Julie Clark
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Cheesy Christmas Potatoes
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Whip up the perfect side dish this holiday season with our Cheesy Christmas Potatoes recipe. Packed with sharp cheddar, green peppers, and a hint of pimento, this casserole dish adds a festive flair to your Christmas dinner table.
As the holiday season rolls around, what’s better than a potato casserole at your Christmas dinner? Our Cheesy Christmas Potatoes, a perfect side dish for the this time of year, are not only delicious but also festive.
Combining the rich flavors of sharp cheddar cheese with fresh green peppers and the colorful twist of pimentos, this casserole dish is the perfect addition to your traditional Christmas dinner menu. It’s a great recipe simple enough for a homestyle cook yet special enough to become a family favorite for your Christmas day traditions.
About this Christmas Cheesy Potatoes recipe:
- Flavor: Cheesy goodness! This recipe features a homemade cheese sauce that takes center stage. The peppers and pimentos add just a touch of extra flavor.
- Texture: The creamy cheese sauce pairs well with the tender tomatoes. It’s a smooth dish, even with the diced peppers added in.
- Method: This recipe bakes in the oven in a casserole dish. You can use a round deep dish pie plate or any 1 ½ quart baking dishes.
They are the perfect addition to your holiday table!
Ingredients
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: The star of the dish! Buy a block of sharp cheddar and shred it at home for the smoothest sauce.
- Green Peppers: Green peppers not only contribute to the taste but also bring a festive, vibrant color.
- Pimentos: What is a Christmas dish without a pop of bright red color?
- Potatoes: For best results, use red skin potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes
- Milk: Whole milk creates the creamy base for the cheese sauce. Use a lower fat milk if you prefer, but the sauce may not be as creamy.
- All-Purpose Flour, Salt, and Black Pepper: These pantry staples help in thickening and seasoning the cheese sauce.
- Bread Crumbs and Melted Butter: These combine to form a crispy, golden topping that adds a delicious texture contrast.
What potatoes are best for casseroles?
It’s important to choose the right kind of potatoes for the recipe you are making. In this recipe, you don’t want the potatoes to mash together. Otherwise you end up with cheesy mashed potatoes (which really…not a bad thing, right?). Yukon gold, red potatoes, white potatoes and round potatoes all hold up well to boiling and baking.
Steer clear of Russet potatoes. They have a fluffy flesh and will “mash” together in your casserole.
How to Make Cheesy Christmas Potatoes
Plan ahead by cooking the potatoes, or use frozen cubed potatoes that you’ve allowed to thaw.
How long to boil potatoes?
The easiest way to cook the potatoes is to place them on the stovetop in a pan of boiling salted water. The exact amount of time it takes to cook the potatoes will depend on how big you’ve cut the cubes, but in general, they’ll take about 15 minutes.
Remember not to cook them too long because they’ll cook just a little bit more in the oven. They should be just barely soft so that you can pierce them with a fork.
Make the cheese sauce.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour, salt and pepper, then use a whisk to blend it in.
- Gradually stir in the milk.
- Cook and whisk this mixture over medium-low heat until it is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cheese to the sauce pan and mix until smooth.
Assemble the casserole.
- In a lightly greased 1 ½ quart casserole dish, add the cooked potatoes, green pepper and pimentos. Stir slightly. (Reserve a few of the peppers and pimentos for adding on top of the cheese sauce if you’d like. It gives a pop of color.)
- Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the potatoes. Gently stir to distribute the cheese sauce evenly. Sprinkle any reserved pimentos & peppers on top.
Make the topping and bake.
- In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the melted butter. Mix well.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs overtop the cheese covered potatoes.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and heated through.
Recipe Variations
Every family has its unique touch when it comes to holiday cooking, and this cheesy potato casserole is no exception.
- For those who enjoy a bit of heat, consider sprinkling in some diced jalapeños or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- And for the meat lovers, crumbled bacon or diced ham can be a delightful addition, adding a smoky depth to the overall flavor.
- For cheese lovers (like me), maybe more cheese is the answer. Try melting in 2 ounces of cream cheese to the cheese sauce. Or add a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to the top.
Serving Suggestions
A great meal is all about balance, and finding the right pairings for your Cheesy Christmas Potatoes can turn a simple dinner into a festive holiday meal.
- Try serving them alongside a roasted turkey or a glazed ham for a classic Christmas Eve dinner. Roast Beef is a delicious option, too.
- For a lighter touch, a Christmas salad, steamed broccoli or your favorite vegetables make a nice pairing.
- Don’t forget the bread – a warm, crusty loaf of traditional sourdough bread or some soft dinner rolls are perfect for mopping up any cheesy goodness left on your plate.
Make Ahead Christmas Potatoes
The holiday season can be hectic, so any dish that can be prepared in advance is a lifesaver. Luckily, these Cheesy Christmas Potatoes are just as delicious when made ahead.
Assemble the casserole a day or two before and keep it refrigerated until it’s time to bake on Christmas morning. Remove from the fridge one hour before baking, then bake as the recipe suggests.
When it comes to leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warm throughout.
Christmas Cheesy Potatoes
Diced green peppers and pimentos give these Christmas cheesy potatoes a festive look. They’re the perfect, comforting side dish to your holiday meal.
Servings 7 servings
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk (I used whole milk)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green peppers
- 4 cups peeled, cubed and cooked potatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped pimentos
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour, salt and pepper, then use a whisk to blend it in. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and whisk this mixture over medium-low heat until it is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cheese to the sauce pan and mix until smooth.
- In a lightly greased 1 ½ quart casserole dish, add the cooked potatoes, green pepper and pimentos. Stir slightly. (Reserve a few of the peppers and pimentos for adding on top of the cheese sauce if you'd like. It gives a pop of color.)
- Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the potatoes. Gently stir to distribute the cheese sauce evenly. Sprinkle any reserved pimentos & peppers on top.
- In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the melted butter. Mix well.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs overtop the cheese covered potatoes.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and heated through.
- Garnish with freshly snipped parsley.
Video
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe being divided 7 ways, with 1 serving being about ¾ cup. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 678mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 28.1mg | Calcium: 271mg | Iron: 5.1mg
Other Christmas Potato Recipes
Looking for more of our best potato recipes for the Christmas holiday? Try:
These were amazing, and I want to make again. Do you think it’s okay to put them together the night before and then bake the following day?
Thank you for this mouth-watering recipe. Cannot wait to try it myself!
I didn’t think I was gunna care for these but I loved them! In fact, I’m eating my leftovers right now and had to come on and comment because they deserve it. I doubled the recipe because I was having a group of 12 people for dinner. Yum!