What better way to embrace the hearty, fluffy goodness of potatoes than smothering them with a bunch of tasty ingredients? Yes, some may find the recipe "highly processed" but it's a popular recipe in Amish kitchens!
Why This Recipe Is So Great:
Easy to Make: Other than boiling the potatoes the day before, this dish assembles in minutes!
Super Flavorful: How can you go wrong with potatoes, melted cheese, onions, and cream of mushroom soup?
Perfect As a Side or a Meal: Hearty enough to enjoy as a center-of-the-plate entree, or served as a side!
Amish Farmhouse Potatoes Demystified
There are two basic types of Amish cooking and baking and they evolve out of distinct historical trajectories. One line of Amish cooking originates largely in Pennsylvania and has defined roots in German culinary culture and tilts towards the natural and organic (chicken corn soup is staple in this category) but even baked goods like cinnamon rolls which the Amish are so well known for originate here.
The second category has its roots in the post-Depression "processed food revolution" when convenience foods like canned soups and Velveeta cheese transformed (not necessarily for the better) American eating habits. Amish cooks embraced these convenience foods as ways to speed up meal preparation. With a house full of 10 children who could blame anyone for wanting to cut corners?
The Amish and Processed Foods
We often hear from surprised readers who comment: "Gee, an Amish cook would never use cream of mushroom soup!" Yeah, that's simply not the case. I was recently in a convenience store and saw an Amish man buying Mt. Dew and Doritos. Processed foods, for better or worse, are part of the Amish diet in many locales.
So this recipe for "Farmhouse Potatoes" (from an Amish cook in Missouri) has its origins in the processed food influence, which is why you see some of the ingredients in it that you. This dish tastes wonderful, it just may not be the best for you. Feel free to cut the recipe in half! And if you are not a fan of the heavily processed Velveeta cheese, feel free to substitute with a shredded Cheddar. It won't be quite as "melty", but it will also be a less processed dish.
Like most Amish recipes, this is pretty basic stuff: butter, garlic salt, seasoning salt, onions, and the like.
Eventually, all the ingredients get mixed together and then pour into a giant roaster and baked. This recipe will all fit into a large roaster, but you can easily halve the recipe.
I suppose you could really make this a meal and add some ground beef. But this really is great as is and is a really popular potluck dish among the Amish. You'll frequently see this served after church.
🥔 Amish Farmhouse Potatoes Ingredients
- 9 pounds of potatoes
- 3 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 /2 cup Velveeta cheese
- 1 cup butter
- dash of pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 1 /2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 cup Miracle Whip
- 4 teaspoons seasoning salt
- 3 /4 chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
📋 Instructions
- Boil the potatoes with a little salt the day before.
- They don't have to be peeled until they are ready to prepare.
- Mix all the other ingredients in a saucepan.
- Heat until butter and cheese are melted.
- Pour over the peeled and diced potatoes.
- Bake at approximately 1 hour at 350.
🥔 More Amish Potato Dishes
Delicious Mashed Potato Casserole - So good!
Easy Parmesan Potatoes - Wow!
Hubby's Favorite Potato Casserole - Amazing!
Amish Wedding Mashed Potatoes - Super!
🖨️ Full Recipe
Amish Farmhouse Potatoes
Ingredients
- 9 pounds potatoes
- 3 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 /2 cup Velveeta cheese
- cup butter
- dash of pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 1 /2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 cup Miracle Whip
- 4 teaspoons seasoning salt
- 3 /4 chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes with a little salt the day before.
- They don't have to be peeled until they are ready to prepare.
- Mix all the other ingredients in a saucepan.
- Heat until butter and cheese are melted.
- Pour over the peeled and diced potatoes. Bake at approximately 1 hour at 350.
Alberta
Can't thank you enough for all your posts and the recipes you give out, I have enjoyed reading your page for a long time and I have printed up and used countless recipes of the Amish, thanks so much.
I am about a hour from a farm market in NJ which has several Amish stores, I go twice a month to purchase their meats and bakery items, my list keeps getting longer, clean eating -the meats are fabulous and so worth the trip,
Thanks again for this treasure of a link.
Kevin
Thank you, Alberta, for such kind, generous words, I'm glad you enjoying coming to Amish365!
Joyce Mollenkopf
I enjoy your column almost everyday...
When you come to visit Gloria you need to stop at the Dutch Pantry in Vincennes on Hart St. They serve the most delicious sandwiches from their deli. Also lots of grocery items and baked goods. They also have a store in Oden In. (never been there, but hear it is good too)!
Joyce
Kevin
Thank you for that info, Joyce, I will plan on doing that!