It's hard to resist this delicious Cheesy Potato Bake. A super easy side dish with only 4 ingredients, this is hands down one of the most popular posts on my website!

This super easy Cheesy Potato Bake is my go-to dish to make for family and friends, or when my husband and I feel like a treat. This makes a big batch that serves roughly 8 people as a side dish. It's also perfect to wrap up in tin foil and take along to a family BBQ.


One of the best things about this dish (other than how good it tastes!) is that there are only 4 ingredients in it! When slicing my potatoes, I use my mandolin (hand held slicer) from Chef's Compliments which is fast and accurate. When all the potato slices are the same size they cook at the same rate.
If you're in the mood to try something a little different, be sure to check out our Thai Green Curry Kumara Gratin.
How to make my cheesy potato bake:
Thinly slice the potatoes either by hand or using a mandolin. Mix together the cream and garlic with lots of salt and pepper.


Cover the bottom of an oven proof dish with one layer of potatoes. Sprinkle over some cheese, then pour over some of the creamy mix. Repeat these layers until you have used all of the potatoes slices.

Top the dish with grated cheese then bake in the oven for 80 minutes at 190°C. The dish is ready when the potatoes are cooked and the top is golden.

Here are some other great sharing recipes, perfect for Pot Luck dinners and BBQs: Best Ever Potato Salad, Crispy Tuna Cakes and my epic and impressive Giant Pork Sausage Roll.
RECIPE FAQs:
To be honest, this dish is so forgiving you could use any type of potatoes. Having said that, if you can find a good baking or roasting potato it will enhance the dish. Agria potatoes are ideal in New Zealand.
Absolutely! As I mentioned above, this dish is forgiving! You could try adding in paprika, your favourite herbs, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced onions etc. This is a great base for you to be creative with.
Yes this recipe is naturally gluten free! As always, check the labels on your processed food to ensure it meets your dietary requirements.
Storage:
This cheesy potato bake will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container.
- Cool completely before refrigerating to prevent condensation and sogginess.
- Reheat portions in the oven (covered with foil) or microwave until piping hot all the way through.
- It can also be frozen for up to 2 months, though the texture may change slightly due to the dairy content (it might become a little grainy).

Made this recipe?
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Cheesy Potato Bake
Tasty, cheesy, creamy potatoes cooked to golden brown perfection.
Ingredients
- 1kg potatoes, peeled
- 100g cheese, grated
- 1.5 cups of cream and/or milk
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Thinly slice the potatoes.
- Mix the cream and/or milk, garlic together with lots of salt and pepper.
- Place a thin layer of potatoes on the base of an oven proof dish. Sprinkle with cheese and dollops of the creamy mix.
- Repeat these layers using all of the potatoes.
- Bake for 80 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the top is golden.
Notes
If you are making this gluten free: Always check the label on processed foods, including sauce bottles.
- You can either use all cream, or all milk depending on what you have or how healthy you want to make this dish. I make a half and half mixture using ¾ cup of milk and ¾ cup of cream.
- You can use your favourite type of cheese in this dish. I like to use Colby which melts well.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 336Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 124mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya










Kaye says
All your recipes are great and family friendly,tasty and simple too make.xx love them.
VJ cooks says
Oh thank you, Kaye. That's absolutely what I aim for, so glad you enjoy them 🙂
Jules says
Love your recipes ☺️
VJ cooks says
Thanks so much 🙂
Steve says
Do you add a little mustard?
Vanya Insull says
You can if you like!
David Nelson says
Add bacon.
Layer
Potatoes
Bacon
Cheese
Until you get to the top, bit extra cheese then cover with cream
Pauline says
Can I use sour cream I don't have normal cream.
VJ cooks says
It can also be made with milk. You can do a combination of milk and sour cream, but you would want it to have a thinner consistency than straight sour cream.
Allan says
I hope i havent stuffed mine up i used a whole 1 litre bottle of cream i don't have extras in it though mince, veges,bacon
VJ cooks says
How did it go, Allan?
Tarynn says
Hi!! If I half the amount of potato's, can I reduce time as well?
VJ cooks says
The potatoes will still take some time to cook through. I would be checking it from the 50 minute mark.
Mikayla says
Can I speed up the process by par boiling my taties? 🙂
VJ cooks says
Yes I think that would work. I haven't tried it myself though so you will have to keep an eye in the dish to check when it's done.
Kay Elizabeth Gray says
Thank you so much for your recipes I am really dying to try the creamy bake potato recipe it looks so easy to make let's hope my guests like it
Karen says
Please use American measurements and instructions also. Thanks
VJ cooks says
Hi Karen, as I am a New Zealander living in New Zealand catering to a predominantly New Zealand audience, I use the metric system that most of the world uses. There are many conversion websites available for you to convert my recipes if you need. Thanks so much.
knitbunnie says
I’m in America - Northern California. I love using metric measurements. They’re so much more precise. Stay the course!
VJ cooks says
Oh thanks so much, I appreciate your feedback 🙂
Nikky says
Typical Karen
Leonard Gray says
Thank you for this beautiful recipe.
I fudged it a bit and used some sweet potato and also some paprika just gives it that little bit more punch
VJ cooks says
Oh yum, good call!
Blazed kiwi says
I cut potatoes a inch wide the use nicer dicer chopper to cube potatoes then salt pepper .milk cook for 1 hour add cheese and grill for 20. I found if you don't get uniform slices some potatoes are uncooked . By cubing it's great.thank you for all great recipes
Sue Howe says
Hi, This dish looks amazing, Would I be able to make it a day ahead of serving and reheat.Love your recipes.
VJ cooks says
Absolutely, Sue. When you reheat it, I would place some tin foil over the top to prevent the cheese from burning.
Kristy says
Just wondering can this be frozen to be used at a later time ?
VJ cooks says
Unfortunately sliced or diced potatoes do not freeze well - they have a tendency to go 'spongey' once defrosted. Mashed potato however does freeze well.
Jenni Mathiesen says
(Mashed potatoes freeze well if you use cream, not milk. It has too much water in it and mushes the potatoes.
Jay says
What type of cream would you use?
VJ cooks says
I use regular pouring craem.
Blitzo says
Wonderful! all your recipes are great and tasty and simple to make.
Hal says
Love this recipe! I added 1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard, fresh chives and a French onion to the cream mixture. An absolute winner in our house! Thank you!
VJ cooks says
Oh wow, that sounds delicious.
Marie Roberts says
I make something very similar and add a pkt of maggi Onion Soup for extra flavour, so yummy
tracey says
this is a great recipe. could i add some bacon ?
VJ cooks says
Yes of course. I also have this XL bacon and potato bake if you prefer
Helen from Arrowtown, NZ says
This looks yum! What's the brand of mandolin you recommend?
VJ cooks says
Hi Helen, I have this Zylis Slicer from Chef's Complements. It's great!
Ellie says
Totally didn't read the time on this so it ended up being a very late dinner
Exactly how I remember it tasting as a kid though. Perfect!
cassandra says
hi do you know the cheese is it halal
VJ cooks says
Alpine Colby Cheese claims to be Halal approved. https://www.woolworths.co.nz/shop/productdetails?stockcode=281636&name=alpine-cheese-colby
Victoria Santos says
When you say cream, are you referring to heavy cream?
VJ cooks says
We just call it cream in New Zealand, but in other parts of the world it is called heavy cream or whipping cream 🙂
Julie Broughton says
Will sour cream work ok instead of 'cream'?
VJ cooks says
Yes that will be fine.
Lara says
I want to do the dish for 10 to 12 people and though of adding an extra 2 potatoes, how much extra baking time do you think?
VJ cooks says
Maybe another 5-10 minutes. Then keep checking until the potatoes are cooked through.
Britt says
Loved this recipe! How long will it be fine stored in the fridge for? Thanks!
VJ cooks says
Thank you! This recipe will keep well stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days 🙂
Shilpa says
I made this last week for lunch. I added some garlic and onion powder as well, along with sweet paprika and it was lush!! It’s a staple dish in our house, we sometimes have it with a roasted tomato soup. Thank you for this recipe!! ❤️
VJ cooks says
Oh awesome, thanks for the feedback and serving suggestion 🙂
Gaye. says
Beautiful, the best one I have ever made, will
Be doing it very often now.
VJ cooks says
Thanks so much for the feedback, Gaye.
Akira says
This is in my oven right now. Looking forward to lunch.
I added a bunch of Salt, Pepper and Garlic as required, as well as Paprika and a smidge of Thyme. I had so much cheese I needed to use, and this is the perfect use for it. Still have tonnes of cheese left. Send help. lol.
Emma says
Great recipe. Thank you. I have no idea how much salt to add. Can I please have a rough idea how much you use?
Many thanks
VJ cooks says
Hi Emma, I would add at least 1 teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of cracked black pepper.
M says
This looks delicious. I'm a new cook and learning. Please can I ask is it possible to add mushrooms and onion to this bake?
Thank you again!
~M
VJ cooks says
Hi there, I haven't tried that sorry! You would probably want to sauté mushroom and onions before adding them, otherwise they would be too watery.
C says
Hi, yummy recipe! mine has the golden top but the inside was bit of watery. What went wrong?
VJ cooks says
Hey! It might be that your oven was too hot, or that the potatoes you used weren't the best for baking.