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Cheesy hashbrown casserole takes minutes to put together and is the perfect casserole to feed a crowd! This simple casserole is made with the most accessible ingredient list and everyone will be going back for seconds!
I ate at a Cracker Barrel in my college town with my family after graduation years ago and I don’t really remember what I had but I wasn’t exactly thrilled with it so I never really wanted to go back to Cracker Barrel again. When my friend heard about this, he was determined to change my mind as he said I probably ordered the wrong thing and I had to order the cheesy hashbrown casserole.
Okay, okay — the cheesy hashbrowns are SO good. They’re creamy, cheesy, and rich and just everything I’d want as a side to a hearty breakfast. This copycat Cracker Barrel cheesy hashbrown casserole is nearly identical to the restaurant’s and it makes a bunch! It’s most popular during the holiday season since it is the perfect breakfast side dish to feed a large crowd and you can prep it ahead of time.
Variations
- Add breakfast sausage. Bulk this up by cooking fresh breakfast sausage and breaking it into smaller pieces and browning it first. Add it to the hashbrown casserole when you’re mixing it all together!
- Use fresh potatoes. If you like shredding potatoes, feel free to use fresh instead of frozen.
- Cream of… You can use whatever ‘cream of’ you have – cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of celery. Try making your own as well if you aren’t a fan of the can!
Serving Suggestions
Cheesy hashbrown casserole is the perfect side dish addition to your breakfast buffet for overnight guests! Serve this hashbrown casserole alongside blueberry pancakes, fruity pancakes, or breakfast sliders!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, pop it in the microwave or back in the oven until warmed through.
Prepping Ahead
Mix everything in a bowl then pour mixture into a casserole dish the night before. Cover tightly with foil then put it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, uncover and bring it to room temperature the morning of before you pop it in the oven OR place the casserole dish into the oven as it preheats so it slowly warms up the casserole dish so it doesn’t shatter from temperature fluctuations.
Freezing
This casserole is great for freezing! Prepare as is and after store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm through in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, some have noted it's a bit salty so I would start with 1 teaspoon..also keep in mind KOSHER SALT [which is coarser], not table salt!
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 10.5 ounce (326 g) can of cream of chicken condensed soup
- 16 ounces (454 g) freshly grated Colby Jack cheese
- 1 pound (454 g) frozen shredded hash browns, lightly thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C)
- Spray a oven-safe casserole or baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a very large bowl, stir together butter, salt, pepper, onion, cream of chicken soup, and cheese.6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 large white or yellow onion, 10.5 ounce (326 g) can of cream of chicken condensed soup, 16 ounces (454 g) freshly grated Colby Jack cheese
- Gently fold and mix the hashbrowns in the mixture until it's all coated with the mixture.1 pound (454 g) frozen shredded hash browns
- Pour the hashbrown mixture into your prepared casserole or baking dish in an even layer.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and cooked through.
- To get a nice crust on top, place the casserole under a broiler for 5 minutes – watch it carefully!!
Nutrition
Photographs by Jess Gaertner Creative
Just wondering what type of soup you would recommend me substituting to make it vegetarian? Would cream of mushroom or cream of potato work?
cream of mushroom would work great!
I wanted to make this for my son’s graduation party but we are expecting 90 people! Have you ever doubled the recipe?
I’ve never doubled it but others have and it’s turned out fine!
Add some crushed ritz crackers lightly mixed with melted butter to the top before baking and OMG HEAVEN!
I see that your recipe calls for only 1 pound of hash browns. Just wanted to make sure that was correct because i would love to try this recipe tonight. I have been to cracker barrel before and it was delish. I’ve looked around at other recipes and it calls for 2 pounds. Can you please just re-verify it for my. Thanks.
It’s 1 pounds. I know other recipes call for 2 pounds but it was a TON so I did 1 pound.
Making this for Easter for my family made it before was big hit they devoured it all gone
My daughter brought these yummy potatoes to a Christmas brunch and I love them. Making for dinner tonite with baked ham,can’t wait !!! Every time I make them my husband says “I love these ” !!!!
So glad you guys love this and make it often!
Have made several variations of this recipe and have finally settled on my favorite. I use 3 T butter and sauté the onion in that. I usually use the frozen shredded potatoes unless they’re sold out. I use 2 C of freshly shredded cheese, divided. I mix 1.5 C in with the potatoes, and sprinkle the other half cup on top. In addition I add 1C sour cream to the onion, potato, and cheese mixture, and most important of all, I use cream of potato soup rather than the chicken to ramp up the potato flavor. Love the ease, versatility and flavor of this dish!
Glad you were able to tweak this to your liking!
I made this as a dish to pass for a New Years Eve party. It was amazing! I used frozen diced hash brown potatoes so it was not so ‘Brunchy’. I then sprinkled real bacon bits over the top after I took it out from under the broiler. The heat of the dish warmed the bacon perfectly. People loved pairing it with all the various meat offerings! Total Hit!
That sounds delicious with bacon! Glad everyone enjoyed!
would it work if I left out the butter?
It should, but I can’t be positive.
I’m making this for Sunday brunch but was wondering if it has to be freshly grated cheese? I have trouble using the box grater for semi soft cheeses and cleaning it is a pain to boot. Have you tried using already shredded cheese and what were the results? I know there was one comment about the dish being oily.
I haven’t made it with pre-shredded cheese. It honestly should be fine. It doesn’t have to be freshly grated. I just personally like it because it melts better.
UPDATE: This was a huge hit today. Thank you for making me look like a rock star. It was so yummy. I did end up grating my own cheese. I agree it melts better and it didn’t take long anyway. However, the frozen hashbrowns only came in 30 oz bags. I know I used way more than half of it for my dish. Still delish!
Awesome! Thanks for the update!