Kielbasa and Potato Casserole is a cheesy, creamy one-dish dinner: browned kielbasa, diced potatoes, onion and garlic in a sauce of chicken broth, heavy cream, cheddar cheese soup and sharp cheddar. The mixture comes to a boil on the stove, then bakes covered until the potatoes are tender and uncovered for a few minutes more. It serves 6.
How to make it: Brown the sliced kielbasa, soften the onion and garlic, then stir in the potatoes, broth, cream, cheese soup and seasoning. Bring it just to a boil, stir in the cheddar and pour it into a 13×9 dish. Bake covered at 350°F for 65 to 75 minutes, then uncovered 10 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- Creamy and cheesy: heavy cream, cheese soup and sharp cheddar make a rich sauce.
- Smoky sausage in every bite: small pieces of browned kielbasa spread all through the dish.
- One pot, one dish: everything starts in a Dutch oven and finishes in the oven.
- Mostly hands-off: after 30 minutes of prep, the oven does the rest.
Ingredient Notes
Kielbasa: 1 pound, sliced 1/4 inch thick, then each slice cut into 4 small pieces.
Potatoes: 3 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes.
Onion and garlic: 1 cup diced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves.
Seasoning: 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Sauce: 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream and half of a 10.5-ounce can of cheddar cheese soup. Light cream or half-and-half can replace the heavy cream, though heavy cream makes the creamiest sauce.
Sharp cheddar: 1 cup shredded, stirred in, plus more on top if you like.
Water: 1/2 cup, for browning the kielbasa.
Ingredients
- 1 pound kielbasa, sliced 1/4 inch thick, then each slice cut into 4 pieces
- 3 large potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 can cheddar cheese soup (half of a 10.5-ounce can)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; plus more for the top, if desired
- 1/2 cup water, for browning the kielbasa; add more 1/8 cup at a time if needed
How to Make Kielbasa and Potato Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 13×9-inch baking dish (or a 3-quart baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
2. Brown the kielbasa. In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, add the cut kielbasa and 1/2 cup water. Cook over medium heat until the water has evaporated and the kielbasa is browned a bit. If it needs more water as it browns, add it 1/8 cup at a time.
3. Cook the onion and garlic. Add the diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent.
4. Add the potatoes and sauce. Add the diced potatoes to the pot. Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, 1/2 can of cheddar cheese soup, seasoning and pepper, and stir.
5. Bring to a boil and add the cheese. Cook over low heat just until the mixture starts to boil. Turn off the heat, add the cheese and mix everything together.
6. Fill the dish. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Add more cheddar on top if you like.
7. Bake covered. Cover with foil and bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
8. Uncover and finish. Remove the foil and put the casserole back in the oven for 10 more minutes. The center should reach 165°F on a food thermometer.
How to Get the Potatoes Tender
Undercooked potatoes are the one thing that can spoil this casserole. These steps keep them soft and creamy:
- Dice them small. Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes so they cook evenly.
- Start them in the sauce. The potatoes go into the pot with the broth and cream and heat until the sauce starts to boil, so they go into the oven hot.
- Keep the foil on. Bake covered for 65 to 75 minutes, then check with a fork. If they aren’t tender, give them a few more minutes before uncovering.
- Finish uncovered. The last 10 minutes without foil melt and lightly brown the top.
- Short on time? Parboil the diced potatoes in salted water for 5 to 7 minutes, until just tender, before they go into the dish. Don’t let them get mushy.
Which Potatoes Work Best?
Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape and have a buttery flavor. Russets are starchier and break down a little more, which makes the sauce thicker. Red or baby potatoes stay the firmest. Any of them works, as long as you dice them to the same size.
Variations
- Other sausage: smoked beef sausage or Italian sausage work in place of kielbasa; the flavor changes with the sausage’s seasoning.
- Different cheese: Colby, Monterey Jack, pepper jack or a mild cheddar blend.
- Lighter cream: half-and-half or light cream in place of heavy cream.
- Add vegetables: stir in a cup of frozen corn, peas or broccoli, or green beans.
- Hash browns: thawed frozen hash browns can stand in for diced potatoes when you’re short on time.
Want it without the sauce? A sheet-pan kielbasa and potato bake roasts the two together at a higher heat with cheese melted on at the end. For a slow cooker take, see our slow cooker Amish kielbasa potatoes.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. Eat within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Leftovers stay safe frozen for 3 to 4 months, but cream sauces don’t freeze well and can separate after thawing. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat covered in the oven or microwave until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Pair it with green beans, glazed carrots, roasted broccoli or a simple green salad.
More sausage and potato dinners: sausage and potato casserole with spring veggies, fried potatoes, onions and smoked Polish sausage and slow cooker Polish sausage, sauerkraut and potatoes. For other cheesy casseroles, try crock pot pierogi casserole with kielbasa or crockpot ham and potato casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a casserole with kielbasa and potatoes?
Brown the kielbasa, cook the onion and garlic, add diced potatoes with broth, cream, cheese soup and seasoning, bring it to a boil, stir in cheddar and bake covered at 350°F, then uncovered for 10 minutes.
Can I use another sausage?
Yes. Smoked beef sausage or Italian sausage work; the flavor changes a little with the sausage.
Can I use half-and-half instead of heavy cream?
Yes. Half-and-half or light cream work, but heavy cream gives the creamiest sauce.
Why are my potatoes still hard?
They need more time covered. Dice them to 1/2 inch and keep the foil on until a fork slides in easily.
Which potatoes are best?
Yukon Golds hold their shape. Russets break down more, and red potatoes stay firmest.
What goes with kielbasa and potatoes?
Green beans, carrots, broccoli, asparagus or a green salad.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Dice the potatoes small, start them hot in the sauce and keep the foil on until they’re tender. If you try it with corn or a different cheese, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Kielbasa and Potato Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 pound kielbasa sliced 1/4 inch thick, then each slice cut into 4 pieces
- 3 large potatoes peeled, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 can cheddar cheese soup half of a 10.5-ounce can
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded; plus more for the top, if desired
- 1/2 cup water for browning the kielbasa; add more 1/8 cup at a time if needed
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 13x9-inch baking dish (or a 3-quart baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
- In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, add the cut kielbasa and 1/2 cup water. Cook over medium heat until the water has evaporated and the kielbasa is browned a bit. If it needs more water as it browns, add it 1/8 cup at a time.
- Add the diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent.
- Add the diced potatoes to the pot. Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, 1/2 can of cheddar cheese soup, seasoning and pepper, and stir.
- Cook over low heat just until the mixture starts to boil. Turn off the heat, add the cheese and mix everything together.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Add more cheddar on top if you like.
- Cover with foil and bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Remove the foil and put the casserole back in the oven for 10 more minutes. The center should reach 165°F on a food thermometer.
Notes
Nutrition
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