Crispy Cornflake Cheddar Potatoes (Printable Version)

Comforting cheesy potatoes topped with a golden crunchy cornflake and cheddar crust.

# What You Need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 32 oz frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

→ Sauce

02 - 10.5 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
03 - 1 cup sour cream
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese

09 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

→ Topping

10 - 3 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
11 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
12 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine thawed hash browns, condensed cream of chicken soup, sour cream, 1/2 cup melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese. Stir until fully combined.
03 - Spread the potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
04 - In a separate bowl, toss lightly crushed cornflakes with 1/4 cup melted butter until well coated. Stir in 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese.
05 - Sprinkle the cornflake-cheddar mixture evenly over the potatoes.
06 - Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling at the edges.
07 - Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cornflake topping stays crispy even after sitting out, which is a miracle for potlucks where nothing stays the way you left it.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring any special skills, and somehow tastes like you spent hours on it.
  • You can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven, which is basically the definition of stress-free dinner.
02 -
  • If you don't thaw your hash browns, your casserole will release water as it bakes and turn soggy instead of creamy—I learned this the hard way at a holiday dinner.
  • The cornflake topping will brown faster than the potatoes cook, so if it's darkening too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the first half of baking.
03 -
  • Save a little of the cornflake topping and sprinkle it on just before serving if you're reheating, so it stays crispy instead of absorbing moisture from the warm potatoes below.
  • Use a sharp knife or a thin metal spatula to cut clean squares instead of scooping, which keeps the whole casserole looking neat and composed on the table.
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