This easy cheesy hashbrown casserole features shredded potatoes in a creamy sauce topped with plenty of gooey cheese. It's a homemade version of Cracker Barrel's popular side dish, and it's perfect for your next holiday meal.
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Why this Recipe Works
This classic cheesy hashbrown casserole is a homemade recreation of the wildly popular Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole. And it's very similar to funeral potatoes, but without the crunchy corn flake topping.
This easy hashbrown casserole recipe is so simple to make, with just a few common ingredients, and it comes together quickly with just a few minutes of hands-on time.
The creamy sauce is a blend of sour cream and condensed cream of chicken soup, with sautéed onions and cheese. It's all topped off with more cheese, and then it goes into the oven to bake. It comes out a delicious blend of tender, creamy potato goodness topped off with gooey melted cheese.
Hash brown potato casserole is perfect for feeding a crowd. You can serve it at breakfast or brunch as a hearty addition to your meal, and it pairs perfectly with a honey glazed ham or roasted meats like standing rib roast at Easter or Christmas.
Ingredient Notes
- Hash Brown Potatoes - This recipe calls for shredded hash brown potatoes. Frozen diced hash browns will also work. It's important to let the hashbrowns thaw overnight in the fridge to avoid a watery casserole.
- Cheese - I used mild cheddar cheese in this recipe but Cracker Barrel uses Colby cheese which will also work in this recipe. Whichever you choose, I highly recommend shredding your own from a block to get the best melt.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Set a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add your diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and lightly browned. Then remove from the heat and let them cool slightly.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl, reserving 1 cup of cheese for the topping.
- Add the potato mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish, then top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until the casserole is bubbly, and the top is lightly browned.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to thaw your hash browns before adding them to the casserole. Using them frozen will add more cooking time and can result in a watery casserole. You can also thaw them in the microwave if needed.
- The use of full-fat ingredients adds richness to this dish. However, if you want to reduce the fat and calories, you can also use reduced-fat or fat-free ingredients as desired. Greek yogurt can also be used in place of sour cream.
Recipe Variations
- You can make hash brown casserole without canned soup by making your own homemade cream of chicken soup just like I use in my chicken and rice casserole without soup.
- For an even cheesier version, you can use condensed cheddar cheese soup in place of the cream of chicken soup.
- For a loaded hashbrown casserole, add crumbled bacon to the sauce mixture. After baking the casserole, top it with more crumbled bacon and chopped chives.
- You can add a crunchy topping to your cheesy hash browns by mixing together 4 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 cups of crushed corn flakes cereal and spreading them over the top of your casserole before baking.
FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. I love using a casserole dish with a lid for recipes like this so I can store them right in the baking dish.
Reheat leftovers in a baking dish in a 350°F oven for around 15 minutes until warmed through. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.
Hash brown casserole freezes really well. If you plan to freeze it I suggest baking it in a foil pan and letting it cool completely. Then cover with foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat the casserole, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and heat the covered casserole in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until warmed through.
This cheesy hash brown casserole is perfect for making ahead so it's great for a stress-free holiday meal!
Prepare the recipe as directed but do not bake it. Cover the assembled casserole and refrigerate it for up to 1 day.
When ready to bake the casserole, remove the dish from the oven and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature to remove the chill. Then bake as directed.
What to Serve With Hashbrown Casserole
Hashbrown casserole is a classic for holiday meals and pot lucks. It goes great with Christmas ham or roasted meats like my roasted turkey breast. But it's also an easy option for comfort food meals like my smoked meatloaf or my shake-and-bake pork chops
These cheesy hashbrowns are a decadent side dish, so I like to serve them along with a green side dish like my garlic butter sautéed green beans or my southern-style Instant Pot green beans.
More Side Dish Recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Hashbrown Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 30 ounce bag Shredded Hashbrown Potatoes, thawed
- 1 medium Onion, diced
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ cup Butter, melted
- 1 10.5 ounce can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Set a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add your diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Then remove from the heat and let them cool slightly.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl, reserving 1 cup of cheese for the topping.
- Add the potato mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish, then top with the remianing cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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