T
he fact that this recipe title includes the words cheesy, crispy, and potatoes, should give you all the confidence you need to put every one of these ingredients on your grocery list, like, now. Everyone knows the best part of a baked cheesy potato dish is the outside edge, where the cheese kind of sticks to the edge of the pan and you get to scrape off those browned crispy bits. This recipe is genius because these cheesy little cups are made in butter and breadcrumb coated servings to every bite is surrounded in those browned crispy bits. The inside is full of tender potatoes and super creamy sauce. It would be a perfect side dish for the Orange and Brown Sugar Glazed Ham Kate posted earlier this week!
To get the buttery crisp edge, you’ll coat muffin cups with butter, and then with ground panko bread crumbs. One piece of advice I have is to take the time to really butter and coat each cup well, making sure there are no open spaces where the cheesy potato mixture can stick. If they’re well coated, they’ll pop right out when they’re done.
Set that pan aside and prep your potatoes. When you read the directions of how to slice up your potatoes, use this as a visual:
Put those cute little slices in a microwave-safe bowl and add some half and half,
and some salt and pepper.
Heating this mixture in the microwave gives the potatoes a head start so they cook in time when placed in the hot oven. While they’re heating up, grate some cheese and toss it with a little cornstarch.
Once the potatoes are done in the microwave, combine with the cheese and watch it melt into the mixture like creamy, cheesy deliciousness.
As they cook, the little bit of cornstarch will thicken the cheesy sauce, the edges will brown and crisp, and the tops will melt.
It’s everything a potato dish should be and more.
This would be an awesome side dish for a classic steakhouse dinner, or fittingly- along side a holiday ham!
Cheesy Potato Cups
Recipe from Cook’s Country
Notes: Do not use pre-shredded cheese in this recipe. Do use a non-stick 12 cup standard muffin pan.
Ingredients
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
5 1/2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/3 cups)
1 1/4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Pulse panko in food processor until finely ground, about 5 pulses. Evenly coat each muffin cup with softened butter and then with ground panko. Cut each potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Cut each wedge crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Combine potatoes, half and half, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and microwave, covered, until just tender, 12-15 minutes, stirring once.
2. Meanwhile, toss cheddar, Parmesan, and cornstarch together in a bowl; reserve 1/3 cup for topping. Add remaining cheese mixture to hot potato mixture, stirring until smooth. Divide potato-cheese mixture evenly among muffin cups and smooth. Sprinkle cups with reserved cheese.
3. Cover muffin tin with aluminum foil sprayed with vegetable oil spray and bake for 10 minutes. Discard foil and continue to bake until golden brown, 13-15 minutes. Run paring knife around perimeter of muffin cups. Let potato cups cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 5 minutes. Place rimmed baking sheet on top of muffin tin and invert potato cups, tapping on muffin tin to release cups. invert cups onto wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.
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Questions & Reviews
I’ve been making these delicious potato cups for almost 10 years and always receive rave reviews. Great recipe! Been making these potatoes for almost 10 years. I have to make them for a friend of my son every time he comes to town or he returns home disappointed.
These potato cups looks so yummy! Thank you for sharing the recipe! Gonna try it this weekend.
To answer a few questions:
They freeze very well. I wrap them up two at a time so they are in serving size packages.
Half and Half is in the dairy section next to cream.
Drain the bacon really well or they get greasy. They don’t freeze well with bacon.
Never use shredded cheese from a bag and never, never use green can Parmesan. Parmesan grates really well with a micro plane. The shreds are really fine and melt quickly.
could this be made into mini-muffins?,,,,I am giving it a try today for some breakfast bites tomorrow.
Made these tonight and they came out perfectly! And this from a girl who never has luck with Internet recipes. Next time I think I’ll add some bacon pieces as suggested in one of the comments above!
What is used for the half and half?
Oh My Gosh! This is such a great idea! I need to try this!
These look like little cups of deliciousness! I’m pretty sure my kids will adore them – can’t wait to make a batch!
This would a recipe that I would make a pig of myself with. It would be best to make them when I was alone. Just me—and the crispy cheesy potatoes. You think I am kidding—-Not. Ha.
Sorry to sound dumb, but it says to cook for 10 minutes, then take off the foil and continue cooking until golden brown, 13-15 mins. Is that an additional 13-15 mins on top of the first 10? (So, 23-25 total.) Or just 13-15 mins total?
I made these last night and baked them for 23 mins total. Turned out perfectly! 🙂
These are cheesy, potatoey cups of perfection!!
I’m curious … why can’t pre-shredded cheese be used. Thanks!
I would also like to know.
It just doesn’t melt in as well
Nice! Such a good use for those under-appreciated muffin pans!
We don’t have a microwave, but could pre-cook the potatoes… How “done” are they when they come out of the microwave? Halfway?
Ya I’d say about half-way. Tender.
You mentioned grated parmesan cheese… is this freshly grated or the kind in the green bottle? Thank you!!!
Definitely go for freshly grated!
So do you think you could something similar with macaroni pasta?
Ya, that would actually probably be pretty good!
these look amazing! Maybe add some cooked bacon?
Heck yes!
These look awesome. Do you think this is something I could make ahead? Christmas Eve is at my Aunt’s house this year and I am the one in charge of potatoes. Even if I could just do part of it ahead, that would help…
I bet you could make the potato mixture ahead of time and then put the cups together right before baking. But I’m not sure- totally guessing there!
My crazy kids think the brown crispy part of a potato dish is burned and ruined, but I think this recipe looks awesome!
These sound delicious! Do you think they would freeze well? Much as I’d like to, I can’t eat all twelve at once. 🙂
I’ve never tried freezing them. If you do- let me know how they turn out! 🙂