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Cheesy Bacon Potato Casserole is a savory, cheesy, and creamy potato casserole that is the perfect side dish recipe for any meal, or filling enough as a main dish for dinner. Pure comfort food that the whole family will love!

Side view of the casserole dish with the cooked potatoes and bacon inside of it.

Cheesy Bacon Potato Casserole Recipe (Loaded Potato Casserole)

This potato casserole is a delightful mix between a Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole and classic Baked Potatoes. Tastes like chopped up baked potatoes inside a casserole dish and then it gets smothered in a creamy sauce, cheddar cheese, green onions, and crispy bacon.

Bake it up in the oven for delicious potato side dish or it’s hearty enough for a meatless main meal option. You’ll love the hearty chunks of russet potatoes, creamy sauce with sour cream and cream of chicken soup, and then all the gooey cheese and crispy bacon makes it even better.

It’s also a versatile dish as it can be served as a delicious side dish to any meal, or it’s hearty and filling enough for a meatless dinner option too. You really can’t go wrong with loaded potatoes as they’re the ultimate comfort food recipe!

A close up of the front of the potato casserole

Simple Ingredients Needed

Russet Potatoes : I recommend using Russet potatoes, or Idaho potatoes, for this casserole. They are mild in flavor and combine well with the other strong flavors in the casserole. The next best potato to use would be Yukon potatoes, but again, russet are the best.
Cream of Chicken Soup : You can also use cream of chicken with herbs, cream of mushroom soup, or cream of celery for a slightly different flavor.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese : Cheddar cheese is meant to go with potatoes so I highly recommend using chedddar cheese in this recipe. Use mild cheddar, medium cheddar, or sharp cheddar cheese; whichever you prefer.
Sour Cream : Use full-fat sour cream for the best thick texture and creamy flavor.
Milk : I recommend using whole milk or 2% milk.
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Plain Breadcrumbs
Cooked & Crumbled Bacon : Cook bacon in the oven, air fryer, or skillet pan. You can even buy some good-quality microwaveable bacon to make prep really easy. I love the microwaveable bacon from Costco (the Kirkland Signature brand), and I always have it in my fridge – so good!
Sliced Green Onions

How To Make Easy Cheesy Potato Casserole

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Prep Potatoes : Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. You can peel the potato skin off or leave it on, or halfway peel the skin off; however you prefer. If leaving the skin on the potatoes, make sure that you scrub and rinse the skin really well as it can be dirty.

In a large bowl, mix together the diced potatoes, cream of chicken soup, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until well combined and thoroughly mixed.

Add the cooked bacon and green onions into the bowl and stir to combine. Reserve some of the bacon and green onions for an optional garnish (if wanted). Or you can cook additional bacon and slice additional green onions for the garnish on top of the cheesy potatoes casserole.

Pour the potato mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the top with the breadcrumbs.

Bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender, easily pierced with a fork, and the top is golden brown.

Garnish the top of the casserole with the reserved crumbled bacon and sliced green onions before serving the casserole hot.

How To Store Leftover Cheesy Potato Bacon Casserole

Any leftovers should be stored inside an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers inside the microwave or the oven. You can also keep the leftovers inside the casserole dish and cover it with a lid or plastic wrap/aluminum foil for storage in the fridge.

What Should I Serve With Cheesy Bacon Potato Casserole?

This cheesy potato casserole is an awesome side dish recipe for holiday meals; like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. But it’s also really great served as a filling side dish to grilled meats or steak dinners as well, or hearty enough for the main course at dinner with some side dish options. Lots of options with this casserole! Here are some ideas for serving the loaded baked potato casserole.

Mixed Green Salad – A fresh salad with a light vinaigrette can offer a crisp and refreshing contrast to the creamy casserole.
Roasted Vegetables – Try roasting some fresh veggies (squash, Brussels sprouts, carrots, etc.) on a sheet pan with some olive oil plus dried seasonings of your choice. Or make my Roasted Parmesan Brussels Sprouts or these Slow Cooker Sweet Carrots.
Dinner Rolls – My One Hour Rolls are a buttery homemade roll that goes perfect for soaking up that creamy sauce with. Or buy some fresh baked bread from a local bakery like sourdough bread or crusty bread.
Side Dish – Serve the potato casserole as a side dish for grilled meats, at a potluck, or as a side dish for baked chicken, baked pork, or steak.

Overhead pic of a casserole and a serving plate of it.

Cheese Tip

I highly recommend buying a block of cheddar cheese and using a Box Cheese Grater to shred it yourself, rather than buying a bag of pre-shredded cheddar cheese. It makes a huge difference and melts much smoother and cheesier!

A serving of the recipe on a plate with a fork

Potato Bacon Casserole FAQ’s

Can I Use Frozen Potatoes Instead of Fresh Potatoes?

Yes, you can use frozen diced potatoes (classic potatoes or the O’Brien potatoes) or shredded hash browns as a convenient substitute and to save some prep time. No need to thaw them first; adjust the baking time as needed until the potatoes are fork tender.

Can I Make This Casserole Ahead of Time?

Assemble the casserole up to a day in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. I recommend putting the casserole out at room temperature while the oven preheats so it has time to come closer to room temperature before baking. You also may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time to allow for the colder temperature of the casserole. I also like to prepare the morning of and that way it’s ready to go when it’s closer to dinnertime.

How Do I Prevent The Casserole From Being Too Greasy?

There will be some grease involved in this casserole because of the cheese and bacon, however, there are a few tips for preventing too much grease. The best way is to make sure the bacon is drained well of all excess grease before adding it into the mixing bowl. I recommend using a paper towel to blot and dry the crumbled bacon pieces to soak up any excess grease.

The other thing I recommend is to let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes before serving it. This allows for the casserole to set and the creamy sauce to settle down and thicken, which can help prevent the excess grease build-up around the edges of the potato casserole.

A white casserole dish with the cooked casserole inside of it.

Cheesy Potato Bacon Casserole (Oven Baked Loaded Potatoes)