely pictures! I agree - Kraft is always delicious. They never disappoint. I may have to try this recipe for my Friendsgiving!
Madison says
I hope you enjoy it Tiffany!
Stephanie says
This recipe looks delicious! Can't go wrong with Kraft cheese and Ranch dressing. Thanks for sharing! #client
Madison says
Can't go wrong with cheese on anything 😉
A Woman The World Deserves says
This is such a new spin to me with hash brown casserole. I would have never thought to use southwest ranch. Looks super yummy
Madison says
It's very similar! I wouldn't have thought of it either but I decided to try adding it in! It was amazing!
Chelsea Jacobs says
These sound so good!
Madison says
Thanks girl!
Beth Jenkins says
Yum! Those look delicious!
Madison says
Thanks Beth!
Lauren Dalton says
This looks so YUM. Anything cheesy and potatoes you can count me in!
Madison says
For real, I basically have just started calling it the mac and cheese of potato dishes because that's what I feel like I'm eating!
Julie Hood says
Potatoes and cheese? Sold!! 🙂
Madison Wetherill says
Agreed girl! The best combo!
Shannon says
I'm still going to give it five stars since it looks delicious, but I undercooked the potatoes and the oven, no matter how long I cooked them for, didn't help any. Tasted like it would be delicious if I would have left the potatoes cook longer. I'll try again next year. <3