Crack Potatoes

Loaded crack potatoes are the best thing you’ll ever make. This recipe is perfect to feed a crowd. Cheesy, creamy, and ranch side dish is loaded with bacon and very easy to make. Make this comforting casserole either from store-bought hash browns or using fresh potatoes from scratch.

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• Loaded crack potatoes
• Ingredients needed
• How to make
• Tips to make best crack potatoes
• Common questions
• 📋 Crack Potatoes

Loaded crack potatoes

1. A flavor-packed potato side dish that can feed a crowd.
2. Quick and easy to prepare with simple pantry ingredients.
3. It’s loaded with cheddar cheese, sour cream in ranch dressing with crispy bacon.
4. Quickly make a potato side dish in a casserole with little effort. Use frozen hash browns mix all ingredients and bake in a casserole dish. Or bake fresh potatoes and add the ranch dressing mix. Bake until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Easy and full of flavors.
5. Comforting food that everybody would love!
6. Great for potlucks, holiday meals, and parties.
7. The term “crack” is a slang that refers to sincerely addictive, can’t stop eating food!

Ingredients needed

• 2 lb potatoes (washed and cubed) or 30 ounces bag frozen hash browns
• 8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy
• 3 tablespoons butter or use bacon fat
• ¼ cup dry ranch dressing mix
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 green onion, green part chopped

Potatoes: this recipe is usually made with frozen hash browns but can also be made using fresh potatoes like russet potatoes or red potatoes. Feel free to use frozen Southern diced potato hash browns from the store.

I made it with fresh potatoes and left the skin on, it’s up to you to peel the potatoes or use it with the skin.

Bacon: use real bacon. Cut bacon into small cubes, and cook in pan until crispy. Collect bacon fat and use it to cook potatoes. Bacon fat added wonderful richness and flavor to potatoes. Don’t want to use bacon fat? No problem, use butter instead.

For convenience you can use bacon crumble, but nothing like real bacon.

Dry ranch dressing mix: don’t use ranch dressing in a bottle. Use dry ranch dressing mix. It’s a key ingredient in creating the most flavorful seasoning. It adds a tangy flavor to potato and when mixed with creaminess from sour cream and cheese it’s wonderful.

Sour cream: I used only ¼ cup sour cream. If you want extra creaminess use ½ cup more sour cream. Also, feel free to use unflavored Greek yogurt for sour cream.

Cheddar cheese: loads of it. Use sharp cheddar or regular yellow cheddar.

Seasoning: I’m all about flavors in my recipe. This crack potato recipe is packed with flavors not only from sour cream, cheese, and ranch dressing but added flavors from onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Adding seasonings is optional but highly recommend you don’t skip it.

Green onion: used for garnish. It adds freshness to a dish that is otherwise rich creamy and cheesy.

How to make

Pre-heat oven at 400°F

The original crack potatoes recipe uses store-bought frozen potato hash browns.  It’s quick and easy to put together with store-bought hash browns. If you can’t get frozen hash browns use fresh potatoes. It works too.

With fresh potatoes– scrub potatoes and rinse them clean. Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Cut into small cubes. It’s up to you to peel the skin or it as it is. I prefer it with the skin. Russet potatoes are best; red potatoes work too.

Cut bacon into small cubes and cook in a pan until crispy. Reserve bacon fat and use it to cook potatoes instead of butter for added richness and taste. If you don’t want to use bacon fat, use butter.

Transfer diced potatoes into a wide bowl. Add bacon fat and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Transfer to an 8×8 casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 400°F for 40-50 minutes or until potatoes are cooked tender.

Meanwhile in another bowl mix ranch seasoning, pinch of salt and pepper, sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and half the quantity of bacon. Mix well.

Note: use dry ranch seasoning mix. I prefer to mix seasoning with little buttermilk. Use dry seasoning directly in the recipe.

Remove the casserole dish from the oven. Pour cheese mix over potatoes.

Lightly toss with a silicon or wooden spatula to coat the potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese on top.

Add remaining bacon. Bake in the oven for 5 – 7 minutes or until cheese is melted hot and bubbly.

Remove from oven. Garnish with fresh green onions and serve immediately.

Tips to make best crack potatoes

1. Crack potatoes are usually made using frozen hash browns. It’s easy and quick to make with store-bought hash browns. Having said that, this recipe works great with fresh potatoes too. Make sure to dice potatoes evenly so they all cook together.
2. Use dry ranch seasoning mix. Bottled stuff won’t taste good for the recipe.
3. If you want extra creamy potatoes, add ½ cup more sour cream.
4. Using real bacon always is best. You can also use bacon fat reserved from cooking bacon to cook potatoes.

Common questions

OTHER POTATO RECIPES:

• Roasted parmesan potatoes
• Melting potatoes
• Roast potatoes
• Crispy potato rosti
• Smashed sweet potatoes
• Baked potato roses
• Easy potato salad (no cream added)
• Savory mashed sweet potatoes
• Roasted sweet potatoes
• Sweet potato casserole
• Baked potato wedges

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