Phenomenal Casserole

Phenomenal Casserole–a cheesy, quick Instant Pot potato dish featuring tender cubed Russets, bacon and a pepper jack cheese sauce.

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Phenomenal Casserole

These Instant Pot potatoes are a delicious upgrade from traditional funeral potatoes! They are made from scratch. I skipped the canned soup and make a homemade roux-based cheese sauce, which gives the dish a richer flavor without the processed taste. I used a pepper jack cheese for a fun twist instead of cheddar. Plus I used Russet potatoes instead of a bag of hashbrowns. The Instant Pot quickly steams the potatoes in just a one minute pressure cook time. The result is a creamy, cheesy, slightly spicy potato dish with real flavor. I think you’ll love this easy potato side dish.

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Russet potatoes–or red potatoes
• Butter
• Flour
• Milk–or evaporated milk, half and half
• Better than Bouillon chicken base
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Pepper jack cheese–best when shredded off the block
• Bacon crumbles

Steps

Peel potatoes and cut into small quarter inch cubes. (I like to use this knife*.) Add potatoes into steamer basket*.

Pour 1 ½ cups of water into bottom of Instant Pot. Add the steamer basket into the pot. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 1 minute. When time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid. Set aside the steamer basket and discard the water.

Turn Instant Pot to saute setting (“less”). Add in the butter and let it melt. Slowly whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time. It will thicken as you go. Whisk in the chicken base, salt and pepper. Turn off Instant Pot.

Fold in the potatoes, cheese and bacon.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes/Tips

• Serve as a side dish to ham, chicken, pork chops, steak, etc. Add a salad or broccoli to round out the meal.
• Cut the potatoes evenly. Uniform ¼-inch cubes ensure the potatoes cook evenly.
• Don’t skip the steamer basket*. Steaming the potatoes instead of boiling them keeps them firm and prevents them from getting waterlogged or mushy.
• Remember the quick release. A quick release after 1 minute of pressure cooking stops the potatoes from overcooking and turning to mush.
• If possible, use slightly warmed milk when making the roux. It helps the sauce thicken more smoothly and quickly.
• Whisk constantly while adding milk to prevent lumps.
• Use freshly shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect meltability.
• If you’re frying bacon and want to end up with 1/3 cup of crumbles, you’ll need to cook about 4 to 5 slices of regular-cut bacon. For a crazy yummy version fry the bacon first in the Instant Pot and then use 4 Tbsp of the bacon fat instead of butter to make the roux.
• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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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*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.