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Chef Ronnie Woo shares her mother-in-law, Mama Mac's, easy and crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving side dish that you can make ahead and freeze. The sliced potato layer provides crunch, looks nice and only takes a few extra minutes, but it's optional, so feel free to skip it.  

For another make-ahead freezer dish for the holidays, check out Ronnie's Pumpkin Brioche Bread Pudding with Crunchy Cornflake Topping.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Yukon gold (or new red) potatoes, diced
  • 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup finely chopped green onions (dark green parts only)
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Dash of hot sauce (optional)
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 large russet potato, sliced very thin on a mandoline (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme leaves

Yield

Serves: 10 to 12

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

In a large pot, add the diced potatoes and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook until al dente, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix together the cheddar cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, butter, green onions, Parmesan and hot sauce (if using) until thoroughly combined. Add the al dente potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Gently mix until fully combined, then transfer to a greased 9 x 9-inch baking dish. 

If you're making the optional sliced potato topping, continue here. If not, jump to the next paragraph. In a medium bowl, gently toss the potato slices and canola oil until evenly coated. Arrange the potato slices with overlapping edges on top of the potato mixture until completely covered. Season with salt and pepper. 

Bake on the center rack until the top is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with thyme leaves right before serving.  

Storage Instructions: Cool completely, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

Freezing, Thawing and Reheating Instructions: Cool completely, cover tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. For best results, defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. Preheat oven to 375°F and bake until thoroughly warmed through, about 15 to 20 minutes. To bake directly from frozen, preheat the oven to 375°F and bake until thoroughly warmed through, about 30 to 35 minutes.