This Hashbrown Casserole will go so fast, you might want to make two!
What happens when you make the beloved potato into a casserole? Only good things, because potatoes baked with casserole ingredients is just going to be the most luscious party in your mouth. Say hello to Hashbrown Casserole: a creamy, cheesy, delectable dish that lets each of its components shine in the most satisfying way.
I remember the first time I had Hashbrown Casserole. I was a teenager, dragged to a Sunday afternoon football party by my parents. There were a few other kids there my age but we didn’t know each other, so of course we didn’t talk to each other. I was insecure and angsty (a terrible combination!) and didn’t want to be there, but eventually I took myself to the buffet because there was nothing else to do (I’m a football fan now, but I wasn’t then). I grabbed a plate but didn’t see anything that appealed to me. The only thing that looked mildly promising was a casserole dish filled with something that looked like macaroni and cheese. I served myself a couple of spoonfuls and sat down in a window seat to try it. Talk about being transformed. After one bite, I was in heaven. I ate what was on my plate and immediately got up to get another, bigger helping. When we were leaving, the hostess asked my mom if she wanted to take anything home. Unbeknownst to me, Mom had been watching my reverential eating in the window seat. “Maybe some of that Hashbrown Casserole?” she said. When the hostess went to pack some up for us, I looked at Mom and, practically with tears in my eyes, mouthed “Thank you.”
Now I make this incredible dish at home all the time. It couldn’t be easier. Everything gets mixed together in one bowl, poured into a prepared dish, and baked until it is hot and bubbling with cheesy goodness. The sauce, made from rich and savory cream of chicken soup, tangy sour cream, and sharp cheddar cheese, coats the thin shreds of potatoes, and the flavor and texture is just the most delicious, gratifying thing you can imagine. I’ve taken Hashbrown Casserole to parties and to potlucks and it honestly is the first thing to go (that’s why I often make two!).
One of the (many!!) things I love about Hashbrown Casserole is that it can be served with breakfast—it is, after all, made with hash brown–style potatoes—but it’s a casserole, so it also works as a dinner. In the morning, it is a great base for some runny Sunny-Side Up Eggs, but in the evening, it’s the perfect side to this Sweet Slow-Cooked Pork.
What’s in a name?
This casserole seems to be named for the style of potatoes it features: hash browns! I’ve had a version of this dish, though, with diced potatoes, the kind used in home fries, so it made me wonder if I should call that dish Home Fries Casserole? But just hearing those words come out of my mouth, my answer is, No no no! Home Fries are usually diced potatoes fried with peppers and onions, ingredients that don’t appear in Hash Brown Casserole, so that name doesn’t work at all.
However, Hash Brown Casserole, with its classic combination of sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and shredded cheese, does go by other names. The first one that comes to mind is Cheesy Potatoes (even though cheese is only one of the ingredients). It also goes, more famously, by the name Funeral Potatoes, which is pretty much the same thing except that dish is finished with a crispy topping usually made from crushed corn flakes. Why do they call it Funeral Potatoes, though? Because it was (and still is) a very popular dish to serve at post-funeral service lunches. A bit morbid, but then, this dish is quintessential comfort food, so it does make some sense to serve it when people need comforting. But perhaps the most famous moniker for this recipe is Copy Cat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole because it is nearly identical to that beloved dish and, hey, if you can’t get to a Cracker Barrel whenever you have a craving, you can make their iconic casserole at home.
FAQs & Tips
How do I prep and store the casserole?
You can prepare this recipe for Hash Brown Casserole up through Step 4, and then cover it and put it in the refrigerator overnight to bake the next day. Cooked and cooled Hash Brown Casserole can be stored in the fridge for up to four days and in the freezer for up to three months (thaw frozen casserole overnight in the fridge before reheating).
Would other kinds of cream soups work in this recipe?
I don’t see why not! I think Cream of Mushroom would provide an earthy taste. Or maybe Cream of Celery? Both sound good!
Can I use lighter versions of the soup, the sour cream, and the cheese?
Sure. Combining light versions of all of these ingredients will still give you the creaminess this dish is known for.
Serving Suggestions
When I make any kind of main course casserole for dinner, I like thinking about what kinds of sides to serve with it. But with Hashbrown Casserole, my first thought is, What kind of main course would be best? Meat comes to mind right away, so I love to serve Hashbrown Casserole with any kind of chicken because the flavor from the cream of chicken soup just enhances the protein. My favorite chicken dishes to serve with these delicious potatoes are Garlic Butter Baked Chicken, Homemade Rotisserie Chicken, or this super-tangy and flavorful Baked BBQ Chicken Breast. But speaking of chicken, if I want to turn Hashbrown Casserole into a main course, all I have to do is add some Shredded Chicken to the mix before baking it, and then I serve it with some kind of green veggie, like these Grilled Green Beans.
But you can always serve Hashbrown Casserole as a vegetarian main course, and then pair it with your favorite sides, like this lovely Ratatouille or Savory Vegetable Crisp or even with just simple but delicious green veggies like Roasted Brussels Sprouts. And if your house is like my house and you need both veggie and meat options, you can always whip up a batch of Air Fryer Brats, too.
Hashbrown Casserole
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen shredded hash browns thawed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 10.25 oz. can cream of chicken soup
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 1/2 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the thawed hash browns, melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chopped onion, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the hash brown mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the casserole is golden brown on top and heated through.
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