This oven baked 5-ingredient Amish celery potato bake is the kind of simple, stick-to-your-ribs dish that’s been on Midwestern tables for generations. Raw potatoes are sliced and tucked into a baking dish, then you simply layer on canned cream of celery soup and three humble pantry staples to turn it into something cozy and familiar. It’s the sort of recipe you pull together on a chilly evening when you want the oven to do the work and the house to smell like Sunday supper at Grandma’s.
Serve this creamy celery potato bake alongside roast chicken, meatloaf, baked ham, or pork chops for a classic Midwestern-style supper. A simple green vegetable—like buttered peas, green beans, or a tossed salad—helps balance the richness. It also makes a lovely addition to a holiday table, tucked between the stuffing and the rolls, and reheats well the next day with a fried egg on top for a hearty breakfast.
Oven Baked Amish Celery Potato BakeServings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/8–1/4 inch thick (about 5–6 medium potatoes)
1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of celery soup
1 cup whole milk
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces (for greasing dish and dotting on top, optional but recommended)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a little of the butter so the potatoes don’t stick.
Scrub and peel the potatoes (if you like them peeled), then slice them into even 1/8–1/4 inch rounds. Try to keep the slices similar in thickness so they cook at the same rate.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the canned cream of celery soup, milk, salt, and black pepper until smooth and pourable. This is the creamy mixture you’ll be layering over the raw potatoes.
Spread a thin layer of the soup mixture, about 1/3 cup, over the bottom of the greased baking dish. This helps keep the first layer of potatoes from sticking.
Arrange a snug, even layer of sliced raw potatoes over the soup in the bottom of the dish, overlapping the slices slightly like shingles.
Spoon some of the soup mixture over the potatoes, just enough to lightly cover them, then sprinkle a small handful of shredded cheddar cheese over the top.
Repeat the layering process—potatoes, soup mixture, then cheese—until you’ve used all the potatoes. Finish with the last of the soup mixture poured evenly over the top and the remaining cheese sprinkled over everything.
Dot the top with the remaining bits of butter for extra richness and browning.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. This allows the raw potatoes to steam and soften in the creamy sauce without drying out.
After 45 minutes, carefully remove the foil and continue baking for another 20–30 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a knife and the top is golden and bubbly.
Let the celery potato bake rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the layers settle so it scoops out neatly and the sauce thickens slightly.
Variations & Tips
For extra flavor, you can add a thinly sliced small onion between the potato layers, or stir 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder into the soup mixture. If you prefer a bit of color, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley or snipped chives over the top after baking. To make it heartier, layer in 1–1 1/2 cups of cooked diced ham or browned ground sausage with the potatoes. For a slightly lighter version, use 2% milk and reduce the cheese to 3/4 cup, though the bake will be a bit less rich. If you’re preparing this ahead, assemble it, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; add 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time if it goes into the oven cold. Food safety tips: Keep the canned soup refrigerated after opening if you’re not using it right away, and discard any leftovers that have been at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Cool leftovers quickly, then refrigerate in a shallow container and use within 3–4 days, reheating until piping hot all the way through before serving.
