Cheesy Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole

A quick & easy dish to throw together, this Cheesy Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole is a meat and potatoes kind of dinner everyone can agree on. It’s meant to be savored, and shared.

Cheese. Cheese! Glorious Cheese. How can you not like cheese?

It is beyond our family’s comprehension. In the words of the infamous Sicilian, The Great Vizzini, “Inconceivable!”

So if you’re one of these people who don’t like cheese, whether it’s a texture thing, an animal by-product aversion, I give you fair warning: Look Away. Look. Away. NOW.

For everybody else who jumped right on the cheese wheel wagon with us, this is your kind of dish.

Cheese, cheese sauce, with another sprinkle of cheese on top.

And, you know, some tender Russet potatoes and sliced smoked sausage were included to make it a meal appropriate for general consumption.

Eating cheese sauce by the spoonful & straight out of the pan- it’s probably frowned upon in polite society.

I wish there were a cheese grater, like the one at Olive Garden who grates the fresh Parm on your salad, but at my personal beck and call, and when I tell him to keep it coming, make it rain, (you get the idea), he just says, ‘As You Wish.’

Can you tell I’ve been re-reading The Princess Bride for like the millionth time? I can’t help it. I love everything about it, and it makes such good reference material!

But honestly, if you thought cheese was good all by itself, err I meant to say cheesy potatoes, yes– if you thought cheesy potatoes were good by themselves, then you’re really gonna love them with the added flavor from the smoked sausage.

Let’s not forget the sweet, smokiness of the paprika either!

I could seriously eat a dish like this everyday. This Cheesy Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole is serious comfort food, just how it’s meant to be.

Cheesy Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole

A creamy, cheesy meat & potatoes casserole, this dinner is simple Southern comfort food.

Ingredients

• 3 cups peeled cubed Russet potatoes, boiled until soft but not mushy
• 1 lb smoked sausage* thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp flour
• 2 cups half & half or milk
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese cubed
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

• In a large skillet, over medium low heat, saute the sausage in a large skillet with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil flipping and stirring until they’ve browned a bit.
• Lightly spray a 9×13″ baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Transfer the cooked potatoes and sausage to a casserole dish, stirring just enough to evenly distribute.
• Turn the heat up to medium and add the butter to the skillet. When melted, whisk in the flour. Allow it to cook about a minute, whisking constantly, to get rid of the floury taste. Slowly add in the half and half, 1/4-1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly until evenly incorporated. Continue cooking until thickened.
• Stir in the Velveeta, paprika, and salt & pepper, stirring occasionally until completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Pour cheese sauce evenly out over the potatoes and meat. Evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over top.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender and the casserole is golden brown on top.