There’s something about baked potatoes that just screams fall comfort food.
And baked potatoes, paired with cheese and pumpkin, create a whole trifecta of fall comfort.
My husband adores potatoes. He will eat them any way they’re served. He prefers white to sweet, but any will be just fine. Hash browns, French fries, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked potatoes with butter and sour cream, and even microwave potatoes. No matter the preparation method, he loves his tubers. Potatoes, paired with cheese in a hearty casserole that’s baked so that the edges crisp up and the center remains soft and gooey, earned me big time brownie points.
I, however, am not really am not a meat and potatoes girl. I haven’t had any meat in more than two decades and I’m take-it or leave-it with potatoes. They’re fine but if I’m going to load up on fairly empty white carbs and butter, I prefer them in the form of Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar Butter.
I also had a half-opened can of pumpkin puree from some other pumpkin baking projects that was lingering in my refrigerator, and I incorporated it for a little extra beta-carotene and nutritional oomph.
Scott thought the pumpkin puree was marinara sauce. He also thought the zucchini flecks in this Zucchini Banana Bread were chocolate chips.
The beauty of this little number was that it literally took me five minutes to prepare before baking it. First, line a 9-by-9-inch pan with aluminum foil in order to save yourself time on later on with the dishes and elbow grease.
I used one twenty-ounce bag of Simply Potatoes Homestyle Slices from my grocer’s refrigerated case. I divided into about three-quarters of the bag for the crust and the remaining quarter was layered on top. Regular hash brown-style potatoes will also work or you could slice potatoes the old-fashioned way noting that you will likely need to extend the baking time if using raw potatoes because the kind I used are softened and precooked a bit.
Layer the potatoes in the base of the pan so they will form a nice solid wall, overlapping them as necessary so there are no holes or gaps. This is important because you want all the soon-to-be melted and oozing cheese to be contained. Drizzle about two tablespoons of olive oil over the slices, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Then spread about one cup of pumpkin puree over the potatoes, or whatever is in the bottom of the can that you’re not really sure how you’re going to use up, but now you know. Then add about four ounces of sliced or shredded cheese, vegan cheese, or your favorite cheese. I sliced my cheese but shredded cheese would be lovely, too.
Top the cheese with the another layer of potatoes, albeit a much thinner layer than the crust layer. Drizzle about two more tablespoons oil, season with a touch more salt, pepper, and then sprinkle on your favorite seasoning blend such as Mrs. Dash, Lowry’s, Old Bay, Trader Joe’s 21 Salute, or whatever spices sound good to you. I think cinnamon and nutmeg sound good with the pumpkin, but I wasn’t making this for me, so I refrained.
Then bake off your five-minute layered masterpiece for about 45 minutes, or until it’s as golden at you like. The more well-done for my husband, the better. He loves really well-done edges and if this casserole was the equivalent of a cookie, it would be a very chewy-edged cookie with a very tender center. Sort of like this cookie. Everything reverts back to sweets rather than savory for me.
This got rave reviews from both Scott and Skylar. The melted cheese smothered and engulfed the soft and tender potatoes in a big, wonderful, cheesy blanket. Everything is enhanced by melted cheese, I’m sure of that. The pumpkin puree added a nice pop of color to an otherwise white dish, as well as provided some extra nutrients and fiber.
I used a Mrs. Dash seasoning blend and it added flavor and visual interest. I like seeing large flakes of spices or large bits of coarsely ground black pepper on my food. I like to really see the herbs and spices as well as taste them. I like to really see my chocolate, too.
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and it’s important to keep that in mind for certain times of the month. Yes, those times of the month when the credit card bill arrives.
This did the trick.
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Pumpkin and Cheesy Baked Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 20 ounces thinly sliced potatoes, sliced about 1/8-inch thick, divided. (I used one bag of these Simply Potatoes Homestyle Slices
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- pinch salt, to taste
- pinch pepper, to taste
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, about half of one 15-ounce can
- 4 ounces sliced or shredded cheese (American, Havarti, Pepperjack, Monterrey Jack, or similar; use Daiya
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning blend, to taste (Mrs. Dash, Trader Joe's 21 Salute, or similar)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 9-by-9-inch baking ban with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray.
- Place about 15 ounces potatoes (about three-quarters of the bag if using a 20-ounce bag) in the baking pan arranged in a staggered yet flat layer so the potatoes form a solid crust over the base of the pans, without gaps or cracks so the cheese will be contained when it melts. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Note: The prepared refrigerated potatoes I used are softened and somewhat pre-cooked; if using raw potatoes that are then sliced or grated, baking time will likely need to be extended.
- Spread the pumpkin on top of the potatoes in a smooth, uniform layer using a spatula or knife. Add the cheese slices in a single layer (or add shredded cheese so that it's all about the same height and fluffiness). Top with remaining potatoes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle seasoning blend over the top, to taste.
- Bake for about 45 minutes until top is browned and golden. Serve immediately. Extra casserole may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Are you a potato fan? Pumpkin fan?
Feel free to link up your favorite recipes or any easy casserole recipes, too.
Thanks for the entries in the two giveaways and the winners are:
Mm, I totally want this at my Thanksgiving dinner table! The ooey gooey slices of cheese in the middle–that seems like the most irresistible part to me!
Such a great idea to add the pumpkin! Looks delicious.
This is definitely something any man would like!! My sister is actually a potato fanatic and prefers white ones ( she doesn’t have my sweet tooth at all) so this is right up her alley too! I’m keeping this in mind for holiday gatherings–I’m known as the “salad lady” for these family events so maybe I’ll shake things up a bit and bring something different.
The beauty of it is the simplicity and that it used up a half-opened can of pumpkin puree, which is nice to find a use for. I never seem to make recipes that call for 15 ounces/1 can. It’s always less, thus the leftovers!
I am totally a potato fan. They are so versatile! I am also a pretty big pumpkin fan.
Brilliant! Jason is a huge potato fan too (is it a guy thing?). I prefer sweet potatoes hands down. But he keeps buying baby new potatoes. No plans for them, I’m just supposed to use them LOL. This would be a fantastic Thanksgiving dish too!
This would make a great side, yes, and it uses up a half-opened can of pumpkin puree, which is nice to find a use for. I never seem to make recipes that call for 15 ounces/1 can.
At home last weekend, my mom made cheesy potato casserole not once, but twice. Both times, it was devoured. For whatever reason, people in Wisconsin can’t get enough of this stuff. My mom uses the shredded potatoes and I think they’d all freak (and not in a good way) about the pumpkin. Me? I’d be all over it. I think It would make it better. Maybe with sweet potatoes…YUM.
It’s not ‘traditional’ but you can always just tell them it’s marinara, like Scott thought it was :)
Potatoes always seem to fix a host of problems, in anyone’s household! : )
you got that right!
This looks perfect for a rainy, chilly day like it is in NYC! I am a big fan of taters – we eat them with our dinner at least once a week, what can I say? I’ve convinced myself that they are healthier than having bread with dinner…although I know deep down that’s not true. Not that I’ve done anything to remedy that! ;) I will have to try out this casserole some time soon.
This is such a fall/winter comfort food for a cold climate. I grew up in MN and then Chicago so totally understand. Hearty comfort food like this in San Diego always feels a bit…like a non-sequitor! ha!
This sounds awesome! Love that combo :)
Gooooooood heavens, yes.
I love integrating pumpkin into savory dishes, but I have yet to try it with potatoes! I’m with you. Regular white tubers don’t rock my world, but with some added pumpkin, I have a feeling I will be changing my tune! My hubs would love this too. Thanks!
And you get to use up leftover odds and ends of pumpkin from all your baking experiments :)
Thisss is a great fall twist and kind of reminds me of a lasagna in an odd way. Love the creative use for pumpkin too, not many people think to use it in straight savory dishes.. definitely has me thinking now.
Yes it uses up pumpkin from all your baking experiments :) AND you’re right…it is like a lasagna. The big potato slices looked and felt like noodles when I was putting them in the pan!
hahaha marinara sauce! I’m cracking up. For my “good” chewy no bake granola bars, kevin asked if I “melted raisins to make them sticky” – what? What does that even mean?
I’ve had pumpkin mac n cheese but have never had potatoes, cheese, and pumpkin together! I know cheese and pumpkin fair quite well together but adding in another starchy veggie to the mix sounds incredible – girls’ gotta get some running fuel! I don’t eat much meat or white potatoes either – i prefer sweet potatoes but that would just be a little too much in this recipe I feel. Plus cheese pairs so much moire wonderfully with white taters! Oh and re: the credit card bill – I bake Kevin cookies when I make him watch a chick flick with me. =(
Well at least he knew there were raisins in them. Scott would have no idea where to even begin. And as an aside, date paste is pretty common in raw/vegan un-baking. It IS so sticky by just pulverizing dates so Kevin’s thoughts aren’t totally out there with the raisins. I may need to try melting them one day :)
This was totally a half-can of puree open meal – born from other pumpkin baking experiments. Remember all those pumpkin cookie trials from a few weeks ago….yeah.
A wonderful recipe again. yumm!
What a creative mix up! Josh is a white potatoes>sweet potatoes kind of guy too. I am on team sweet potato, but I do love a good regular french fry!
Ok I think everyone loves a good French fry even now and then, even me :)
this looks amazing. I will have to make it this week!