Kraft Creamy Potato Bake

Loaded potato casserole doesn’t get much more indulgent than this. Cubed potatoes get folded into a creamy base of melted Velveeta, sour cream, and mayo-style salad dressing, then layered with crumbled bacon and green onions. The cheese melts into every crevice, creating that stretchy, gooey texture that only Velveeta delivers.

Pimentos add little pops of sweet, mild pepper throughout. It’s a small ingredient that keeps the casserole from tasting one-note. The paprika sprinkled on top before baking gives the surface a warm golden color and a hint of smokiness.

Stir the cheese and margarine into the hot potatoes right after draining. The residual heat does most of the melting work, so you only need low heat to finish the job.

Chef Tips

• Cut potatoes into even cubes so they cook at the same rate. Uneven pieces mean some will be mushy while others are still firm.
• Reserve half the cheese, bacon, and onions for the top as directed. That topping layer is what makes this look as good as it tastes.
• Don’t skip the sour cream. It cuts through the richness of the Velveeta and keeps the texture from becoming too dense.
• Leftovers reheat well with a splash of milk to loosen the cheese back up.

Variations

• Hash brown version: Swap cubed potatoes for frozen hash browns. Skip the boiling step entirely and increase baking time by 10 minutes.
• Broccoli-cheese potato bake: Fold in steamed broccoli florets for a veggie boost that pairs naturally with the cheese sauce.