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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
I make this exact recipe except use cream of mushroom. But to push this recipe over the edge: Crush some (regular, unsweetened) cornflakes, mix with some melted butter, and sprinkle over the top before baking. It’s the best part! =)
Do you prefer to use cream of mushroom or cream of chicken? I have both and I about to make this as a side for brunch. Any advice is appreciated! Cheers! Thank you.
Laura
I make Paula Deen’s casserole and she calls for cream of celery so I use that instead when the recipe calls for cream of chicken/musharoom.
Wondering if I could use cubed hashbrowns versus shredded and how much would you suggest?
Sorry, I’ve never done it that way so I can’t begin to tell you how much :(
Could you add ground breakfast sausage to this?
Yes, absolutely! That’d be delicious!
Thanks for quick reply!!! What’s the best way you would suggest to add it?
I would pre-cook the sausage to break it up and then stir it in the mixture before baking.
This recipe was a huge hit with my husband, and even my two year old, who doesn’t care for potatoes, inhaled it! I am cutting the salt in half next time I make it, however, I’m pretty sure this will be a regular side dish in our house. So easy to make too, which makes me happy! Thank you for the recipe!
I just made this tonight. I can tell it would be a wonderful side dish. But take my advise and cut the salt to a pinch. I put salt in basically everthing I make but this was just too much. I couldn’t even eat it. I am definitely making this again but cutting the salt to a pinch and cutting the butter to half or less.
Loved it! Would cut the salt and do half the butter or less though. Other than that, great! I made mine using sour cream and milk instead of chicken soup and it turned out really well.
I made this today for a tailgate and it was awesome. Thanks for a great recipe!! :)
I made this recipe for a group of 10 on a camping trip. Everyone loved it and I had to share the recipe with all the girls. I will definitely make this again and again!! Also, I accidentally bought the wrong size bag of cheese so I only ended up using 1/2 of what is called for but it didn’t seem to matter one bit!
This is baking in my oven right now. Taking it to family reuion. Will let you know. I used 26 oz bag of potatoes. I added more soup and butter,
Could this recipe be made in the crock pot instead of the oven?
I’ve never done that before so I’m not sure how I’d instruct one to do it that way.
Can you bake this, let it cool then freeze?
Yes, you probably could.
Would it be better to freeze before or after cooking?
I would think before.