Ohhh, 1940s Cheese Potato Onion Casserole—that’s pure vintage comfort food 🥔🧀
Simple ingredients, big flavor, and very much “make do, but make it cozy.” This is the kind of dish that showed up at church suppers and family tables during the ’40s.
Here’s an authentic, old-fashioned version, just like it would’ve been made back then.
🧀🥔 1940s Cheese Potato Onion Casserole
Ingredients
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4–5 medium russet potatoes, thinly sliced
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1 large onion, thinly sliced
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2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
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2 cups milk
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3 tbsp butter
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2 tbsp all-purpose flour
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1 tsp salt
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1/2 tsp black pepper
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Pinch of paprika (optional, but very period-correct)
👩🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Prep
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
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Butter a 2-quart casserole dish
Step 2: Make the Simple White Sauce
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Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
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Stir in flour and cook 1 minute (don’t brown).
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Slowly whisk in milk.
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Cook until thickened.
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Season with salt and pepper.
(This basic sauce was a 1940s staple—cheap, filling, and comforting.)
Step 3: Layer the Casserole
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Layer half the potatoes in the dish.
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Top with half the onions and half the cheese.
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Pour over half the white sauce.
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Repeat layers.
Step 4: Bake
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Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes.
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Remove foil and bake another 20–25 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.
🕰️ Why This Is So 1940s
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No canned soup (that trend came later)
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Simple béchamel-style sauce
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One-pot, economical ingredients
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Designed to stretch food during rationing
⭐ Tips for Authentic Flavor
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Use sharp cheddar—it was common and added flavor with less cheese
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Slice potatoes thin so they cook evenly
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Let rest 10 minutes before serving to set up
🔁 Period-Style Variations
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Add a little crumbled bacon if available
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Sprinkle buttered breadcrumbs on top before final bake
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Mix in a spoonful of mustard powder for depth
This casserole is rich, humble, and deeply nostalgic—the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out.
If you’d like, I can also share:
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A Depression-era version
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A modernized creamy update
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Or a slow-cooker adaptation