Sweeney Potatoes
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:8 to 10 servings
- 2½pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¼-inch cubes
- 1(8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more butter for the pan
- 1cup sour cream
- ¼ to ½cup whole milk
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2½cups freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
413 calories; 32 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 483 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put potatoes in a large heavy-bottomed pot and cover with cold water. Set on stove over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow potatoes to simmer until they have just started to soften, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Step 2
Combine cream cheese, melted butter and sour cream in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add enough milk so that the mixture is creamy but not soupy. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes to bowl and stir gently to combine.
- Step 3
Generously grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Tip half the potatoes into the dish and spread to the edges, then scatter half the grated cheese over the top. Add remaining potatoes and spread to the edges, then top with remaining cheese.
- Step 4
Bake until casserole is bubbling at the edges and cheese has melted across the top, 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving, if you'd like.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
LK
Why all the negative comments about this holiday dish, it’s not for daily consumption. If when you read it and it doesn’t appeal to you move on to another that does.
Roberta
As I read the notes I saw that there was a problem with curdling. Sam’s recipe calls for whole milk, if you used anything with a less fat, including low fat sour cream, curdling will most likely happen. The fat stabilizes the milk. If you want to use lower fat items you need to lower the oven temperature and increase the cook time.
John Kasley
Simply type in the ingredients into Google -hash browns, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar and about 30 somewhat similar recipes appear. I do that all the time when I have ingredients but no inspiration. I type in the ingredients I do have and Google rises to the occasion. I come to The Times for ideas and sometimes techniques.
Jeff
I'm confused. This is an entirely different recipe.
Emma
America's Test Kitchen did an article on this recently. American cheese has sodium citrate in it which is ridiculously good at preventing cheese separation- it changes the protein structure of the cheese in such a way that the water and the fat can't separate out.
Maggie Sabovich
Yes, I will be making it 2 days ahead and in the fridge tightly wrapped in plastic and foil, then remove plastic and foil when baking at 350 degrees for about an hour on Thanksgiving...so convenient!
Kay
Did you say, "margarine?" If you really truly want "healthy," never ever use margarine. It is extremely unhealthy: transfats, and a very toxic manufacturing process. If you want "healthy," please consider using real butter. Butter is NOT the dietary villain that it was made out to be in the misguided, unscientific-based "low fat" era of the 80's and 90's. The current science does not support using vegetable oils and margarine.
Kate
I believe it was elsewhere in the Times the suggestion to use evaporated milk as it holds up better in the cooking. I've tried this with fresh potatoes, but honestly frozen hash browns make it none the worse and are so much easier for a holiday.
Kathryn Jennings
Because it is delicious. What if we die tomorrow? I eat healthy, but I allow myself to splurge. My vet who lived a very healthy lifestyle died in a plane crash at 46. I hope he had a nice meal before he left us.
Maggie Sabovich
We bake the russet potatoes, five large ones, instead of boiling, then scoop out the insides and mash roughly, and add 2 cups sour cream, and one melted cube of butter, (or less) but also use a can of low fat cream of chicken soup for richer flavor, plus shredded cheddar to taste and also a package of chopped green onions...no milk...you can also use low fat sour cream but it's not as good...Everyone dies for this dish!
Jane F
Use heavy cream instead of milk and it won't curdle.
gale
Because it's a holiday? Most of us don't eat this way all the time, but it's wonderful once in a while. I suggest you try it... or not.
Anne
There are so many versions of this casserole, it would be hard to get it "wrong." For me 2 lbs of frozen hash browns win every time (don't buy the brand with the red bag & hyphenated name. They are not as flavorful as Mr. Dell's.) They MUST thaw completely! Add at least 1 cup thin-sliced scallions w/green parts; 1 can each cream of chicken & cream of mushroom soup; seasoned salt & black pepper; 16 oz. Daisy lite sour cream; 8 oz. grated cheddar. 350 for 35-40 mins
stephanie
idk about the 32 people that agreed with jeff, but subbing cream of chicken for the cream cheese & milk is hardly "an entirely different recipe" imho. (especially when the intro says the original uses creamed soup.)
when it's a recipe that's been around for awhile, you're going to get people sharing their way of doing it. i don't see how that's confusing at all.
anne
It’s a different recipe, isn’t it?
Sweeney Potatoes
I added some diced onion and left over ham. Came out great!
Shelley Hol
Delicious 😋
Anne R.
This is too good. Could cut back a bit on the butter, but only because it separated a bit from the cheeses. It is definitely a splurge.
A Prull
Always on a holiday table at our house. Crushed cornflakes tossed with a little melted butter as the topping (before baking) if you want to gild the lily.
Joef
I've made this dish three times now. Comes out great every time. Potato purists complain it doesn't honor the potato, with all that cheese and butter. They are dumb. People who love cheesy potatoes love this dish. And you will too. I usually make this when I'm serving a ham. And there's always an inevitable Navy Bean soup afterwards. Add your leftover potatoes for a little oomph.
Barbara
Are we supposed to peel the potatoes first?
Nichole
Our typical big group potato dish is Molly Stevens Party Potatoes; mashed potatoes but with cream cheese and sour cream. The “funeral potato” version of this recipe, with a can of soup and cornflakes is also a midwest potluck staple but this is like a perfect middle ground between the two, just as easy as the soup version and everyone loved it. My only note is that maybe I’d just mix some cheese in next time, rather than layer it.
Eileen
I followed the recipe exactly and my cheese sauce also curdled. Could it have been because the potatoes were still warm when I added them to the sauce. Definitely would have been better if it was creamy.
Marlene J Geary
I made this with a thawed pkg of frozen diced potatoes, 1 tbsp of Penzey's Bavarian seasoning, and a crumbled sleeve of pseudo-Ritz crackers. Used half-n-half in place of the whole milk. I forgot the butter and I only had about a cup of shredded Mexican-blend cheese. I also browned a roll of Jones pork sausage and added that. Came out great! I love the base recipe.
Tim
I followed the recipe with no changes. Delicious. Quite filling, so small portions are best.
Marjorie
Add 1/2 the cheese with potatoes and sprinkle rest before baking. Higher temp
Beth
Why all the hate? I eat healthy most of the time but I am relaxed enough to know that the occasional splurge won’t kill me. I never understand the food stalkers who read a recipe just to harp on the nutritional value of it. This was delicious, I added some white wine and used cream of mushroom soup instead of the cream cheese. I also added some chopped onion which I cooked in a pan first.
Linnea
Made a half recipe which was enough for three meals for two adults! Fit nicely in a 9x9 inch pyrex pan. This is basically pre-chopped, pre-mixed baked potato. It tastes just like a baked potato with sour cream and parsley and cheese that Mom/Dad cut up for you to eat at a nice restaurant. If making a half recipe, keep all ingredients the same except do three-quarters amount of cheese. Good for company if they're older/pickier eaters.
Piper
Tried a lighter version with light: cream cheese, sour cream, Mexican cheese blend, cooking spray on the dish, half the melted butter. It was still an awesome dish and I don’t feel like I have to wait for the holidays to enjoy it.
TOM G
adding a small amount of diced red and green bell peppers gives it some Christmas colors. I just add enough for color since I find bell pepper's can take over the flavor, eps. leftovers.
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