Midwest Estate Casserole with Creamy Cheese Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A comforting layered casserole with crispy potatoes, bacon, and velvety cheese sauce, inspired by Minnesota estate auctions. This American-inspired one-pot recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs butter, bacon, potatoes for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 650 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 25 min Cook: 30 min Serves 4 American cuisine 650 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt 1 tbsp butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add 4 chopped bacon slices and cook until crisp (5 minutes), then remove and set aside.
  2. Step 2: Add 2 cups diced potatoes to the skillet with the bacon fat and cook 5 minutes until slightly softened, stirring occasionally.
  3. Step 3: In a small saucepan, melt remaining 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and cook 1 minute until bubbly. Gradually whisk in 1 cup milk until thickened (3-4 minutes).
  4. Step 4: Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese until melted.
  5. Step 5: Pour cheese sauce over potatoes, sprinkle with cooked bacon and 1/4 cup bread crumbs. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

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