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!!
Copy Cat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen shredded hash browns thawed
- ½ cup melted butter
- 10¼ ounces condensed cream of chicken soup (or cream of cheddar), 1 can
- 1 pint sour cream
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 2 cups colby cheese grated, divided
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, combine thawed hashbrowns, melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onion, 1 ½ cups of cheese, and pepper.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the reserved ½ cup of cheese.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Note: This recipe originally appeared on SpendWithPennies.com April, 2013.
More Must Try Cheesy Casseroles
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Can you double the recipie and still make in a single 9×13 pan?
This can be doubled however I would suggest cooking it in two 9×13 pans to ensure it heats through.
how far in advance can this be put together before baking?
Up to 3 days in advance.
Thanks for this delicious recipe
Fantastic! I didn’t have sour cream and used half the cheeses. Love this!! just sooo good
Can you assemble and freeze before the casserole is cooked?
Yes, this casserole can be frozen before baking. I would suggest thawing it in the fridge overnight. You will likely need to increase the baking time.
Hi Holly- I’ve enjoyed a lot of your recipes and my family has also! A lot of comfort foods which everyone enjoys! Please keep them coming. Happy Holidays!
My favorite recipes to make on the weekend for my family. Everyone enjoys it and there’s hardly ever any leftovers.
delicious
Hey y’all! I’ve been making this recipe for a few years and my husband LOVES it! Only thing I do different is brown the hash browns to get them a little on the crispy side some what. Very good!
Best ever that I have tasted and so creamy.
A lot of the copycat recipes use cheddar.. I’ve tested this many times and Colby is the answer. I actually grate the onion vs. chopping it. The onion juices have enhanced the flavor even more.
just a thought!
Thanks for the tip (on the onion juice)!
Girl you know how to COOK!! Are you from the south? I wonder because you cook so many things I like and I’m from the south!!♂️ I haven’t found 1 recipe I didn’t love of yours! Thank you!!
That is so sweet of you, Katrina! I am glad you are enjoying them so much.
was good. the only difference I may make is to saute or caramelize the onions first since they were a little crunchy still.
Any issue with making it the night before to bake early in the morning?
There shouldn’t be any issues, Janae. If baking from the fridge, you may need to add a little bit of extra cooking time though.
I mixed it up the night before in a big bowl and put it in the dish and topped in the morning. I cooked it for 60 min though and but it on broil for a few minutes to get the top extra crispy.
Can you make this in the crock pot? Looking to do it for a pot luck and hoping not to have to cook early before school and then reheat before we eat.
Yes, this can be cooked in a slow cooker (4qt). I’d cook it about the same as our crock pot mac and cheese. 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.
This is delicious! I do have a question , could I use fresh shredded 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).
I’ve grated fresh potatoes and it needs longer cooking time. I’ve par-boiled the potatoes and then drained well and that seemed to work better, plus soak them in water to remove as much of the starch as possible if you don’t par-boil them first.
Thank you so much for sharing, Debbie! That is great to know.
I can’t find Colby cheese I there a substitute cheese I can use instead????
Cheddar is a great substitute!
They do sell colby cheese in the deli, so just order a chunk of it and shred it at home. They also sell a block of colby in 8 oz or 16 oz, at Walmart with the cheeses.
My fiancée Won’t eat cheddar cheese any other ideas?????
Any hard shredded cheese you like should work just fine in this recipe.
absolutely delicious! I did use real Deli Colby cheese that I grated myself. and then I did add just a little bit of extra shredded cheese in the mix.
excellent. by far the better of most stuffing I’ve done. family loved it. and they’re picky. thanks very much
I admit I change the recipe bit – I don’t use cream of (anything) soup, I just don’t care for the taste, I sub in the homemade version of that (butter/flour rue with chicken stock), and I use less sour cream. But this recipe is close to perfect. My coworkers demand I bring it to carry-ins and my family requests it for special dinners.
Amazing. I spread the mixture on a cookie sheet, to maximize the crisp. I used cream of broccoli soup which added a nice veggie dimension.