In a blender, combine the water, soymilk, nutritional yeast, cornstarch, lemon juice, tahini, salt, onion powder, miso, garlic powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Blend on high speed for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth and creamy with no lumps. I like to let the blender run a full minute to ensure the cornstarch is fully incorporated—this prevents any grainy texture in the final sauce. Set the blended sauce aside.

Preheat your oven to 400°F. While the oven heats, spread the frozen hash brown potatoes evenly in a 9x13 inch baking dish (or similar size), breaking up any large clumps with your hands or a fork so they distribute evenly for uniform cooking.

Pour the cheese sauce from Step 1 evenly over the hash browns, using a spatula or spoon to distribute it throughout the dish and ensure all potatoes are coated. Sprinkle the 1.5 tsp paprika over the top as a finishing garnish—I find the combination of the smoked paprika already in the sauce with this brighter paprika on top adds nice depth and visual appeal.

Place the baking dish in the preheated 400°F oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce has thickened and set (the potatoes should be tender when pierced with a fork). The cornstarch in the sauce will firm up as it bakes, creating that classic scalloped texture. The exact timing depends on your oven and how thawed your frozen potatoes are, so start checking at 35 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving—this allows the sauce to set further and makes portioning cleaner. Serve hot directly from the baking dish or transfer portions to individual plates.