Description
Creamy Ranch Potato Casserole blends comfort and flavor in a hearty side dish. Cheesy potatoes mixed with tangy ranch seasoning offer a crowd-pleasing accompaniment you’ll savor at any gathering.
Ingredients
- 1 bag (30 oz / 850 g) frozen diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 can (10.5 oz / 298 g) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 packet (1 oz / 28 g) ranch seasoning mix
- ½ cup melted butter
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- ½ cup crushed cornflakes or breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preparation: Peel and dice potatoes into uniform cubes to guarantee even cooking and consistent texture.
- Boiling: Submerge potato chunks in salted boiling water, simmering until fork-tender, typically 10-12 minutes.
- Draining: Eliminate excess water by thoroughly draining potatoes in a colander, preventing a watery casserole.
- Sauce Creation: Whisk ranch dressing, sour cream, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until smooth and fully integrated.
- Potato Coating: Fold warm potatoes into the creamy ranch mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Cheese Integration: Sprinkle half the shredded cheese throughout the potato mixture, creating melty pockets of flavor.
- Baking Preparation: Transfer the seasoned potato blend into a well-greased baking dish, spreading uniformly for consistent cooking.
- Cheese Topping: Lavishly cover the casserole with remaining cheese, creating a complete golden, crispy layer.
- Optional Enhancement: Scatter bacon bits across the surface for an additional smoky, savory dimension.
- Oven Baking: Bake at 375F (190C) until cheese melts completely and develops a tempting golden-brown crust.
- Finishing Touch: Garnish with finely chopped green onions, adding a fresh, vibrant element to the rich dish.
- Serving: Allow casserole to rest briefly, enabling flavors to settle and facilitating easier cutting and serving.
Notes
Optimize Potato Texture: Cut potatoes into uniform cubes to guarantee even cooking and prevent mushy or undercooked sections.
Drain Thoroughly: Shake potatoes in colander aggressively to remove excess water, ensuring a creamy instead of watery casserole consistency.
Cheese Melting Technique: Distribute cheese in layers for maximum flavor distribution and achieve a perfectly golden, crispy cheese topping.
Dietary Adaptation: Swap full-fat ingredients with low-fat alternatives like Greek yogurt, reduced-fat cheese, and turkey bacon for a healthier version without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg