With this Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes recipe, you can make an incredibly delicious freezer meal or side dish in advance and then serve it at dinner for the entire family to enjoy. It goes great with all kinds of meats and vegetables, but you can also have it without anything else on the side. It’s a wonderful big family freezer meal!
Who needs to have traditional potatoes when you can have loaded cheesy ones instead? If you want to spice up your typical potato dish, these Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes are just what you need.
Once you start to prepare them, they will become a highly-requested dish at dinner time. Try adding this dish to our Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, our Low Carb Thanksgiving Stuffing, or our Instant Pot Ham.
Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes
Not only are the cheesy potatoes filling and entirely satisfying, but the recipe makes for more than enough for everyone in the household to get their fair share of these flavorful potatoes.
Whether you serve them as a side or as the main course at dinnertime, you can expect your family to enjoy these Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes.
So, what makes these Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes such a hit? The dish contains potatoes, but there is much more to it than that. It has the perfect blend of cheese, an added crunch, and creamy consistency that makes it great to eat for lunch, dinner, or even on the side with a piece of baked chicken.
I think the best part of this dish is the fact that you can make it ahead of time and enjoy it anytime your large family wants!
Must-Have Ingredients to Prepare the Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes
Get the right ingredients, and you will be able to prepare the Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes in no time. These are the essential ingredients to use:
- Shredded Frozen Hash Browns. Use hash browns to create this recipe with ease. You can find them in the freezers section of grocery stores.
- Diced Onions. Chop some onions up and add them to this Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes dish.
- Cream of Chicken Soup. The cream of chicken soup creates a thicker texture for this dish and provides some natural chicken flavoring.
- Crushed Ritz Crackers. Use Ritz crackers to add a salty crunch to your meal.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Add plenty of cheddar cheese to the dish to give it that cheesy taste that everyone will enjoy.
Additional ingredients needed to create the Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes include melted butter, olive oil, sour cream, salt, and pepper.
Different Variations of the Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes
While you can follow this recipe to a T, there are a few different ways to prepare the Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes. For example, the recipe calls for cheddar cheese, but you can always use a blend of some of your favorite cheeses, including sharp cheddar, provolone, mozzarella, and parmesan.
You can add bacon bits, diced scallions, chopped broccoli, and even a bit of cauliflower to the dish in addition to different types of cheeses.
If you do not like cream of chicken soup, replace it with an alternative, such as cream of mushroom or broccoli soup. Test out different variations to see which one you and your family like most.
How to Make the Cheesy Potatoes Ahead and Freeze them or Store them
To make the Cheesy Potatoes ahead, prepare the casseroles as directed but do not add the cracker topping. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate it for up to three days or freeze it for up to six months.
For best results, thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight prior to baking. Remove the cover and top with cracker mixture and bake as directed.
Keep your Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes in a casserole dish, cover it tightly with foil or a lid, and keep it fresh in the refrigerator. You can transfer the potatoes over to a plastic food container if you want to save some space in the fridge.
Need more ideas to feed your Large Family over the Holidays?
If you enjoyed my Make Ahead Cheesy Potatoes recipe, you will love my other holiday meals ideas! I am very excited to share this newest big-batch cookbook with you because I truly believe it will be helpful as you plan your family holiday get-together meals (or, really, any large family gathering where you need to feed a crowd)!
In my Make-Ahead Holiday Meals to Feed a Crowd, you will find some of those wonderful and traditional holiday favorites like green bean casserole, stuffing, and gravy. But you also will get some “out-of-the-box” recipes that might just possibly become your family’s NEW holiday favorites!
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Here are more Large Family Make-Ahead Meal ideas!
- Freezer Friendly Make-Ahead Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
- Make-Ahead Freezable Gravy
- Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole
- Make-Ahead Cranberry Sauce
- Make-Ahead Freezer Meals for Kids
Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes Freezer Meals
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With this Big Family Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes recipe, you can make an incredibly delicious meal or side dish in advance and then serve it at dinner for the entire family to enjoy. It goes great with all kinds of meats and vegetables, but you can also have it without anything else on the side. It also makes a perfect big family freezer meal!!
Ingredients
- 2 (32 ounce) bags frozen shredded hash browns
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 (10.75 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
- 4 cups sour cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 4 cups crushed Ritz crackers
- 1 cup butter, melted
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9 x 13 casserole dishes with nonstick cooking spray
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In a skillet or medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the onion. Cook until the onion has softened.
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In a 30 quart mixing bowl, blend together the soup, sour cream, onion, salt, and pepper.
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Add the hashbrown potatoes and half of the cheese.
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Evenly divide and spread the mixture into the prepared casserole dishes. Top the casseroles with the remaining cheese.
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Stir together the melted butter and crackers. Spread over the top of the cheese.
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Bake the casseroles for 45 to 50 minutes or until the edges are bubbling.
To make ahead and make into freezer meals:
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Prepare the casseroles as directed but do not add the cracker topping.
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Wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
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For best results, thaw the casseroles in the refrigerator overnight prior to baking.
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Remove cover and top with cracker mixture. Bake as directed.
Keywords: Make-Ahead Cheesy Potatoes
This make-ahead freezer meal is a wonderful addition to you holiday meal. The best part is that you can make it ahead and have more time with your family. This meal is sure to be a hit with everyone.
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