Cheesy Sausage and Potatoes Casserole

Sausage and potatoes casserole that’s so creamy and cheesy it will have them coming back for seconds! Oh so easy and oh so delicious!

This is a perfect casserole for a cold winter’s night. Not that we’ve had much cold or even snow here in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley!

I’m always amazed at how the combination of very simple ingredients turns out to have a spectacular taste. This cheesy sausage casserole if a fine example.

It starts with frozen shredded hash brown potatoes and mild bulk breakfast sausage. Add a creamy cheese sauce and as they say, “Bob’s your uncle.”

To me, this is like mac & cheese made with potatoes. One thing I do here is I defrost the potatoes so they cook evenly. I’ve had some experiences–and not good ones–with using them frozen. Since I got smart and defrosted them, I’ve had no issues at all.

It’s important here to drain the sausage well after it’s cooked. There have been times I’ve put it in a colander and actually rinsed it under running water. This is a dish where you don’t want any pools of fat making their way to the top.

The sauce uses Velveeta (I know…I KNOW LOL). I happen to like the stuff and an added benefit is a sauce made with it will not separate and the sauce stays creamy and doesn’t get grainy. But using Velveeta isn’t a must. Made with shredded cheddar, it’s equally as good. And a nice extra-sharp variety of cheddar adds a depth of flavor you lose with the processed stuff.

Since a lot of my readers are in the European Union, mainly UK, Velveeta just is NOT available there, so you have to go the route with cheddar. And your regular sausage is different to ours, so your standard “bangers” can be used in here. I think it’d taste better with good ol’ English bangers anyway. Pity getting them in the US is SO difficult.

The recipe as written here serves 2-3. Mainly because I wanted to use these new individual casseroles. They are made by Ceramiche Tapinassi and available from Allorashop in UK–but they do ship internationally. Doubling the recipe below will give you 4 generous portions.

EDIT: In case you don’t catch it in the comments, a wonderful substitution for the Velveeta is undiluted condensed cheddar cheese soup. Thanks Lee V. for this great idea!

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Cheesy Sausage and Potatoes Casserole

Sausage and potatoes casserole that’s so creamy and cheesy it will have them coming back for seconds! Oh so easy and oh so delicious!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course: Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, Pork

Cuisine: American

Keyword: casserole recipe, potatoes, sausage

Servings: 2 -3

Calories: 1409kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 lb bulk mild breakfast sausage
• 16 oz shredded frozen hash brown potatoes (thawed)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion

SAUCE

• 3 tbs butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth
• 2 cups milk
• 4 oz Velveeta cubed (see note)
• Salt and pepper see note
• 2 tbs Panko bread crumbs optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 1-1.5 quart baking dish. A 9-inch square would probably be good too.
• Brown sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain sausage well. Set aside in a large bowl. Add the shredded potatoes to this bowl as well
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium. Whisk in the flour until you have a smooth paste. Cook until this bubbles and cook for about 1 minute.
• Gradually add the milk and chicken stock, whisking constantly so no lumps form. Cook until sauce begins to thicken and starts to bubble around the edge of the pan.
• Add the Velveeta and reduce heat to low. Stir constantly until the Velveeta is melted.
• Pour the sauce over the sausage/potato combination in the bowl—the amount of sauce you use it up to you. I used it all because I wanted it creamy. The consistency will be the same cooked as before, so let your eye—and your taste—be your guide. Mix well and turn into prepared pan.
• Sprinkle top with Panko crumbs if using.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes.
• Recipe may be doubled to serve 4.

Notes

Substitute 1 cup shredded cheddar for the Velveeta.

Add salt/pepper AFTER the cheese has melted in the sauce. Velveeta and ANY cheese can be salty so add last.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1409kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 94g | Saturated Fat: 40g | Cholesterol: 259mg | Sodium: 2808mg | Potassium: 1809mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1654IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 668mg | Iron: 6mg

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