Lightened Up Cheesy Potato Casserole

This homemade Cheesy Potato Casserole recipe is going to knock your socks off. Whether you’re looking for a holiday recipe to bring to the table or a “anytime” side dish that serves a crowd, these cheesy potatoes are a classic.

One of my family’s all time favorite side dishes to bring to the holidays: CHEESY POTATOES. My dad has perfected his version over the years… but sometimes I think he puts two sticks of butter at the bottom of the pan.

My face looks like the emoji with a squiggle mouth and red cheeks.

I always get a laugh when my dad tells me about his latest cooking adventure, or how proud he is of a recipe he had just made. I often get photos via text and it makes me smile.

And then I ask him “What’s in it?…”

More often than not he smirks and replies, “Well, about a stick of butter.”

Now, I love a good dose of butter but sometimes adding allll that butter is not quite necessary.

A “Lightened Up” Cheesy Potato Casserole Recipe

Now, I say “lightened up” because in my cheesy potato casserole experience, my version is lightened up in comparison the the traditional recipe.

I didn’t go too light on the cheese though… I mean, CHEESE is in the title so I can only do so much here.

BUT what I did do was come up with a lighter sauce mixture, instead of using canned cream of chicken soup, making this recipe suitable for vegetarians (and/or mushroom haters?).

Just trust me, you’re gonna love it.

Ingredients needed for homemade cheesy potatoes

• unsalted butter – this will be used to make the sauce, but also needed for the corn flakes topping.
• flour – (1:1 gluten-free all purpose may be used)
• onion powder, garlic powder & salt – for a little flavor
• unsweetened cashew milk or oat milk– you can also use the milk of your choice here. I like to balance out all the cheese with some non-dairy milk.
• Greek yogurt & sour cream – I am using both here because the yogurt can be a little tart. You can also use all sour cream. If using all greek yogurt, use whole milk if possible.
• packaged diced potatoes – I liked the bigger potatoes versus shredded hash brown style.
• shredded cheese – feel free to use cheddar, sharp cheddar, white cheddar or colby jack here.
• cubed cheese – This is where I told you I wasn’t really cutting back on the cheese because my family would probably disown me. My dad uses a mix of shredded and cubed, so that’s what I did here. Plus, who doesn’t want an extra glob of cheese the next time your fork finds the plate.
• corn flakes cereal for the crunchy topping – Make sure to get gluten-free corn flakes if needed! You can also use potato chips or crushed pretzels if needed. Corn flakes are my favorite though.

Because we’re making a homemade sauce (roux) instead of using a canned soup, this recipe requires a little more hands-on time (but not difficult at all).

How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole

Step 1 – Make the homemade sauce (roux)

In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add 4 tablespoons butter with flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper; whisk continuously until mixture starts to bubble – this will be about 2 minutes. Then slowly add in cashew milk and stir continuously for about 4-5 minutes. Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat.

Step 2 – Add ingredients to casserole dish

In bottom of greased 9×13 baking dish, add thawed diced potatoes. Then pour over the homemade sauce, add Greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheese and cubed cheese. Give the mixture a good stir using a large spoon or sturdy spatula.

You can also mix everything in a large bowl, then transfer to baking dish. I was just trying to save on dishes.

Step 3 – Bake for 45 minutes

You’ll first bake the cheesy potatoes uncovered for 45 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of baking, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and combine with corn flakes cereal.

Step 4 – Add crushed corn flakes

When the timer goes off, remove casserole from oven and sprinkle on the corn flakes. This is also where I’ll add another light sprinkle of more shredded cheese .

Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes until top has bubbled and edges start to brown. Option to switch oven to “broil” for last 3-4 minutes to brown top even more.

And now it’s time to dig in!

Preparing this recipe ahead of time

To make ahead, simply prepare the cheesy potatoes as written in the recipe (through step 3 in the recipe card below), then cover and place in the fridge overnight.

Then allow the casserole dish to come to room temperature before baking as written.

Making this recipe?

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn about the recipe too. Xx Ashley

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How to Make…

Lightened Up Cheesy Potato Casserole

A lightened up version of a killer Midwest classic: Cheesy Potato Casserole! This recipe is perfect for large gatherings and holiday parties. A gluten free friendly recipe and vegetarian. 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

• Yield: 12 servings 1x
• Scale: 1x2x3x

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Ingredients

• 6 TBSP butter, divided 
• 3 TBSP flour (1:1 gluten-free all purpose may be used)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 3/4 cups milk of choice (I like unsweetened plain cashew milk)
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup sour cream 
• 1 lb (32oz) packaged diced potatoes, thawed
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cubed sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups corn flakes cereal

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and lightly grease 9×13 baking casserole dish with butter; set aside.
2. In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add 4 tablespoons butter with flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper; whisk continuously until mixture starts to bubble – about 2 minutes. Slowly add in cashew milk and stir continuously for 4-5 minutes, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
3. In bottom of greased baking dish, add thawed diced potatoes. Add sauce mixture, Greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheese and cubed cheese. Stir until well combined – this can also be stired together in a bowl and transferred to pan.
4. Bake for 45 minutes uncovered. During the last 5 minutes of baking, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and combine with corn flakes cereal. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle on the corn flakes, and more shredded cheese (if desired). Bake for another 15 minutes until top has bubbled. Option to switch oven to “broil” for last 3-4 minutes to brown top even more.
5. Allow mixture to stand for about 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Recipes Notes:

If you want extra cheesy potatoes, add another 1 cup of shredded cheese to the mix. My family loves cheesy potatoes so if I try to go too light on them, they’d shun me.

Nutrition Information:

• Serving Size: 1/12th
• Calories: 226
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 268mg
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 17g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 8g
• Cholesterol: 34mg

Category: Side Dish Method: Oven Cuisine: Midwest American
Keywords: cheesy potatoes recipe, funeral potatoes, cheesy potatoes with corn flakes
Author: Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen