Recipe- Cheesy Potato Casserole With Cream

This Cheesy Potato Casserole is an update on a very classic casserole. The old school version is a creamy dish of pure comfort food. I kept the flavors but ditched the canned soup for a homemade sauce! The result is a baking dish full of deliciousness that can be the main focus of a dinner plate served with a side salad or grilled protein.

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, plus more for the casserole dish
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
30 ounces frozen hash browns
3 serranos, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt

Method

* Preheat the oven and prepare the casserole dish: Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly butter or grease a 9x13 baking dish.

* Make the cheese sauce: In a medium pot, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until onions turn translucent but not browned. Then add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

* Stir in flour and continue to cook for a minute or two until the flour turns a tan color. Slowly whisk in stock and bring sauce to a slight simmer.

* The sauce will thicken as it heats. Once the sauce is thick like gravy, stir in the cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

* Combine the potatoes and the sauce: In a large bowl add the frozen hash browns and pour the sauce over the hash browns. Stir together well to combine and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top.

* Bake the casserole: Place the casserole in the center rack of your oven and bake for 45 minutes at 400˚F.

* Then turn on the broiler and broil for 5 minutes on high to crisp up the top of the casserole. If your casserole dish is not broiler-safe, then turn the oven up to 500˚F and bake for 3 more minutes.

* Serve: Let the casserole cool slightly but serve while warm.