Quick Potato Bake is a simple and easy recipe that provides a fantastic side for many occasions. Creamy, cheesy and delicious this oven baked roast potato recipe will tick all of your boxes. This quick and easy potato bake works for Sunny Suppers, Thanksgiving, the Christmas table and more!
Recipes like the Potato And Sweet Potato Bake, Creamy Garlic Potatoes and the Skin on Roast Potatoes are all about potato side dishes.
The Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Roasted Capsicums and the Crumbed Mushrooms are non potato side dishes.
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:
- Everyday ingredients: you will be able to purchase everything you need to make the recipe from your local grocery store. They are all year round available ingredients that will be easy to get your hands on.
- What's good: potatoes. What is even better? Combining them with a creamy cheese sauce and then oven baking them until they melt in your mouth 😉👍!
- Easy recipe: on some level I have to stop at saying this recipe is quick and easy as there is a bit of cooking time involved. However, it is simple and straightforward. Once the potatoes are in the oven it is a matter of letting them cook and checking in with them a few times.
- Versatile: this potato side dish is one of those great recipes that is versatile and lends itself to being served in a wide variety of scenarios. Think Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinners, family dinners, the Sunday supper or for a special occasion.
- Vegetarian: it can be great when feeding a crowd to have a variety of options up your sleeve that work for many types of people. This vegetarian side dish will appeal to a wide range of people.
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see the recipe calls for:
- Salt and pepper: we use salt and a little bit of black pepper to seaon the potatoes.
- Dried thyme: we add the thyme as a means to add a little bit of herby flavor in with the potatoes.
- Dried onion: this saves time chopping, peeling and crying over an onion. It is also great as a dry ingredient as it means we are not adding more moisture into the recipe.
- Parsley: this fresh herb is optional. It does, however, add a pop of colour or 2 adding to the presentation factor so use if you please when serving the dish.
- Cream: this is heavy cream also known as cooking cream. It is different to dollop or whipped cream.
- Cheese: we add a cheese topping to the potato bake as it is the perfect finishing touch. Freshly grated is best.
- Potatoes: washed potatoes is what we need. We peel these and finely slice them using a mandoline slicer.
Tasty Tip: I like to provide you with a number of substitutions and variations giving you an array of options when making the recipe. If in doubt of any of the above ingredients, or wanting alternatives, read this section (further below) before jumping into the instructions on how to make the recipe which are coming next 😉👌.
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by preparing the potatoes. You will need a vegetable peeler and cutting board.
- Peel the potatoes (Photo 1)
- Thinly slice the potatoes (Photo 2)
- Add the potato slices to a bowl (Photo 3)
- Add the dried onion (Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Quick Potato Bake
To make the recipe, start by using a vegetable peeler and cutting board to slice the potatoes. Once done use a mandoline to thinly slice the potatoes like you see in the photos above.
Next add the sliced potatoes to a large mixing bowl and then add the dried onion.
- Add the dried thyme (Photo 5)
- Then add the salt and pepper (Photo 6)
- Stir to combine (Photo 7)
- Pour in the cream (Photo 8)
Next continue to season the potatoes by adding the dried thyme, salt and pepper. Once done, stir to combine.
- Stir to combine (Photo 9)
- Add half the cheese (Photo 10)
- Stir to combine (Photo 11)
- Ready for the skillet (Photo 12)
Add half of the cheese to the creamy potato mixture as shown in the photos above.
- Transfer to skillet (Photo 13)
- Spread into a flat layer (Photo 14)
- Cover with foil (Photo 15)
- Bake for 30 minutes (Photo 16)
Next transfer the combined potato mixture into the oiled skillet and use a wooden spoon to spread it into a flat layer.
Then cover the skillet with foil and place the potatoes into the hot oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the potatoes (Photo 17 and 18)
- Return the potatoes to the oven (Photo 19)
- Remove once cooked and garnish with parsley (Photo 20)
Test to make sure that the potatoes are cooked through using a skewer which should slide right through them. Or cook them for a little longer until this test works with no resistance.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving you potato bake, you have a long list of good options. Try them with the Honey Soy Pork Ribs, Mexican Lime Chicken Thighs or the Pulled Beef Brisket.
Pair them alongside the Italian Short Ribs or use them in place of polenta in that recipe the Beef Osso Bucco or the Lamb Osso Bucco.
They will practically go with anything and everything and literally melt iny our mouth 😉👍.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Store leftover potato bake in the baking dish with cling wrap on top or transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. It is best reheated before being consumed.
How to Freeze
I don't recommend freezing this dish. Creamy, cheesy sauces tend to lead themselves to mixed results when frozen and thawed so skip freezing the dish and simply heat and consume the leftovers in the next few days.
How to Reheat
Add leftovers of the potato bake to a bowl with cling wrap and heat on high in the microwave until warmed through usually (2-3 minutes).
😉 Substitutions and Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- You can omit the dried onion if you don't want onion flavor in potato bake.
- If you want an alternative for the parsley to use as garnish you can try finely chopped fresh chives.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- We do want to spray the skillet with cooking oil so that the potatoes don't stick.
- We also want to ensure that the oven has been preheated so that the dish will start cooking as soon as we place the potatoes into the oven.
- Covering the potato bake with cheese throughout or for some of the cooking time ensures that the cheese layer doesn't overcook.
- The 2 things which will mean that your potatoes take longer to cook as using too thickly sliced pieces of potatoes or not preheating the oven. If you are on top of these 2 points, then they will oven bake to perfection 😉👍. Otherwise the dish will still cook, but it will take longer to cook so not so much a 'quick potato bake'.
- To ensure your potatoes are cooked through prior to serving, use oven mitts to remove the baking dish from the oven and place it onto a heat proof surface. Then use a skewer and insert it direct down into the potatoes. If there is any resistance, return the skillet to the oven and allow the potatoes to cook for a little longer. Then repeat this process to ensure that they are cooked through.
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
What food goes well with potato bake?
Some good options to serve you potato bake with are steak, sausages, chicken, fish or grilled lamb.
What does scalloped potatoes mean?
It is easy to get confused between au gratin potatoes, scalloped potatoes, potato bake or cheesy creamy potatoes!! The way to think about it, is that scalloped potatoes are cooked in cream, whereas gratin potatoes are cooked with a cheesy topping which melts to a light golden brown.
Can I make the potato bake ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the potato bake ahead of time, for example the day before and keep it in the fridge (covered) until you are ready to reheat it and serve.
😍 More Easy Side Dishes
These recipes will have you looking forward more to what's on the side than the main in front of you!
- Salmon Potato Salad
- Mashed Peas
- Basmati Fried Rice
- Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Potato Cubes
- Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad
- Tortilla Garlic Bread
- Garlic Ciabatta
- Creamy Garlic Potatoes
- Duck Fat Roast Potatoes
It is time to get our potato bake on my friend! You can also find all of my roast potato recipes or side dishes in the one spot.
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Quick Potato Bake
Equipment
- Skillet
- Mandolin
- Vegetable peeler
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 kg/ 2.2 pounds small washed potatoes
- ½ tbs dried onion Note 1
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 300 ml/ 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup grated tasty cheese Note 2
Garnish (optional):
- parsley leaves only, stems discarded, finely chopped with kitchen scissors
Instructions
- Preheat your oven: to 180°C / 350-375°F / Gas Mark 4-5.
- Skillet: spray a 26cm (10 inch) round or approx same size baking dish with cooking oil and set aside.
- Potatoes: use a vegetable peeler and chopping board to peel each of the potatoes. Then use a mandolin to thinly slice the potatoes.
- Seasoning: transfer the sliced potatoes to a mixing bowl. Then add the dried onion, thyme, salt and pepper and use a spoon to stir to combine.
- Cheese and cream: add half of the cheese to the potatoes and then pour in the cream and use a spoon to gently stir until the mixture is consistently combined.
- Skillet: transfer the creamy potato mixture into the skillet and cover.
- Oven bake: place the skillet or baking dish onto the middle rack of the oven and bake (covered) for 30 mins.
- Cheese: use oven mitts to remove the skillet from the oven and place it onto a heatproof surface. Then discard the foil and cover the top of the dish with cheese.
- Return to oven: place the potatoes back into the oven (uncovered) and bake for 10 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and turn golden brown. To ensure that the potatoes are cooked through, use oven mitts to remove the potato bake and place it onto a heatproof surface. Then use a skewer and push it directly down into the potatoes. If it goes straight through, they are ready. If there is any resistance, return the potatoes to the oven until you test again and there is no resistance. Note 3
- To serve: let the potato bake sit for 5 to 10 minutes once removed from the oven so that it settles. Then garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- Note 1 Dried onion: this is one of my all time favourite ingredients to cook with. It makes things so easy. There is no peeling of onion skin and no crying over it either! You will find it in the herbs and spices section of the supermarket. I usually use 1 whole tablespoon, but have created the recipe with a little less as I know some people find dried herbs and spices quite strong.
- Note 2 Cheese: you can use your favorite melty cheese. Cheddar, tasty, colby are all good options. Freshly grated using a handheld or box grater or shredded in the food processor. Or you can use a store bought blend if pizza cheese.
- Note 3 - Testing the potatoes: to ensure that the potatoes are cooked through, use oven mitts to remove the potato bake and place it onto a heatproof surface. Then use a skewer and push it directly down into the potatoes. If it goes straight through, they are ready. If there is any resistance, return the potatoes to the oven until you test again and there is no resistance. The 2 most important things that will mean your potatoes will take longer to cook are using thickly sliced potatoes and not preheating the oven.
Nutrition
Recipe published in July 2020, updated in October 2023 with a reerite to make the post easier for you to read 😉👍.
Jordan Fields says
Very good! We had these with salmon and salad for dinner. Easy to make and very tasty.