Instant Pot Potato O’Brien Casserole–frozen O’Brien potatoes are stirred together with seasonings, sour cream and cheese and then cooked in your Instant Pot (or Crockpot).
Note: the SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe card below

Instant Pot Potato O’Brien Casserole
This is a cheesy potato recipe that I know you’re going to love. Greg and Skyler loved this dish and took it down quickly! The frozen potatoes o’brien cooked nicely and had a perfect texture. Sometimes I find that hashbrown dishes in the Instant Pot get overcooked and mushy…that wasn’t the case with this dish!
What are Potatoes O’Brien?
Potatoes O’Brien is a classic side dish dating back to the early 1900’s made from fried, diced potatoes, plus red and green bell peppers and other seasonings. This casserole uses the frozen potatoes o’brien that you can easily find at your grocery store. No chopping vegetables for this dish!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- 1 (28 oz) bag frozen Potatoes O’Brien–I bought the Ore-Ida Potatoes O’Brien with Onions & Peppers
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic salt–a substitute is 1 part garlic powder to 3 parts salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper–or white pepper
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of celery soup–you can also use cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup. If you’d like you can also make your own from scratch.
- 1 cup sour cream–I used full fat but you can also use low-fat
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese–or another cheese of your choice
- 1/2 cup French fried onions, for topping–these are optional but they sure taste good!
Instructions
You can make this in the Instant Pot, Crockpot or bake it in the oven. Here’s how…
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Pour 1 ½ cups water into bottom of Instant Pot.
- Add potatoes, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, cream of celery, sour cream and cheese into a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
- Add the mixture into a deep pot-in-pot dish (I used a 3 quart IP liner* inside my 6 quart IP as a pot-in-pot dish).
- Place the dish on top of a sling/trivet* and lower the dish into the Instant Pot.
- Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 30 minutes (if your potatoes are frozen) or 20 minutes (if your potatoes are thawed). When time is up move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Remove the dish and top with French fried onions. Serve and enjoy.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add potatoes, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, cream of celery, sour cream and cheese into a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
- Add the mixture into slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
- Remove the lid and top with French fried onions. Serve and enjoy.
Oven Instructions:
- Add potatoes, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, cream of celery, sour cream and cheese into a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
- Add the mixture into a greased 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Bake for 40 minutes at 350° F.
- Remove from oven, top with onions and bake for 5 more minutes.

Notes
- This takes a “long” time to cook (in terms of Instant Pot, 30 minutes is somewhat long) because the pot-in-pot method is used and the dish is super deep. The deeper and fuller the dish, the longer it will take to cook.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. You can also make this in an 8 quart Instant Pot.
- Try adding in cubes of ham or cooked sausage. Another choice is to sprinkle crispy cooked bacon on the top after the casserole has cooked.
- If you don’t have french fried onions on hand try using crushed potato chips, toasted panko breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes.
- This makes a great side dish to a ham or turkey dinner.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to make this as a freezer casserole: Add potatoes, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, cream of celery, sour cream and cheese into a large mixing bowl. Stir well. Add the mixture into a greased 8×8 inch baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and freeze until ready to use. When ready to bake preheat oven to 350° F and bake for 60 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15-20 more minutes. Add french fried onions and bake for 5 more minutes.
More Instant Pot Potato Recipes…
Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Au Gratin Potatoes
Instant Pot French Onion Potato Bake
Instant Pot Meat and Potato Casserole
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.

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Instant Pot Potato O’Brien Casserole
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minute
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Frozen O’Brien potatoes are stirred together with seasonings, sour cream and cheese and then cooked in your Instant Pot (or Crockpot). A delicious breakfast casserole or a side dish to supper.
Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz) bag frozen Potatoes O’Brien
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of celery soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup French fried onions, for topping
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Pour 1 ½ cups water into bottom of Instant Pot.
- Add potatoes, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, cream of celery, sour cream and cheese into a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
- Add the mixture into a deep pot-in-pot dish (I used a 3 quart IP liner inside my 6 quart IP as a pot-in-pot dish).
- Place the dish on top of a sling/trivet and lower the dish into the Instant Pot.
- Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 30 minutes (if your potatoes are frozen) or 20 minutes (if your potatoes are thawed). When time is up move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Remove the dish and top with French fried onions. Serve and enjoy.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add potatoes, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, cream of celery, sour cream and cheese into a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
- Add the mixture into slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
- Remove the lid and top with French fried onions. Serve and enjoy.
- Category: Side
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I am new to Instant Pot. Your recipe does not say what setting (low, med, or high) to use when using the pot for pressure cooking.
Unless I state otherwise I always pressure cook on the high pressure setting! Welcome to the IP world!!! It’s a fun place to be
I don’t have a pot in pot. Is there an alternative?
I would make it in the slow cooker or the oven. Those instructions are listed in the post! If you use the slow cooker function on the Instant Pot I would use the highest setting.
I have been making thi for several yrs except I add more cheese and sometimes mix a different cheese to the cheddar.Iif O’Brien potatoes are not available the the plain are just fine.Honestly you can mix up this recipe and it will still be delicious.My grandchildren wolf these down,I also top the casserole with bread crumbs mixed with butter,Adds a crunch that we all love
★★★★★
It is so tasty!