Every good Midwesterner has a recipe for cheesy potato casserole when a comforting side dish is needed; these easy Cheesy Ranch Potatoes with Frozen Hash Browns include Ranch seasoning for a delicious twist on this wintertime staple.
If you’re on a diet or trying to eat healthier, this recipe isn’t for you - I’m sorry! (not sorry!) This recipe is everything you want in comfort food - carbs + loads of dairy.
This hash brown potato recipe is PERFECT for all your major winter holidays. It's very much winter and the craving to tuck into something comforting is strong.
If you're on the hunt for more hearty side dishes to make try this Jalapeno Creamed Corn or my Tex Mex Pasta Salad next.
Jump to:
What are Cheesy Potatoes?
These potatoes are one of those formulaic dishes that goes something like this: frozen hash browns + cream of something soup + cheese = one comforting AF casserole. It's a Midwestern staple and goes by many fun names including:
- Funeral Potatoes
- Mister Dell's Potato Casserole
- Hash Brown Casserole
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
There are hundreds of variations (see Variations below for even more ways to change it up). I like to add Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning and jalapenos (optional) to the mix to create Cheesy Ranch Potatoes with Frozen Hash Browns. Read on to learn how to make it.
Why You Will Love This Cheesy Potato Casserole
- All Occasion Potato Casserole. Enjoy this for weeknight dinners or for special occasions. It's also a potluck and holiday-friendly dish because everyone loves it and it goes with just about any main dish.
- Great Flavor. The combination of the creamy sauce, loads of cheese, and tender potatoes is always a hit! Plus the Ranch seasoning adds even more flavor!
- Easy to Make. Using many staple ingredients makes this dish easy to assemble and all the heavy lifting is done in the oven.
- Make Ahead. If you're looking for a potato side dish you can make ahead for parties and events, this one works great. For best results, make one day in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake.
Ingredients
To make some of the BEST cheesy potatoes with frozen hash browns ever, you will need the following ingredients. Keep in mind that this dish serves 12; it's a great side to pull out for the holidays, or you can meal prep and freeze portions for later.
- Frozen hash browns - Using frozen, pre-shredded potatoes shortcuts the time to prepare this cozy dish.
- Cream of chicken soup - A Midwestern hot dish (casserole) must to tie all of the ingredients together! You can also use cream of mushroom soup as well.
- Sour cream - Either full-fat or low fat work here, but you already know I'm a full-fat kind of gal. I like subtle, yet creamy tang sour cream brings.
- Shredded cheese - I like to use a mix of cheddar cheese and pepper jack, but feel free to experiment with any good melting cheese.
- Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning - My favorite pre-packaged Ranch comes from Hidden Valley, but feel free to use similar amounts of another brand. Or make your own!
- Croutons - I typically use crushed-up croutons on top of my cheesy potato casserole; cheese and garlic croutons make such a great addition and add a delightful crunch.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below - keep scrolling!
Substitutions
This casserole is an adaptable dish, one you can certainly make a few substitutions to, as necessary. Here are some suggestions:
- Cream of onion or cream of whatever makes sense soup works just as well as cream of chicken. Or if you've got the time, make it homemade.
- Experiment with cheeses you like (Colby jack, gouda, mozzarella, etc.), as long as it's a good melting cheese.
- A great substitute here for sour cream is plain Greek yogurt.
- For the topping you can use cornflakes or crackers like Saltines or Ritz (around 1 - ½ cup(s), crushed); I prefer croutons because they provide the ultimate crunch and have the added benefit of being seasoned. But you can also use potato chips, potato sticks, or onion strings (why should green bean casserole get to hog the onion strings?).
Variations
The beauty of cheesy hash brown casserole is that you can easily put your own spin on it. Here are some suggestions to get those wheels turning.
- Spicy-er - I like to add a jalapeno or two to add a little heat, but if you want to add some zest try including cayenne pepper, red chili pepper flakes, or hotter peppers like Thai chiles.
- Deluxe add-ins - I highly recommend adding bacon. But you can also add ingredients like onions, garlic, bell pepper, ground beef, sausage, or chorizo, and other seasonings like Taco or Cajun, and fun toppings like crispy onions or crushed-up Cheez-Its.
- Shredded taters - I've also seen cheesy potatoes made with diced hash browns instead of shredded. Ore Ida also makes diced potatoes O'Brien with onions and peppers that would make a fantastic shortcut.
How to Make Ranch Cheesy Potatoes
Layering is the key to success for these super awesome ranch-flavored cheese potatoes. Gather all your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to get started.
- Combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packet, diced onion, and diced jalapeno in a mixing bowl.
- Use a spoon to mix everything together.
- Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat and then pour it into a 9x13 pan.
- Add a layer of frozen hash browns (about half a package) on top of the butter.
- Pour half of the wet mixture over the frozen hash browns and use a spatula to evenly layer.
- Sprinkle two cups of shredded cheese evenly over the top of this layer.
- Add the remaining half of frozen hash browns and evenly spread the rest of the wet mixture on top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese over the top of the casserole. Finish it off with the package of crushed croutons on top of the cheese.
- Bake the casserole for 45 minutes uncovered. Remove it from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
Don't be afraid to go for it and put your own spin on this cheesy hashbrown casserole recipe - though if you follow the steps here I swear you won't be disappointed.
Add a protein like ground beef or chorizo and this can serve as a main dish - just make sure you strain off the excess fat. I like to use a fine mesh strainer, and then spread the meat across paper towels to remove as much excess as possible. Failure to do so can result in a greasy casserole.
This dish really goes with a variety of main dishes. In my house, we love to serve it with my Instant Pot Pork Butt or Arm Roast. It also travels well so it's one of my go-to's for potlucks or family gatherings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover cheesy ranch potatoes in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. When cooking for two (as I do) I freeze half of the potatoes in individual portions to enjoy later.
These Cheesy Ranch Potatoes can be prepared a day in advance, but you'll want to wait to add the crushed crouton topping until right before you're ready to bake it. Prepare the casserole as instructed, then store covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to make it. There's no need to remove it from the fridge before baking; I usually take it out, then preheat my oven and toss it in when it comes to temperature.
More Easy Potato Recipes
If you like these Cheesy Ranch Potatoes, you should try these fantastic potato dishes:
If you tried this Cheesy Ranch Potatoes Recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Cheesy Ranch Potatoes
Equipment
- Spatula
- 9 x 13 baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 30 ounce package frozen hash browns
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 1 pint sour cream
- ½ cup 2% milk
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 cups pepper jack cheese, grated
- 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning
- 1 5 ounce package croutons, garlic and butter flavored
- 1-2 jalapenos, finely diced (optional)
Instructions
- Layering is the key to success for these super awesome ranch cheesy potatoes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packet, diced onion, and diced jalapeno (optional). Mix to combine.1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup, 1 pint sour cream, ½ cup 2% milk, ½ cup yellow onion, diced, 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning, 1-2 jalapenos, finely diced
- Melt ½ cup butter in a small pan over low heat and pour it into a 9x13 pan.½ cup butter
- Add half a package of frozen hash browns to the pan, spreading evenly.1 30 ounce package frozen hash browns
- Pour half of the wet mixture over the frozen hash browns and use a spatula to evenly layer.
- Next, sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheese evenly over the top of this layer.2 cups cheddar cheese, grated, 2 cups pepper jack cheese, grated
- Add remaining half of frozen hash browns.
- Add remaining half of the wet mixture, using a spatula to spread evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese over the top of that layer.
- Crush up the package of croutons and sprinkle them evenly over the top of the cheese.1 5 ounce package croutons, garlic and butter flavored
- Bake for 45 minutes, uncovered.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Leave a Reply