Smoked cheddar cheese stars in these creamy potatoes.

Published on December 22, 2025

Credit:

Brie Passano / Food Styling: Annie Probst

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When combined with cream, sour cream, and cheese—and topped with buttery golden cornflakes— hash brown potatoes transform into the most magical potluck casserole ever created. This version uses smoky cheeses and smoked paprika to give it a more complex flavor. Make sure you get a scoop yourself before it disappears from the table completely!

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Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 1/4 cup salted butter

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 (14.5-oz) can reduced-sodium chicken broth

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

  • 1/2 tsp. salt

  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

  • 1/4 tsp. celery salt

  • 4 oz. smoked cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

  • 4 oz. smoked gouda or Muenster cheese, shredded (1 cup)

  • 1 (26-oz.) pkg. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 2 Tbsp. salted butter

  • 2 cups coarsely crushed cornflakes, buttery round crackers, or potato chips

Directions

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 3-qt. rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.

  2. In a 4- to 6-qt. pot melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Add flour; cook and stir 1 minute. Whisk in next seven ingredients (through celery salt). Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in cheeses until melted. Stir in hash browns until combined. Fold in sour cream. Transfer hash brown mixture to prepared dish.

  3. In a medium bowl microwave the 2 Tbsp. butter until melted. Stir in crushed cornflakes (omit melted butter if using potato chips). Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and topping is lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes. If you like, sprinkle with additional paprika.