by Holly
Hashbrown Casserole is easy, cheesy and totally delicious! This simple casserole is made easy with frozen hashbrowns!
Copy Cat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown casserole needs just 5 minutes of prep making it the a great side or potluck dish! The perfect breakfast casserole!
The Hashbrowns, That’s Why
I love Cracker Barrel but the truth is… I only show up for the hashbrown casserole. That’s it. Just the hashbrowns people.
My friend shared her version of that yummy, oh so creamy and cheesy easy Hashbrown Casserole with me and WOW! Tender shredded hash browns in a rich and creamy cheese sauce, topped with more cheese and baked until hot and bubbly!
This is a perfect breakfast casserole for any holiday morning or just when you’re getting the family together for a delicious breakfast or brunch. It also makes a perfect side dish for Crispy Oven Parmesan Chicken or even served alongside a Ranch 7 Layer Salad for lunch!
Better Than the Original
There are lots of recipes out there for this cheesy casserole but this is the one I’ve found to be the closest! This hashbrown casserole is made with condensed cream of chicken soup. I’ve also made it with cream of cheddar soup if you can find it. Both work perfectly in this recipe! While I’ve had a version of hashbrown casserole without sour cream, I definitely prefer it with, it adds a little bit of creaminess and tang to the recipe. Since this is a copy cat hashbrown casserole recipe, my list of ingredients is inevitably different than the original but the flavor is just like my favorite Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole (in fact, it’s even BETTER in my opinion)!
How to Make Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
One of the best things about hashbrown casserole is that it’s super quick to prepare (5 minutes). I literally cannot stop eating it; dinner, bedtime snack and then breakfast if there is any left!
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
- Spread into a 9×13 dish.
- Top with cheese and bake. Voila!
It’s that easy! If you’d like you can add leftover chicken, ham or ground beef to this easy recipe. Stir in your favorite veggies as well, Steamed Broccoli, peas or frozen veggies work well too!
Toppings
I like to top it with cheese to keep it close to the version I’ve had at Cracker Barrel but if you prefer a nice crunchy topping on your hashbrown casserole, this is also great with cornflakes. Gently crush 2 cups of cornflakes and toss with 1/4 cup of melted butter, sprinkle over the casserole before baking.
How to Freeze Hashbrown Casserole
This easy cheesy hashbrown casserole can easily be frozen. We usually prepare as directed and freeze any leftovers in individual servings making them the perfect lunch or quick dinner.
More Potato Dishes You’ll Love
- Scalloped Potatoes Recipe – Simple classic recipe.
- Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes
- The BEST Mashed Potatoes – Creamy perfection.
- Twice Baked Potatoes – Make ahead (these freeze well).
- Perfect Baked Potatoes
- Potatoes Au Gratin
- Colcannon Recipe (Cabbage and Potatoes) – So yummy!!
Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Course Casserole
Cuisine AmericanIngredients
- 32 ounces frozen shredded hash browns defrosted
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 10 ¼ ounce can of cream of chicken soup (or cream of cheddar)
- 1 pint sour cream
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 2 cups colby cheese grated
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl reserving ½ cup of cheese for topping.
- Place in a greased 9×13 casserole dish and top with reserved cheese.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Nutrition Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Note: This recipe originally appeared on SpendWithPennies.com April, 2013.
More Must Try Cheesy Casseroles
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Can I add eggs into it? Or maybe put biscuits on top?
I’ve only tried this as written so I can’t say for sure. Let us know how it works out for you!
Making this now didn’t have sour cream but added extra cream of chicken soup. Also added in smoked sausage and broccoli. Can’t wait to try. Very easy meal
Without a doubt, the easiest, yummiest version of this favorite I’ve ever made!! I served it with oven-baked barbeque pork chops when my daughter’s family came to celebrate Christmas/New Years yesterday. It was a hit!
I am teaching my 9 yrs old daughter to cook, this was the perfect recipe… I didn’t have sour cream on hand. We cut up 4 potatoes into hash browns, cream of chicken soup, a little sage and pepper and cheddar cheese. She is a very finicky eater… she went back for seconds!!! Definitely got to get sour cream the next time.. thank you
I just made the Cracker Barrel has brown casserole, substituting plain green yogurt instead of sour cream & cream of mushroom soup, fresh parsley. It was great!
Yummy, ez, $$ saving. ❤
Instead of frozen hashbrowns, can you use the refrigerated Bob Evans or Simply Potatoes brand?
Yes, that should work just fine.
Holly, we are making this today and are excited to try, would you happen to know the serving size, our 15yo is diabetic and has to take insulin fir her meal, any help would be appreciated, also making your crock pot pork chops !!!!!!
The nutritional estimate is for a serving size of 1/10th of the recipe (we cut into 10 squares to serve). You can also use an online calculator with your exact ingredients/brands to get a more precise count.
Hello! I make so many of your recipes! They are ALL amazing. This is the first time I have been unable to find an ingredient and just wanted to know… can I substitute Colby jack for Colby?
You sure can, your favorite cheese would be great in this recipe.
If all I have is the southern style of hashbrown rather than shredded…. do you think that would still turn out ok?
Yes, it should work just fine.
I tried this recipe last year for a brunch party and it was a success. I did it again for my family and they absolutely loved it. I’m planning on make it again for another Christmas event. Can this be refrigerated overnight before baking?
Yes, this can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight before baking.
Absolutely the best recipe ever my family would eat this every day if I would cook it great job!
This sounds great but I will have no oven space for this on Thanksgiving. Can this be made in a crockpot?
I have made this in a crock pot before following the cook times in my Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese. Enjoy Pamela!
I’ve done it in a dutch oven
I have tried this recipe and my boyfriend loved it! He loves the Cracker Barrel has brown casserole so I decided to make it for him and he said this one was even better than the original!
I am currently going to make it for thanksgiving, I have a few family members who are vegetarians and don’t want them to miss out on the dish. Do you have any replacement recommendations for the cream of chicken ingredient?
You could use cream of celery or mushroom in this recipe (I haven’t checked the label to confirm that it is vegetarian).
Cream of mushroom
You can use cream of mushroom or cream of celery. I used cream of mushroom and it was great! I also read that someone used the cheddar soup.
I halved this recipe for my family of 3. My family and I really enjoyed it! I did use slightly less sour cream after reading other’s reviews and colby jack cheese because that’s what I had on hand.
Thank you, this one will go into rotation:)
So glad to hear that you love this casserole recipe Angela!
Love changing things up! Used Cream of Bacon and cream of mushrooms soups and French onion dip. Yummy!!
Definitely not too much sour cream, as others complain about. I’ve made this several times, and it’s always a hit! I don’t buy Colby cheese, so use sharp cheddar. I let the bag of hash browns thaw in a bowl for about an hour. Also, grated onion is best. If they’re chopped, they don’t cook all the way through. I use butter to grease the baking pan, ALWAYS make corn flake topping and bake for an hour. Thanks for the yummy recipe! A staple in this house.
This was so easy and turned out perfect!
WE love this recipe. I have made it again. I do not use frozen as I use my kitchen aid processor and peel my own potatoes and shred them.
I did this too. Did u have to cook it longer than instructed because my potatoes are still hard?
I love love how easy and good your recipes are
Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!
Way to much sour cream
Sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe, Stella, it’s usually loved by our readers!
Good but too much sour cream in my opinion.
can i used fresh shredded potatoes instead of frozen?
You could certainly use fresh potatoes in this recipe. They will take slightly longer to cook so I would suggest shredding and slightly steaming them before adding them to this recipe.
Great recipe! This isn’t my first time cooking it, and the base recipe is 5 ☆, but today I added a twist. My husband hates pork chops, so today I precooked them, cut them into small, tender bites, and am going to layer the casserole: one layer 1/2 hashbrown mixture, one layer pork chop pieces and the remainder of the hashbrowns. Then cook.
Thank you!
Can I use diced hash browns instead of shredded?
I have only made the recipe as written. Other readers have made the recipe with diced hashbrowns with success! it will change it slightly, but still be delicious!
Nope. Not even close. I didn’t care for it and my daughter didn’t like it at all. Too much onion and far too much sour cream. I’ll augment this recipe to my own liking. Not bad, but nowhere near great.
We loved it & yes, brought back good memories of Cracker Barrel. (We moved & don’t have one close) My question is, can this be cooked in a microwave & for how long? We have triple digit temperatures more than not. I can’t heat the house up. But want to make it again.
Yes, this should be fine in the microwave. You might need to do two smaller dishes depending on the size of the microwave.
I would suggest softening the onion in a little bit of butter first and then leaving the cheese off the top, cooking for 5 minutes and giving it a stir. Continue cooking until hot and then add the cheese on top to melt. Let us know how it goes!
It was very good. Next time I won’t defrost hash browns, it turned out a little too gushy for my family.
I recently made this for a few of my friends. We quarantined so we could all spend a gal’s weekend together for a 30th birthday. With breakfast resting in my hands I was nervous about trying a new recipe. Although this didn’t taste quite like Cracker Barrel’s, I would say it surpassed my expectations and was far better than any casserole you would receive there! It went over so well. I added oven-roasted broccoli so that may have altered the overall CB taste, but this is something I will continue to create for small gatherings. I kept telling everyone to check out this website! Thanks for the great recipe! :)
So happy you all loved the casserole recipe!
This is really delicious! Minor changes were I bumped the oven up to 450 and baked for a little more than an hour to crisp up the top. I served with scallion and minced pepperoni scrambled eggs for my husband and I fried my eggs over easy with scallions and pepperoni which I put on top of the potatoes like you would serve hash and eggs. Both presentations were winners! Looking forward to the endless leftover possibilities. Love your recipes! Keep them coming!
My family absolutely loves this recipe. I have tried others, and they weren’t quite right. This one is perfect. Thank you so much. When I find the right recipe, I stick with it. I have made this many times now.
I made this last year for Easter brunch but cannot remember what kind of onion I used. Can anyone advise what kind of onion they used? Thanks!
I use a white or yellow onion in this recipe.
I didn’t taste anything like cracker barrel
Sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy it Susan. Thank you for trying!
Great to add bacon, assemble the night before and pop into the oven for breakfast! This is a go to Christmas morning dish
Fantastic! Used a little less butter and a little less sour cream. It was very good and everyone requested the recipe
Would this recipe work without the sour cream? This is for a family dinner and my sister hates sour cream. ♀️
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. You could use Greek yogurt instead.
I left out sour cream and used different cheeses, four cheese Mexican, cheddar, Colby jack. Was delicious.
I am a potato and cheese lover. this recipe was tasty. I felt it had too much butter. Had leftovers, so next day I Cut slices and fried them in a cast iron pan. they were fantastic.! A little crisp and tender in the middle.
Love the recipes!
I love your recipes! I have tried a few easy and delicious
We love this recipe!! For those that are vegetarians and can’t use the cream of chicken, I suggest using cream of celery. One day the only item that we didn’t have on hand for this recipe was the cream of chicken, so we put in the cream of celery and it tasted really good.
I used sharp cheddar cheese, 2 cloves of garlic, a half green bell pepper and red bell pepper chopped. Also a can of cream of chicken, and a can of cream of celery, 3 tbsp of sour cream, 1/4 tsp of paprika, and an 1/8 tsp of cayenne.
So basically, you made something else entirely.
She did say you could add your favorite veggies to it, and adding some extra spices isn’t “making something else entirely”. No need to be snarky :)
I think your suggestions are great! Thank you. Ignore rude people. Cooking is all about fun and love!
I made the hash brown casserole last. Very disappointed. It was like to much sour cream was it. I followed the recipe, too. This is my favorite at cracker barrel, too.
I was seriously thinking if I were to try making it again, I would use less sour cream.
AWESOME AWESOME RECIPE!! Big hit with the family!! I’ll definitely try this again using some seasonings next time!!!
Made this for work one with ham and one without. Was a big hit, had no leftovers
Thanks
Thank you for posting this! I love it. I made a vegan version by using Miyoko butter and Miyoko farmhouse cheddar. Miyoko cheese doesn’t shred well – unless it’s frozen!
Glad you enjoyed this recipe Alan!
Thank you for this recipe! It’s delicious! I did do one extra step, though. I put the oven on broil for the last few minutes. With all that cheese on top, it browned and crisped nicely and gave the casserole a nice crunch, like Cracker Barrel’s.
I also wanted to add that I made it on Christmas Eve, and kept in refrigerated overnight. I just popped it in the oven on Xmas morning, so we opened our presents while it was baking for the hour.
Thank you for this comment, I was wondering if I could prepare it the night before a bridal brunch and just pop it in the oven in the morning! Now I know! Thanks!
I cannot find cream of cheddar. I can only find “cheddar cheese” soup by Campbells. I am a vegetarian so cream of chicken is a no-go. Is this cheddar cheese soup the same as cream of cheddar? I cannot find anything on google. I’m making this for Christmas breakfast. HELP!
Yes, they are the same! Enjoy.
I use cream of mushroom
Yes it should be fine as I have read others use cheddar cheese soup
I just made this using the cheddar cheese soup and it is delicious!
Think substitute cream of broccoli would be delicious
I was able to find cream of onion soup at my local krogers!
Love the recipes, keep’em coming
Hi, can I use cheese crackers instead of cornflakes for the topping or will it be too much cheese? Making this for Christmas dinner!!!! Thanks.
I think that’ll work just perfectly!
If I double this can I cook it in a round dutch oven pot? There will be 9 people eating. Will this be enough for seconds? They all love hash brown casserole..Or should I just make 2 in glass 9×13 dishes?
thnx!
I would suggest two 9×13 pans to ensure the center gets hot enough. A double recipe should leave you with some leftovers. Enjoy!
Can you use the refrigerator hashbrowns instead of the freezer ones
We have only made this recipe as listed, but that should work out for you LaToya! Enjoy
Since my son is a pescatarian I have made this with cream of mushroom, cream of mushroom with roasted garlic, and cream of celery. We prefer the mushroom soups. Swapped out the cheddar with extra sharp cheddar. Also tossed buttered Italian panko on top. Didn’t have cornflakes but may try that soon. Planning on making this for a food day at work next week. As you can see we love this and have made it many times.
Those sound like great substitutions Cindy! Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi there! Can you tell me if this casserole is supposed to bake covered or uncovered? Thank you!
This is cooked uncovered.
If I double the recipe, would the cook time change?
This can be doubled however I would suggest cooking it in two 9×13 pans to ensure it heats through. I have made this in a crock pot before following the cook times in my Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese.
I do all of my casserole’s in a microwave…. Same with meatloaf. I just found your site and am going to try with mushroom soup, fresh mushrooms, more onions and leftovers. The most time I’ve had to cook a casserole is 32 min in a 1200 watt oven.
I have also been using a pressure cooker with meatloaf and other dishes. A bit of a learning curve at best but still working on it. Never a problem with the taste just the consistency.
Let you know how it turns out.
That is great John! We have a whole section on pressure cooker recipes if you wanted to try a few! Good luck.
I did the mushroom soup thing and the flavor just did not pop. Also used cheddar vs Colby cheese. I tried to spice it up without much success until I used some Ginger Wasabi Sauce by Robert Rothchild. OMG the flavor jumped out at you…… If you have never used this…Please do so. Super great in Chicken, Veggies and other dishes …. I cooked it for 20 min and flavor checked it (Cooked covered) and 12 min uncovered. The consistency was excellent
I’ll make another casserole and use the recipe. Have always been a fan of the Cracker Barrel style. The microwave works on this.
enjoy
That’s great to hear John! Glad you enjoyed it.
Do you cover the Hashbrown casserole while baking?
This is cooked uncovered.
Way too soupy for me, not like Cracker Barrel. I would cut the sour cream in half, if using.
Thanks for the recommendation Sharon!
Had the same issue but the next day it set up even more and was not soupy.
Thank you for sharing Cindy.
Sounds great
Thanks Tina!
Going to make the blueberry brickle tonight and see several other recipes that look great too!
Delicious! I prepared the dish with sauteed onions and put it on the fridge overnight and baked the next day. So much flavor. Everyone loved it!
Sounds delicious Juliane! Glad to hear everyone loved it.
Outstanding, I like onions so I added more. I added more cheese too! Way better than the restaurant.
So happy to hear that Andrea! Thank you!
Love and appreciate your recipes. Thanks
Thank you Karen! We really appreciate your kind words.
Just love your posts! I added some crispy wild boar bacon, and sauteed onions in the fat, it was awesome!
Thank you Dale, so glad you loved it! Your addition sounds so good, I love cooking onion in bacon fat!!
I have made a very similar recipe called “funeral potatoes” in Utah because they always seem to show up at the post funeral buffet. Love them but i love the Cracker Barrel hashbrown recipe as well. Cant wait to try it. (I do recipes as printed to give a honest evaluation). Anything else is worthless as a criticism to the recipe.
Can’t wait to hear how you like it Robert!
Just finished making the “cracker barrel hashbrowns” for my son and I…and all I can say is…WOW!..they’re delicious! Thank you very much for posting this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the casserole David!
Looks so delicious.
Thanks Kathy!
Love recipes!!
Was so excited to try this! Took way longer than 5 minute prep. Probably a half hour or better. I recommend way less sour cream. I am a huge fan of sc, but definitely not for this recipe. Reminded me of cottage cheese texture. Not a fan of cottage. Sorry. Otherwise, was ok. Hey, to each his own, right?
How is it possible to take 30 minutes? To dice an onion??
Thanks you for sharing this recipe! Loved it and didn’t take long at all to prepare!
I have tried for years to duplicate Cracker Barrel’s hash brown casserole.
I am a vegetarian, so chicken soup just didn’t cut it for me. I tried it without the soup, tried it making my own roux…never the winner that your recipe is. I didn’t even know such a thing as cream of cheese soup existed.
Thanks so much…this is a real winner. And, you’re right. It IS better than the original.
Thanks Anna! We are glad you enjoyed it!
I tried it with Cream of Bacon soup INSTEAD of Cream of Chicken soup. MUCH better and closer with the Cream of Bacon and so much closer to Cracker Barrel’s!
Sounds delicious Deb!! I can’t wait to try it!
Never heard of cream of bacon?!?!
Can this be prepped the night before? Thanks!
Molly, you can prep this the night before. If you use a glass casserole dish, please be advised that taking a cold casserole dish to a hot oven can cause the glass to shatter. You can allow the dish to sit on the counter for about 20 minutes before placing in the oven. I hope this helps.
Yes! Thank you!
Trying ( better than)Cracker Barell recipe for carry in at work. Want to crock pot it any suggestions?
I have made this in a crock pot before following the cook times in my Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese. Enjoy Amanda!
OK, needed an impromptu supper casserole to feed 4 people. I was also trying to use up frozen hash browns, Jimmy Dean skillets, whipping cream left over from the holiday. I added fresh red pepper, onion, cauliflower and broccoli, and my fav seasonings. I was out of cheese, so I added a couple Kraft American singles, and topped with some Panko. Baked it for the prescribed time. Served with a green salad. My friends thought it was pretty good for a quick supper. This is a deviation from the original recipe, but am sharing in case other cooks encounter my similar issues
That sounds delicious JAnika! Thanks for sharing!
I made this for a potluck and everyone loved it! Easy and delicious.
I am so glad the recipe was a hit at the potluck Elizabeth!
Just made this for Easter dinner. Prepared a double batch the night before, used 1 bag of shredded hash browns and 1 bag of potatoes o-brien because that’s what I had. Left out the butter, added some garlic powder and did not add salt. Split it between 3-8″ round foil pans. It was delicious!!!!!
Took one of the pans (with a baggie of extra cheese for topping) to a family member as part of a heat-n-eat care package. Wrote the baking instructions on top. Followed the baking instructions when I baked mine off today. Soooo good. Thank you so much for sharing.
Will try sauteing the onion in bacon grease next time, and add ham and sliced red peppers.
So glad you loved this casserole. How wonderful to take one to someone else. What a great idea :)
I added shredded zucchini, cut the hash-browns a bit, added chopped smoked and cooked chicken sausage. Unfortunately I did not cut down the butter – too much butter. I thought it would be too much sour cream, but it was fine. Kids loved it. Next time I will make with less butter (about a third less), and probably add fresh spinach leaves.
Swapping out some of the hashbrowns for zucchini will change the consistency of the recipe which may be why the butter seemed too much. The hashbrowns absorb liquid/butter while the zucchini releases water.
These were so scrumptious. Easy to make and easy to eat.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Lynn!
Made this tonight following the recipe. This was good, needs some salt.
I am so glad you liked it Eric!
Ive been making the hash brown casserole for years. Its always a crowd pleaser. I’ve added cubed ham, pre-cooked bacon and most recently, cubed turkey to this recipe. It only makes it even better.
Great ideas Missy! So glad you love this hashbrown casserole!
Made the Cracker Barrel Hash brown Casserole for the first time for Christmas brunch. It was a big success.Thank you. It will definitely be made at other gatherings.
Thanks Nancy, glad you enjoyed!
Great job! My husband LOVES Cracker Barrel’s hashbrown casserole. You’re right about there being a lot of recipes out there but yours is the closest I’ve found to that awesome Cracker Barrel taste. :) TY very much (I chose to leave out the butter and it was still fantastic!)
I am so glad you guys loved it Jennifer!
Hi Holly, this looks amazing. I’ve been looking for a recipe using Cheddar Cheese soup instead of the cream of chicken. Can you please tell me about adding salt as it isn’t listed. Potatoes usually need a lot of salt but would there be enough in the cheeses and soup so it doesn’t need to be added? I’m planning to make it for my New Year’s Day brunch. Thank you and Happy Holidays. Debbie
You can most certainly add salt to taste if you like. I find that between the cheese, the soup and the salt in the hashbrown potatoes there is enough salt for my liking. Happy New Year!
Hi, Holly, I made this for my New Year’s Day brunch and it was fabulous and everybody loved it. I followed your recipe exactly and did not add the salt. It wasn’t needed after all. It is now a permanent addition to my recipe collection. Thank you.
Thank you Debbie! So happy everybody loved it!
Looks perfect for a New Year’s Day brunch!
It’s great for New Year’s Day!
Can you make this ahead of time, without baking, put it in the fridge overnight and bake it the next morning ?
I would suggest chilling it overnight and then baking it. You may need to add a little bit of extra time if it is cold out of the fridge. Enjoy Kimi!
Thanks Myles!
Hi! I’m excited to try this recipe! Can the butter and sour cream be left out without changing the taste toooo much?
I have only made the recipe as written. Some readers say they enjoy it without. It will change the taste, but I think it would still be delicious! Let us know if you try it Alison!
I have left out the butter b4 but not the sour cream. W/o the butter didnt seem to change the taste. Without the sourcream you may need to find a substitute. The sour cream makes it a creamy consistency. I realize not everyone likes sour cream but it doesnt have a sour cream taste.
Hi Holly,
Can this recipe be doubled, and if so, what would be the bake time? Also, can it be made in a crockpot?
Yes this can be doubled however I would suggest cooking it in two 9×13 pans to ensure it heats through. I have made this in a crock pot before following the cook times in my Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese.
Can you add eggs and bacon to the hashbrown casserole?
I have only tried the recipe as written, but those sound like great additions. Let me know how it turns out Cynthia!
I have added pre-cooked bacon, sausage, cubed ham and also cubed turkey. It only makes it even better. Havent tried to add eggs. Good luck and let us know how it turned out.
That sounds delicious Missy! Thank you for sharing!
Hi! I’m going to make this for a get together this weekend. I cannot wait to try it. I wanted to double check what the green herb in the picture is? It made the presentation look so pretty so I wanted to double check :)
Just chopped parsley to look pretty! :) Enjoy!
I made this with thawed hash browns, 1/4 cup butter, and non fat sour cream. It was still very rich and tasty!
So glad you loved it Michelle!
i made this yesterday, and it tasted great, but consistency was off. I followed the recipe as directed, but it came out very soupy, and the butter all pooled on top of the casserole. It was visually unappealing, but tasted great, any ideas what I did wrong? Thanks, Nila
Did you use any reduced fat products? What type of hashbrowns did you use (were they shredded)?
Can you recommend ingredient amounts if I am doubling the recipe? Should I double the ingredients exactly following your original recipe?
I suggest you make two pans of 9×13 to double it. Enjoy Jenny!
Nila, I make this without the butter. It’s great. Give it a try.
Oh My Goodness! This stuff is almost too good to share! I’m not one to change recipes, but sometimes you gotta go with what you got. I was out of colby and had to settle for extra sharp cheddar. When my husby tasted it, he asked if I had been to Cracker Barrel that day and brought home some for him to eat. And this why I made the hash brown casserole, cause every time we go there to eat he always orders it. Thanks for making me a shero today. But actually YOU are the shero!
I’m so glad that you and your husband loved the casserole!! We do too :)
I have not made this yet, Saturday is breakfast day. I was wondering if you dilute the soup or not.
You do not need to dilute the soup, you want it thick and creamy. Enjoy!
My family loved it. I’ve made this recipe 2 times, for Christmas breakfast and Easter brunch. It’s a keeper. Very easy to make.
I am so glad this recipe was a hit with your family Denice!
Can also use chopped green peppers and pimentos. Crush Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top. Pour little bit melted butter on top.
Love the sound of that Sheri!
This was delicious, needs salt though. I will definitely make this again.
I have been making this recipe for many years, as well. When someone gave it to me it was printed out with exact product names. We’re talking many years back!
Cheddar cheese, sour cream, sauteed onions and diced hash browns. Some melted butter was added with the sour cream when adding all ingredients into large bowl.
The topping was crushed potato chips with sour cream and chive.
For a long time now, I’ve only been able to purchase Sour cream with onion potato chips.
Oddly enough, I made these for dinner this evening. Eight kiddos for dinner and a sleep over.
Big appetites, as well. Most everyone had second helpings. There was one square left. It’s a winner.. everyone….just go with it and, enjoy!
Thank you Carole. It really IS a winner!
Tried this this morning and it was AWESOME! Thank you so much for posting Holly!!
You’re welcome Colin! Love that you loved it!
This is my favorite! Comes out perfect every time! Thanks for sharing!
I’m not so sure about this recipe. The quantities of fats seemed too high. There’s comfort food and then there’s comfort food! But I typically cook a recipe as instructed the first time so if there’s any problems, it’s not from me improvising. (I only amend sugar — usually cut in half, most recipes are overly sweet and tripling any garlic called for.)
I did use fresh potatoes since that’s all I had. Took a ridiculous amount of time to bake. But the pan is positively dripping with oil. The basic flavors are great but I’m suspecting I could have cut the butter and sour cream by a hefty margin. The soup is adding the most complexity to the flavor.
I’m not putting a rating on this because I’m not sure how it turned out but I always get a bit anxious about flubbing a new recipe. I hate wasting the money ruining something.
Definitely using fresh potatoes will increase the cook time, the hash brown potatoes called for in the recipe are already soft.
Because the dish cooked much longer than stated in the recipe, this can cause the cheeses to seize up releasing oil.
You can find more information on cooking cheese here.
I worked there when I was young. You got it right.
After reading all the comments, I’d say this is one of the most forgiving recipes..as you can add to or take a way and it still turns out beautifully. With that said, here is what I did. I prepared it last night with refigerated hash browns (2 packages), used 1/4c of unsalted butter with 1 onion chopped and browned onion. Used Cream of mushroom soup (although ANY cream soup does work) I did add sour cream, but found the only thing I had on hand was sour cream/with chives. Hey…there’s a snow storm going on out there!!! I’m using what I have, because I know this recipe is never a failure! I also mixed up Motzerella cheese (again. what I had on hand) and added corn flakes mixed with a little melted butter sprinkled on top for a little crunch. Took out this morning for 30 minutes, before putting it in the oven @ 350 for an hour. Will add Motzerella cheese 15 minutes before taking it out. NOTE: I have made this recipe as written before..many times…it’s a great recipe!!! But sometimes you just have to use what’s at hand and go with it!!! Thank you for yet another winning recipe Holly (I follow you daily!)
I am so glad you were able to make this recipe with what you had on hand Ann! I agree this recipe is extremely flexible and forgiving! There are so many ways to change it up, and they are all yummy way too!
Sorry, Cracker Barrel does not contain sour cream so this is not the same.
Correct, this is not the same, it’s a copycat recipe. Enjoy!
Delicious. The family gobbled it up. Interesting tho….I forgot the butter in the microwave and didn’t add it. Still delish. Less fat too.
I am so glad this recipe was a hit with your family!
Have not made this recipe yet but plan to for a family New Year get together. Do you think yogurt for sour cream substitute would work? I’m thinking of adding zucchini as well.
While I haven’t tried it, I think yogurt would likely work just fine in this recipe.
I used whatever cheese
I had on hand,the added more onions, added chopped green peppers and some chopped hot banana peppers.
It’s family’s favorite recipe that I make. Always a winner.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Very similar, if not identical to what we call Funeral Potatoes, because they always show up at luncheons following a funeral, but also a lot of other church and family gatherings. They are made with regular or shredded hash browns. Personally, I prefer the shredded ones. I’m going to try a combo of the Colby & Cheddar cheese next time. P.S. we put crushed corn flakes on top, about the last 15-20 min. of baking.
It was amazing!! I used shredded cheddar cheese instead of Colby.
So glad you loved it!
What’s a pint worth? 1 cup 2 cups?
thanks,
Hi Bern,
2 cups!
I made this recipe and added vegan ground beef and it was delicious. Plan on making it without meat for Thanksgiving brunch. This is a five star recipe.
Some of the comments here made me chuckle. Your recipe is fairly close, but not the Cracker Barrel recipe. More funny is some that say in the comments that they got the recipe from a Cracker Barrel employee and it’s even more off (like saying it’s cheddar and not colby or equal salt and pepper). I work at Cracker Barrel and I make the hashbrown casserole every… single.. day.
Here it is…. I’ll tell you EXACTLY what is in it and how it’s made. I’ll even give you the restaurant quantities and you can figure it out from there:
6 pounds of shredded frozen potatoes
2 pounds 2 oz. of COLBY shredded cheese (*NO* cheddar as someone suggested)
1 restaurant size can of cream of chicken soup **see notes below
12 ounces of diced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon salt
Notes: While I sit here, I can’t think of how many ounces the can of soup is. It’s a big one. However, I think your recipe above of 1 can of cream of chicken soup with a 32 oz bag of frozen hash browns is about right. I would stick with what you have.
There is NO… sour cream… the cheese IS colby (Cracker barrel only uses cheddar on burgers.. no shreds in the store at all). There is NO butter involved.
This is the Cracker Barrel way — mix the soup, onions, cheese, salt and pepper together in a big mixer for 1 minute. You add the FROZEN shredded potatoes to it. Mix again for 1 minute. It’s portioned out into 4 pound pans that were sprayed with a food release. There is NO extra cheese topped on it. NONE. It is then baked in a 350 degree convection oven for 30 minutes.
it’s that simple. None of this other fuss.
I am trying this with frozen rices cauliflower for a lower carb version. We’ll see how it goes.
I live in Ecuador and the only soup mix you can get here is a dry mix. It makes about 4 cups. Any suggestions?
This is more of a creamy texture like sour cream. While I haven’t tried it, you could trying adding a little bit of sour cream with some bouillon added in for flavor.
I just tried this recipe with leftover white chicken gravy. I didn’t add the pepper because there was plenty in the gravy. I also substituted 1 Tablespoon dried Minced Onion for the fresh onion. I only used 8oz of Light Sour Cream. It came out so good and moist! The gravy was leftover from a catered meal we had at church so I don’t have a recipe for it. I made this recipe again the same day using Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup and it was drier like it needed milk or something. Hope that helps.
I used 10oz (1.5 cups) of the white gravy.
HELP! Need help [email protected]
Want to make this for company at Brunch in the morning.
The recipe doesn’t say 1 can of CONDENSED chicken soup (such as Campbell’s), it says “chicken soup.” So technically that means a can of prepared soup, not condensed.
But since so MANY recipes call for a can of condensed soup, and because it seems actual soup might make this recipe too wet, I’m wondering if it MEANS condensed chicken soup (not reconstituted). Can someone who has made this recipe please clarify this for me… like NOW, lol?
THANKS!
This is a great recipe I have been making it for years. We have always called it church potatoes. We use cheddar cheese with try it with the colby. I make this every Easter it goes great with ham and candied yams. My family can never wait till Easter to have it. Never thought to make it for breakfast what a great brunch idea .
It is such a good recipe that I always look forward to it too Lynn! I hope you like it with the colby cheese!
Can this be made in 2 dishes? And then freeze one of them?
Could you somehow put some shredded chicken in here.. or would that be weird…
I don’t think so! I bet it would taste awesome :)
Can you make it a day ahead and heat it up to he next day?
Yes, this recipe can be made ahead of time.
Can you use Cream of Mushroom Soup?
Yes, you can use any condensed cream soup in this recipe.
Why doesn’t anyone publish a recipe w? raw potatoes? I grow a bushel+ of beautiful red potatoes and I would dove to find out how to grate and use in these recipes
You could certainly use fresh potatoes in this recipe. They will take slightly longer to cook so I would suggest shredding and slightly steaming them before adding them to this recipe.
Should NOT be sour cream. That was never part of the recipe. Sorry
This was fantastic. My husband and I are hooked!!
SO glad you loved it!
This looks great and I want to try this! Would it work to half the ingredients and put in an 8X8?
Yes, that should work just fine!
What kind of butter should I use? Is it tub butter or unsalted stick butter?
Unsalted stick butter.
My granddaughter is a vegetarian. Can the cream of chicken soup be substituted for a different cream of soup?
Yes you can use cream of celery in place of cream of chicken.
Could this be made with the cubed frozen potatoes? I wanna make this and go for a cheese potatoe comfort food type of deal , I prefer whole over hash, do you think it would work ok with this ?
I think that sounds like a delicious variation Siera!
I really would like to thank u for ur easy recipes and inexpensive ideas really like the recipes
You’re welcome Charlene! I’m so glad you’ve found some recipes to enjoy!
Thank you! I’ve been reading many recipes for cheesy potato casserole, trying to find one that used the ingredients I have and didn’t have too many steps. I was worried about only having minced onions (dried but the tip in the comments about using French Onion dip instead of plain sour cream sounds like a solution to both that and potential blandness. (Now to remember to make onion dip in advance!)
I have a family holiday party this weekend and I’m not known for my cooking skills. An aunt on the other side of my family is famous for her “cheesy taters,” but … different side and different approach. Again, thanks!
Enjoy Sarah! This recipe is loved by everyone!
I would love to make this but it’s just my husband and I and we would be eating on this all week. Can it be frozen? That way I could make half and freeze the other half.
I haven’t tried freezing this recipe so I can’t say for sure. If you do try, please let us know how it works out for you!
I want to know this also. I’d rather make it in 2 pans able put an uncooked one in the freezer
oh my…had friends over for chili, crock-pot applesauce, and your potato casserole. They all LOVED the potatoes! Everyone had seconds! Thanks, Lori
I’m so glad everyone loved it Lori! It’s one of my favorites too!
Lori, that’s awesome to hear! I’m glad your family enjoyed the recipe so much. My family loves it too!
I”e been making this for years since a trip to the states, but I top mine with cornflakes and melted butter for a bit of crunch. Is sooooooooo tasty.
Spend with Pennies:
Girl, this is the recipe right here. I like in the instructions you say to thaw the hash browns. I think that is the trick so that they are crunchy. And, I sauteed my diced onions until they started to brown a little and added them to the mixture once they cooled.
My family devoured both pans! #aKeeper
YAY!! So glad your family loved this Michael!
Can you use freshly grated potatoes?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. If you do try it, you may need to increase the cooking time to ensure the potatoes are fully cooked (or pre cook them).
This recipe caught my eye on Pinterest because it is “gluten free”. NOT so unless you are certain to use gluten free soup. Many brands of canned soup contain gluten. Be sure to read can labels and purchase an appropriate gluten free product. We always read labels as we have a family member with Celiac Disease but other people may not be as particular. This sounds like a great recipe but should not be labeled as “gluten free” unless poster identifies gluten free soup brands or include a disclaimer stating the presence of gluten in some canned products. Thank you.
Since I don’t follow a gluten free lifestyle, I do not label any of my recipes as gluten free. If you are seeing that tag on Pinterest, it was auto-generated by Pinterest and unfortunately is out of my control.
I agree, if you follow a specific way of eating it is always important to read labels.
Can leftovers be frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing this recipe.
Do you think this could be prepped/fully mixed and assembled and placed in the fridge the night before? I am traveling a ways and would want to make it as fresh as possible without taking over someone’s kitchen. I feel like nothing would get “soggy”… maybe the frozen hashbrowns would be an issue? Has anyone tried?
It would be just fine prepped ahead of time. You might need to adjust the cooking time slightly longer if the dish is cold.
My family DEMANDS I make this for every holiday (New Years, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas) so I have made this up the night before and put it in the dish. The next day I set it out on the counter and let it come to room temp while I put everything else together and it comes out perfectly every time. And never lasts to the next day.
LOL! So glad your family loves it as much as mine!
Looks good
Cracker barrel does not use sour cream in theirs.
I worked at Cracker Barrel for 8 years and we used sour cream and Colby cheese. Sometimes if we ran out of Colby we were permitted to use sharp cheddar. But there was always sour cream in ours. But I’ve heard some restaurants cut it out to save money. If no one notices then it’s no big deal I guess!
So would you just omit the sour cream all together ? Or replace with something else? Personally I am trying to keep the fat and carbs on a low even though this recipe we probably should count carbs lol . I would rather keep sour cream out entirely :)
You can substitute plain greek yogurt for the sour cream, I never use sour cream anymore, Fage brand yogurt is thick like sour cream too. :)
But add a little lemon juice to Greek yogurt to simulate sour cream.
Hi, I make this in the crock pot for potluck at my work, They rave about it and I have to make it all polucks,
I layer my ingredients and cook on low for 4hrs
no sour cream in mine,\
onions
frozen hash browns (the cube shaped ones)
pour soup on top of hash browns and spread evenly
sprinkle cheese on top.
salt and pepper
sometimes I put sliced sausage, ham or even ground beef after the onions.
If I use a 8×8 casserole dish should I cook for a different amount of time?
This recipe might not fit in an 8×8 dish. When baking this recipe you’re looking for the cheese to be melted and the center of the casserole to be hot and bubbly so you can certainly use that as guide.
I’ve always made the hashbrown casserole with cornflake topping. With this recipe… Zero leftovers with 4 hungry people.
I have heard about this corn flake topping! Heard it is to die for!!!!
Do you think this would be good using my crockpot instead? I’d rather not heat up my oven during the summer.
I haven’t made this recipe in a slow cooker before but I do think it would work. I would suggest cooking it at the lowest temperature and keeping an eye on it as dairy can sometimes curdle or separate at higher temperatures.
In my neck of the woods we call these “Funeral Potatoes”. Probably because they are so easy to make and take to a funeral meal. Have been making them for years. I love the idea of using the french onion dip in them and will try that next time I make them.
Sounds delcious. great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
Left a question a while back, but guess I’ll find out the answer myself, was wondering if it could be made in a slow cooker, my pot luck is tomorrow, guess I’ll make it and find out myself.
Joyce
Sorry Joyce, I somehow missed your first comment. I haven’t tried this recipe in the slow cooker so I can’t say for sure. I would suggest cooking it on low in the slow cooker as dairy can sometimes separate if the temperature is too high. I would love to hear how it works out for you.
Enjoy!!
When I saw this on pinterest it was labeled gluten free. There is wheat in cream of chicken soup. There are recipes out there for gluten free cream of chicken soup that could very easily be substituted.
I was unaware that Pinterest had created that label for this recipe. That’s a great tip, thank you Brittney.
Can this be made in a crock pot I am thinking it would be a great pot luck item, maybe add some diced ham to it.
I haven’t tried it in the slow cooker before. If you do try it, just be sure to cook only on low. Dairy tends to separate and often curdle if left in the slow cooker too long. I’d love to hear how it works out for you!
What a delicious recipe with all yummy potatoes. I could eat potatoes every day. My favorite. And all this colby cheese in it. Wow, so yummy! Pinned it:)
Thank you for Pinning!! :)
OMG, I’ve never been to a Cracker Barrel but I need this in my life!!
I guarantee you need this in your life… I literally could’ve eaten the entire pan it’s so good!
I was a backupcook at Cracker Barrel for 8 years. We used Colby cheese.
Do the hash browns need to be thawed before putting the recipe together?
I don’t thaw my hash browns first.
Holly, the recipe says, defrosted. Probably doesn’t matter, you think?
I think it may add a few extra minutes of bake time if it wasn’t defrosted but the recipe will still work just fine! :)
no but break up the stuck ones loosen them all up
yes, or increase cooking time. i found out from experience that sometimes they don’t cook all the way….same with the onion. Probably depends on how fine you chop your onion, though.
I am so excited to try a new version from my recipe, which is the one posted. Now, will try adding french onion dip, green onions instead, can of jalapenos, bacon, and ham!! And, I LOVE Colby cheese. That is what I always use, even in my tacos!
Colby cheese rocks or even colby jack. It is just a better tasting cheese than cheddar! I am a chef and I use colby in my mac and cheese and in my shrimp and grits!
Great tip Chef Seddy! I’m going to try it in my mac & cheese!
Hi! I was wondering how many servings this would be? Thank you for the recipe!
This will serve 8-12 people
Can you mix it up the night before and put it in the refrigerator over night, then bake the next morning?
I think that would work just fine. I would take it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking and just check the time. If it’s still chilled when it goes into the oven, it may need a little extra time.
Found my answer! :)
Perfect! Enjoy!
This is my husband’s favorite thing at Cracker Barrel. Saving this for sometime soon.
I make the same thing except I use cheddar cheese gives it a great taste…Will have to try colby sometime..
I make this all the time, it is the same recipe that Timberlodge Steakhouse has,i know because I made it there for a long time.
This looks amazing and I cannot wait to try it! However, I’m going to make it for my boyfriend and he was curious if we could use fresh hash browns? Do you know how the cooking time would change? He’s willing to help shred the potatoes, so I’m willing to sacrifice the simplicity of this recipe for him.
I haven’t tried it that way but from what I’ve read perviously, the potatoes would have to be boiled, cooled and then shredded. I can’t say for sure either way as I haven’t tried it but I would love to hear how it works out for you if you do!
I think you may have just to cook it longer covered at first with fresh potatoes as the frozen are par cooked
Hi Donna , I made my own hash browns n yes it does make a difference in the baking time I had to bake it for like an hour n 5/10 min instead of 45 min n I used milk instead of sour cream n we loved it :)
I make something similar- but I add 1 can of diced green chiles, about 1/2 packet of dry taco seasoning and replace the diced onion with Green onion. I then bake it about an hour because I like it a little crispier ( bake for the first half hour covered in foil, remove the last 1/2 hour. A great substitute for the defrosted hash browns is “Simply Potatoes” Southwest style hash browns- in the refrigerated aisle. (Use 1 1/2 bags per 9″ x 13″ casserole) they have bell peppers and onions in them already. With the diced green chiles and taco seasoning it gives the potatoes a nice kick. I also add about 1 to 1/2 cups cooked diced ham to make my husband happy. Try it!
Oh that sounds SO delicious Terri! Thanks for sharing!
I love the simply potato products the southwestern are sure spicy I mix them half with plain hash brown cause I am a whimpy mexican haha thanks Terri –I also made this according to direction and it is so yummy
Like what I see!
I made this for our fourth of July picnic today and it was well received for the most part – I found it to be a liittle bland but I don’t eat a cracker barrel for that same reason. Being in southern Louisiana I like food to have a little more pop. The basic recipe is good but I think next time I will add bacon, jalapeños and maybe some ranch mix. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
All of those sound wonderful. Please let us know what you add in and how it is! I love the idea of bacon and jalapeño in there!
Holly, My sister had a store that also served hot food at lunch. Instead of plain sour cream, she would use that French Onion Dip that is also in the refrigerated case. It bumped it up a notch without being overpowering. She also used cheddar cheese. Never tried it with the Colby, but I will give that a try. Thanks!!
That sounds amazing! I will try it next time I make it!
Oh wow!!! This recipe combined with french onion dip is amazing! Definitely worth a try and I will be making this again sometime! Thank you Holly and Dianne for sharing!
Enjoy Vira!
do you still use the diced onion with the french onion dip?
I’d like to know this too.
Can I make this ahead of time and heated up OR can I put it all together and chill overnight in frig and then cook in morning?
I would suggest chilling it overnight and then baking it. You may need to add a little bit of extra time if it is cold out of the fridge.
Just a little helpful hint! I work at Cracker Barrel and we don’t put sour cream in it. We do however add the same amount of salt as pepper!
Does the sour cream get replaced with anything?
My guess is either heavy cream or cream cheese softened. :)
What does cracker barrel use instead of sour cream?
Your recipe is almost exactly like the one a cracker barrel chef gave to me with the exception of the cheese (sharp cheddar). I love Colby cheese so I can’t wait to try your version. I use the Hungry Jack hashbrown’s in the little cartons you find in the boxed food isle at the grocery store. They have a cheesy version of the potatoes too!
tater tots can be used to