Easy Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole (Without Soup)

• Simple ingredients - only 4 ingredients are needed to make this recipe. Nothing fancy. I bet you'll have most of them in your kitchen at any given time.
• One pan recipe - these potatoes are made and served right in the baking dish. No extra bowls to wash!
• Rich & creamy flavor - don't let the simplicity fool you, the flavor of these potatoes is out of this world. This is comfort food at it's finest.

Unlike other recipes for cheesy potatoes, this one requires only a few basic ingredients. No sour cream or canned creamed soup needed!

• Frozen hash browns - don't try to get fancy here. Frozen store-bought hashbrowns work best for this recipe.
• Heavy whipping cream - to create the most perfect creamy sauce for the cheesy hashbrowns. This is not a low-fat recipe. Everything in moderation, right?
• Sharp cheddar cheese - the star of the show to make these hashbrowns nice and cheesy.
• Salt - to enhance flavors

1. Prep the pan - grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Layer the potatoes - spread ½ of the hashbrowns in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese & a half of the salt. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes, cheese and salt.
3. Add the cream - pour heavy whipping cream over the whole pan. Do not stir! Sprinkle with paprika if desired for some extra color.
4. Bake - bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until bubbly and the cheese starts to brown.

I love serving these potatoes with thick-sliced ham, making them a perfect addition to an Easter meal. Steam a vegetable or serve with a garden salad to add some color to your plate (and for some balance).

Serving them with other proteins like steak or chicken breast would also be great options. I remember having a steak at a fancy steakhouse once and it was served with potatoes like this. So. Good.

They are also a great way to kick up your next brunch as a variation to traditional hash browns. Serve with some bacon, eggs cooked your way & some fresh fruit and all will be right in the world.

This dish is also a popular potluck recipe as it's easy to scale up to feed a large crowd and it goes a long way. You will be the star of the show when you show up with a big pan of these!

The heavy cream gives the casserole it's delicious richness, but if you would prefer not to use heavy cream, half & half could be substituted. I would not recommend using milk as it could result in a watery casserole. I have not tested this recipe with any dairy substitutes.

You can also make these cheesy potatoes without thawing the hashbrowns first. Assemble the casserole the same way, just using potatoes are that still frozen. Cover and refrigerate 8-12 hours, then bake. Note that the baking time may increase.

One of my favorite things about this casserole is that it doesn't use canned condensed soup. Since it's made completely with heavy cream, I wouldn't recommend freezing this recipe. The texture could be negatively affected after freezing and thawing.

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