Cheesy Ranch Potatoes and Smoked Sausage

This Cheesy Ranch Potatoes and Smoked Sausage casserole is the ultimate one-pan comfort meal for busy weeknights. Packed with savory ranch flavor and gooey melted cheese, it's a "dump and bake" dinner that the whole family will love!

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Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cheesy Ranch Potatoes and Smoked Sausage, dump and bake dinner, easy weeknight meals, one-pan dinner, sausage potato ranch casserole

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 50

Resting Time: 5

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 485kcal

Cost: $12

Equipment

1 9×13-inch baking dish Lightly grease with cooking spray or butter.
1 Large mixing bowl Perfect for my little Olivia to help toss the ingredients!
1 Sharp knife For cutting those potatoes into uniform cubes.
1 Aluminum foil To trap the steam and make the potatoes perfectly tender.
1 Cheese grater Freshly shredded cheese melts so much better than the bagged stuff!

Ingredients

2 lbs Baby potatoes or Yukon Gold Cut into 1-inch cubes.
14 oz Smoked sausage Sliced into ½-inch rounds.
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix The secret flavor backbone!
3 tablespoon Olive oil To help the potatoes roast up golden.
1 teaspoon Garlic powder For that extra savory punch.
½ teaspoon Onion powder Essential for depth of flavor.
½ teaspoon Black pepper To taste.
½ teaspoon Smoked paprika Adds a beautiful color and smoky hint.
1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese Sharp cheddar is our family favorite!
½ cup Shredded mozzarella cheese For that perfect stretchy cheese pull.
4 oz Cream cheese Cubed and softened; makes it so rich.
¼ cup Sour cream To stir in for extra creaminess.
2 tablespoon Butter Cut into small pieces.
2 tablespoon Fresh parsley Chopped for garnish.
2 Green onions Sliced for a pop of freshness.

Instructions

Sweetheart, let's get the oven ready! Preheat it to 400°F. While that warms up, we'll grease our [9x13-inch baking dish]. Olivia loves to 'paint' the dish with the butter wrapper, it’s a great way to let the kids help!
In your [large mixing bowl], toss together those [baby potatoes], [smoked sausage] rounds, [olive oil], [ranch seasoning mix], [garlic powder], [onion powder], [black pepper], and [smoked paprika]. This is the fun part where everything gets coated in that savory ranch magic!
Spread the mixture into the dish. Scatter the [cream cheese] cubes and [butter] pieces on top. Cover tightly with [aluminum foil] and bake for 30 minutes. The foil keeps the steam in, making the potatoes tender enough for even the littlest teeth to enjoy!
Carefully remove the foil (watch out for that steam!). Dollop the [sour cream] over the top and give it a gentle stir. My little Olivia calls this the 'clouds' step because of the white fluffy sour cream!
Now for the best part! Sprinkle the [cheddar cheese] and [mozzarella cheese] all over. Put it back in the oven, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. This is when the kitchen starts smelling like a dream!
Let it rest for 5 minutes, I know it’s hard to wait, but it helps the sauce thicken! Sprinkle with [fresh parsley] and [green onions] before serving. It’s a meal full of love that I can't wait for Olivia to make for her own family one day

Notes

Kid Tip: Let the little ones help "dot" the butter and cream cheese on top before the first bake, it's a great motor-skill activity!
Substitutions: You can swap the smoked sausage for Kielbasa or even Turkey sausage for a lighter version.
Storage: Leftovers are even better the next day! Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat in the oven to keep the potatoes from getting soft.
Variation: If you want a little kick, swap the cheddar for Pepper Jack cheese!

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