NutritionSortLoading...
Loading...

5 pounds russet potatoes (about 6 large)

1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups (1 quart) whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 pound pre-shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 cups), divided

26 Ritz crackers (3 ounces)

½ ounce Parmesan cheese (⅓ cup firmly packed freshly grated or 2 tablespoons store-bought grated)

Select allAdd

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13-inch or other 2-quart baking dish (or larger) with butter. Place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

2. Peel 5 pounds russet potatoes and cut into rough 1 ½-inch chunks. Place in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, cover partially, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook until potatoes are just barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce while the potatoes are cooking.

3. Melt 1 stick unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle with ½ cup all-purpose flour and whisk until the flour has completely absorbed all of the butter, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, is light tan, and smells slightly nutty, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in 4 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Add the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and cook, whisking often, until the mixture thickens and a small amount of steam rises from the surface (don’t let it come to a boil), 5 to 10 minutes.

5. While whisking constantly, add 10 ounces of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 ½ cups) a handful at a time. Continue to whisk until the cheese is completely melted, about 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.

6. Transfer ½ cup of the cheese sauce to the baking dish and spread evenly onto the bottom. Arrange half of the potatoes on top of the sauce. Evenly cover the potatoes with half of the remaining cheese sauce (about 2 ½ cups). Sprinkle with 3 ounces of the cheese (about ¾ cup). Repeat layering the remaining potatoes, cheese sauce, and cheese (about ¾ cup).

7. Place 26 Ritz crackers in a medium bowl and crush with your hands into coarse crumbs. Add ½ ounce grated Parmesan cheese (⅓ cup freshly grated or 2 tablespoons store-bought grated) and stir to combine. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.

8. Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake, still on the baking sheet, until the sauce bubbles thickly around the edges, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is browned in spots, about 20 minutes more. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

Yes the potato pieces are supposed to be that big. I’ve found that potato pieces that are around 1 ½ inches long can hold up to the short boil followed by the long bake and still retain their texture. The goal here is tender, not mushy.

Don’t boil the potatoes too long. Building off of the point above, when you par-cook the potatoes you want to just be able to pierce them with a knife. There should be quite a lot of resistance. This step is just to give the potatoes a head start.

Choose your own cheese. I usually use white sharp (or extra sharp) cheddar here, but use what you like. I’ve tried this recipe with pre-shredded cheese and with cheese that I grated myself and both work well.

Play around with the topping. I’ve tried topping the casserole with crushed Ritz and also with panko. Both are delicious. I have a sneaking suspicion that a Cheez-It topping might also be pretty tasty. You do you.

Panko & Bacon bits.