Hash brown casseroles like these Au Gratin Ranch Potatoes are potluck classics here in the South. There are a plethora of variations and this particular version is my family’s’ favorite. It begins with hash brown potatoes that are smothered with a creamy Ranch dressing sauce and tons of cheese. To take it over the top, it’s finished with crushed Ranch flavored potato chips. They’re easy to make and even easier to eat.
Au Gratin Ranch Potatoes
Casseroles side dishes are beloved and you can count on several different varieties showing up at just about any church, family or office potluck gathering. Casseroles like my Slow Cooked Sweet Potato Casserole, Ham and Hash Brown Casserole and Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole are always the first to go and guaranteed there won’t be a spoonful leftover. The potato casserole I recall seeing most often at the church potlucks I attended as a little girl was made with hash brown potatoes. Sometimes they were shredded, sometimes cubed, but they were always smothered with lots of gooey cheese and then topped off with buttery crushed cornflakes. Delicious! They have all sorts of names the quirkiest one to me, is funeral potatoes. You can see how to make Funeral Potatoes from Six Sisters’ Stuff here.
For the Love of Spuds
I’ve never met a spud I didn’t like so, rest assured, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that yummy dish at all. My boys are fans of all things Ranch so that’s why I developed this version which ended up being an absolute potluck and family hit to this day. The prep time needed is about as minimal as it gets and the thing that sets my casserole apart from the classic dish is the topping of crushed potato chbips. It’s the epitome of go big or go home. Other spud loving recipes here in the MSSK index you may like to try are my Green Chile Queso Potatoes, Loaded Scalloped Potatoes, Twice Baked Smashed Potatoes and Cheddar and Ham Au Gratin Potatoes,
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Au Gratin Ranch Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 32 oz bag frozen hash brown potatoes {still frozen}
- 1 16 oz container sour cream
- 1 10 3/4 oz can cream of onion soup
- 1 0.4 oz dry buttermilk dressing mix
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 medium green onions chopped
- 6 Tbsp butter melted and divided
- 2 cups grated white cheddar cheese divided
- 1 1/2 cups crushed ranch flavored potato chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together hash browns, onion soup, sour cream, dressing mix, pepper and chopped green onions.
- Stir everything until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Add 4 tablespoons (about 2/3) melted butter and 1 1/2 cups of shredded white cheddar cheese. Mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese on top then spread the crushed ranch flavored potato chips evenly over it all.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Let stand 5 minutes, then serve.
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- Fully Loaded Smashed Potato Soup - April 1, 2020
Anonymous says
🙁 cdan
t Pin it and can’t find it under your Pinterest 🙁
Joc says
Hello,
I am unable to find cream of onion soup at any local stores. What can you suggest in place of it?
Melissa says
Use cream of celery instead or cream of chicken.
Melissa says
I just pinned it to my “Yummy Sides” board 🙂
Ezzie says
In Australia, what can you use instead of dry buttermilk dressing, as I have never seen it in our shops,
Melissa says
Hi Ezzie! Thanks so much for visiting from Australia. I have a recipe here on my blog for a homestyle version. I think you could improvise using the homemade version with no problem. Here’s the link: https://www.melissassouthernstylekitchen.com/2011/08/garlic-herb-buttermilk-dressing.html
Venus Blues Hideaway says
Melissa,
I pop over here almost daily–you have the best recipes. I made your Slow cooked German Chocolate for Thanksgiving and my son adored it. I think I am going to try this potato recipe for Christmas dinner. Thanks so much for sharing all of your wonderful recipes with us. I have printed many of them with plans on trying them. I pop over here so much, I thought that it was time to introduce myself.
Have a very merry Christmas.
Faye
Melissa says
Hi Faye! I’m so happy to meet you, and I sure appreciate your visits. That cake is so rich and for all chocolate lovers. It’s delightful to know you’re finding something here for your family to enjoy. Visit anytime, and say “Hello,” once in a while, too. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Melissa says
Pictured are diced.
jane walther says
shredded or diced hash browns?
Danielle says
I can only find buttermilk Ranch… Is that the buttermilk dressing you’ve listed?
Melissa says
Yes, buttermilk Ranch.
Laura Sullivan says
Can Cream of Chicken be used instead of Cream of Onion?
Melissa says
Oh sure, if you prefer it.
Kay says
I don’t see ranch flavored potato chips at the supermarket. Could you use sour cream and onion potato chips or ranch Doritoes?
Melissa says
Sour cream and onion would be a great substitute.
Cheryl says
Your first ingredient lists, “1 32 oz bag frozen hash brown potatoes, unthawed”. What exactly do you mean by “unthawed”? Do you mean “thawed” or “frozen”?
Thank you – the recipe looks delicious.
Melissa says
Yes another way of saying that is still frozen. There’s no need to thaw.
joyce says
can this be made in the morning and baked in the afternoon?
Melissa says
Yes
Bri says
Instead of using frozen hash browns would this turn out okay if I just diced some potatoes? And if so, how long do you think i would need to cook it? Thank you.
Melissa says
You can make potato casseroles with fresh potatoes, of course. This particular one is designed to use frozen. If you use fresh cut potatoes in similar size pieces to the hash browns, I would check it at 1 hour, then add additional time as needed baking until they’re fork tender. I make this recipe just as written, though. Feel free to browse the archives for other potato dishes.
Kathy says
Never seen cream of onion soup? There is cream of everything but onion.
What brand do you use of that?
Melissa says
Campbell’s
Karenina says
Walmart and Food Lion carry it.
julie says
I’ve made this with Celery root “hashbrowns” and it was delicious!!!! Thank you for the ideas!
Melissa says
Wow, nice!
Joan says
I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you use RANCH potato chips…but I guess I’ll just have to force myself to eat the remaining chips in the bag! LOL
Melissa says
Hi Joan, I’m right there with you ha! Thank you, these potatoes are SO good.
Karenina says
Hi Melissa! I have been enjoying perusing your website. Soo much to choose from, and E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N- looks absolutely scrumpdilicious!
Question – the “melted 6 Tbl of Butter” -is this melting 6 Tbl of Butter, OR melting enough butter, that afterwards it should equal 6 Tbl?
I know it should be the same, but I have encountered, several times, where the priorly melted butter doesn’t equal the same amount, as opposed to melting afterwards.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipes! GOD bless ~
Melissa says
Melt 6 Tbsp of butter. Part goes into the potatoes and the rest is drizzled on top. If it’s simpler, you can melt 4 Tbsp together and then 2 Tbsp separately for the top.