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Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole

April 1, 2015 by Danae 45 Comments

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This Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole is a lighter version of my favorite holiday side dish! It has all the flavor of the traditional calorie heavy casserole without the guilt! 

Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole | My favorite cheesy potato recipe! You'd never know it was lightened up! | @reciperunnerIt’s getting down to the wire for creating your Easter menu.  So far on ours there will be this Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham, Honey Roasted Carrots, Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls and for dessert Lemon Curd and Vanilla Cheesecake Parfaits. I always have problems narrowing down what I want to make. Sometimes I wish I could host a brunch or dinner and invite 50 people just so I could go crazy and make 20 different things!

One thing that has been and always will be a part of my Easter meal is a cheesy potato recipe that my mom has made for as long as I can remember. The version she makes isn’t what you would call healthy by any means, but dang is it good!

This year I decided to take those cheeserific taters and turn them into a side dish that’s a little lighter but still full of that creamy cheesy flavor you want. So here it is, Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole!

Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole | My favorite cheesy potato recipe! You'd never know it was lightened up! | @reciperunnerSo what did I do to make these cheesy potatoes lighter so that mound of them sitting on your plate looking like Mt. Everest won’t leave you shopping for a larger pair of pants the next week? Well I did several things. First was eliminate most of the butter, not all, but most. The entire casserole only has one tablespoon.

The next thing to eliminate from the original recipe was the canned cream of chicken soup. I thought about making my own, but then I started wondering if it really made the potatoes that much better.

I took a chance and eliminated it and instead increased the amount of plain non fat Greek yogurt I used. The result was just what I was hoping for, I didn’t notice a difference in taste or texture at all.

Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole | My favorite cheesy potato recipe! You'd never know it was lightened up! | @reciperunnerThe remaining changes to the recipe were using skim milk, cutting back on some of the cheese used, and replacing half of the amount of sharp cheddar cheese with part skim mozzarella. The potatoes were amazingly creamy and cheesy even with all the substitutions!

Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole | My favorite cheesy potato recipe! You'd never know it was lightened up! | @reciperunnerNow I have to let you in on the secret to what makes this cheesy potato casserole so special. It’s that instead of mashing the potatoes you boil them until they are almost tender, but still have some bite and then shred them. The texture is a cross between hash browns and mashed potatoes and something about that makes them taste that much better!

If you’re like me, then potatoes will be the main side dish with your Easter dinner, so why not change up the regular mashed version for this shredded and super delicious Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole!

Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole | My favorite cheesy potato recipe! You'd never know it was lightened up! | @reciperunnerMore Easter Side Dishes 

Brown Butter Green Beans with Slivered Almonds | Recipe Runner | Crisp green beans covered with brown butter, toasted almonds, and lemon zest are a simple and delicious side dish!Brown Butter Green Beans with Slivered Almonds

Balsamic Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts | Recipe Runner | Balsamic, maple, and bacon are the perfect combination of flavors for these roasted Brussels sprouts! #thanksgivingBalsamic Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts 

Berries and Feta Salad | www.reciperunner.comBerries and Feta Salad

Continue to Content
Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole

Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole

Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

You'll never suspect that this creamy, cheesy potato casserole has been lightened up with healthier ingredients!

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, washed and peeled
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 2 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups plain non fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup part skim mozzarella, divided
  • 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

  1. Spray a 3 quart casserole dish or a 9x13 dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Cut the washed and peeled potatoes in half and add them to a large pot of salted water.
  3. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook them until almost tender, but still have some bite, about 8-10 minutes.
  4. Let the potatoes cool until you are able to handle them, then using a box grater shred them using the largest grate.
  5. In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, milk, salt, and pepper.
  6. Add in the shredded potatoes, green onions, and 1/2 a cup each of the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
  7. Fold everything together until combined then pour the potatoes into the prepared casserole dish.
  8. Top the potatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup each of shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
  9. Bake the potatoes at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 264Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 545mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 13g
© Danae

 

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Filed Under: Casseroles, Side Dishes Tagged With: casserole, Cheese, cheesy potatoes, Christmas, Easter, Gluten Free, Greek Yogurt, potato casserole, potatoes, side dish, skinny, thanksgiving, vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth

    April 1, 2015 at 7:15 am

    I'd eat these, even if they are "skinny" :)
    Reply
    • Danae

      April 1, 2015 at 10:26 am

      Thanks Beth! :-)
      Reply
  2. Matt Robinson

    April 1, 2015 at 10:48 am

    Skinny or not, this is one seriously perfect looking casserole!
    Reply
    • Danae

      April 1, 2015 at 12:26 pm

      Thanks Matt! :-)
      Reply
  3. Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze

    April 1, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    This sounds delicious and looks fantastic!! I want to try this "skinny" side asap. Hehe. People associate skinny with themselves. That's why the world is loved by all. ;) Beautiful photos too!!
    Reply
    • Danae

      April 1, 2015 at 3:28 pm

      Thanks Cyndi! :-)
      Reply
  4. Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction

    April 1, 2015 at 1:21 pm

    These look too good to be lightened up!
    Reply
    • Danae

      April 1, 2015 at 3:30 pm

      Thanks Jessica! They are soooo good!
      Reply
  5. Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files

    April 1, 2015 at 2:11 pm

    I couldn't agree more. Sometimes I hate using that word as well, but like you said, people are drawn to it!! But these potatoes? Gimme them all!!
    Reply
    • Danae

      April 1, 2015 at 3:29 pm

      Thanks Meg! So glad I'm not alone about how I feel using "that word".
      Reply
  6. Lori

    April 1, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    I like that you used Greek yogurt!
    Reply
    • Danae

      April 3, 2015 at 11:42 am

      Thanks Lori! Greek yogurt is one of my favorite healthy substitutes.
      Reply
  7. Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel

    April 2, 2015 at 11:27 am

    so exciting that its good for you and not just sinful as it looks!!!!
    Reply
    • Danae

      April 3, 2015 at 11:45 am

      Thanks Kelsey!
      Reply
  8. Linda

    April 6, 2015 at 3:52 am

    I just made this for tea, it was easy and tasted sensational. Great recipe!! Thanks for sharing..it was appreciated all the way over in Western Australia :)
    Reply
    • Danae

      April 6, 2015 at 4:45 pm

      Thanks so much for trying the casserole Linda! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it! :-)
      Reply
  9. Carrie Ray

    September 22, 2015 at 8:33 am

    I made this last night for dinner to go with meatloaf. The potatoes were DELICIOUS! I wouldn't change a thing. Not only did they taste amazing , but they made an attractive presentation when prepared as you suggest. Thanks!
    Reply
    • Danae

      September 22, 2015 at 1:18 pm

      I'm so happy to hear you loved the potatoes Carrie! They are one of my favorite side dishes to make, especially around the holidays!
      Reply
  10. Tiffany

    January 11, 2016 at 9:05 am

    Do we know the nutritional value for these potatoes. Calories, Carbs, etc. They look delicious!
    Reply
    • Danae

      January 11, 2016 at 1:28 pm

      Hi Tiffany, I apologize, but I currently don't do nutritional counts on my recipes. I've heard from others that MyFitnessPal has a good calculator for figuring that all out.
      Reply
  11. Stephanie

    February 13, 2016 at 8:05 am

    These look so good. It makes me want to eat some now and it's only breakfast time now.
    Reply
    • Danae

      February 14, 2016 at 1:34 pm

      I see nothing wrong with cheesy potatoes for breakfast Stephanie! ;-)
      Reply
  12. Dawn Stock

    March 12, 2016 at 7:28 am

    If I wanted to use frozen hash browns to save time, how much would I use for this recipe? I'm excited to lighten it up using Greek yogurt.
    Reply
    • Danae

      March 12, 2016 at 2:13 pm

      Hi Dawn! I'm excited you're trying out the recipe. I haven't ever made the potato casserole using frozen hash browns so I can't tell you for sure how much to use, but if I had to guess I would say approximately 6-7 cups. Hope this helps!
      Reply
    • Chelsea W.

      March 20, 2016 at 2:14 pm

      I tried using frozen hash browns and used 6 cups. It was the perfect amount!
      Reply
      • Danae

        March 21, 2016 at 12:56 pm

        Awesome Chelsea! I'm glad the hash browns worked and thanks for sharing the time saving tip!
        Reply
  13. Eileen

    May 14, 2016 at 9:20 am

    I made your your Skinny Cheesy Potato Casserole this past week and it was super yummy and a family favorite! It will be going in my rotation for sure!!!! I made the recipe without changing a thing, and it was perfect!!
    Reply
    • Danae

      May 15, 2016 at 8:27 am

      Hi Eileen, I'm so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the potato casserole! It's one of our favorites as well and my husband always requests it to have with holiday dinner. Thanks for trying the recipe!
      Reply
  14. [email protected]

    October 9, 2016 at 3:50 pm

    I just found this recipe on Pinterest and it will be making an appearance at this year's Thanksgiving dinner. My taste testers will flip for this. And yes I don't like using the word skinny in a title but whatever works for traffic. You've got the right idea! You want people to find the recipe. The photos are great!
    Reply
    • Danae

      October 9, 2016 at 5:14 pm

      Thanks so much Theresa! It will be on my Thanksgiving table as well! :-)
      Reply
  15. Christy m

    February 28, 2017 at 7:54 pm

    This is a lot like a recipe that is always a must for our Christmas, New Years, and Easter. We boil the the potatoes and then let cool for several hours or overnight and then grate. We use sour cream and butter. The recipe uses cheddar cheese and a cream of chicken or mushroom soup. It was given to us by a dear old lady who was a Grandma type figure to our family. She's long since passed. The crazy thing is most of my siblings use her recipe for family gatherings and my brother made it for a teacher who was sick and she's since made it.
    Reply
    • Danae

      March 2, 2017 at 2:09 pm

      Hi Christy! Your recipe sounds almost identical to my mom's version that I adapted this from, how funny! It's a tradition that we have it every year with Easter dinner.
      Reply
  16. Amber

    April 18, 2017 at 8:55 am

    Just made these for Easter & they were a hit! Do you have nutrition facts?
    Reply
  17. Laurie

    September 18, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    These were really good! I only had 2% milk and yogurt, and used a sauteed leek in place of the onion. And I left the skins on the potatoes. Awesome dinner with a salad. Thanks for posting!
    Reply
    • Danae

      September 19, 2017 at 11:15 am

      Thanks Laurie and I'm glad you liked them! They're one of my favorite potato dishes. :-)
      Reply
  18. Ami

    November 2, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    Have you ever frozen these potatoes? I have a lot of potatoes (got 10 lb for $2!!) to use up. I know you can freeze mashed potatoes and this looks like it might work the same way.
    Reply
    • Danae

      November 3, 2017 at 9:36 am

      Holy cow Ami, what a steal on the potatoes! I'm always a little weary about freezing stuff that contains dairy because it tends to mess with the texture or separate when you defrost it. However, what you could do is shred those potatoes and freeze them flat in freezer bags. I've had other readers tell me they've used the frozen shredded potatoes you can buy at the store for this recipe. Doing that would at least save you the shredding step of the recipe (which is what take the longest).
      Reply
  19. Susan

    October 22, 2018 at 4:17 am

    Hi Danae! Greek yogurt brands taste very different to me. Could you tell me which brand of plain Greek yogurt you used? I would love to try this recipe out! Thank you for sharing! Sincerely, Susan
    Reply
    • Danae

      October 22, 2018 at 12:47 pm

      Hi Susan! I always use Fage plain Greek yogurt. I love the thick consistency and taste.
      Reply
  20. Crystal

    November 30, 2018 at 6:00 pm

    I didn't have cream cheese and this was still super yummy! Great way to use up some potatoes :)
    Reply
    • Danae

      December 6, 2018 at 8:30 am

      Happy to hear you liked the potatoes Crystal, thanks for trying them out!
      Reply
  21. Barbara

    December 18, 2018 at 1:41 pm

    Can these be prepared a day ahead of time and then baked? Or baked and then warmed up the next day?
    Reply
    • Danae

      December 18, 2018 at 1:52 pm

      Absolutely. Just let them sit out for about 30 minutes before putting them in the oven so they aren't going in ice cold.
      Reply
      • Casey

        April 12, 2019 at 5:45 am

        I am going to make this for Easter this year. If I don’t want to make the whole dish ahead of time do you think I can just cook/ shred potatoes day before?
        Reply
        • Danae

          April 12, 2019 at 8:49 am

          You can absolutely do that Casey. I hope you like the potatoes!
          Reply

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