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!!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen shredded hash browns thawed
- ½ cup melted butter
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can, or cream of cheddar
- 16 ounces sour cream
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 2 cups shredded Colby cheese divided, or cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon black 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.
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Love your recipes Holly! Can I cook potatoes at same time as spiral sliced ham at 325 or bump up temp a bit?
I’d suggest extending the baking time by about 10-15 minutes if you’re baking it at 325°F. Keep an eye on it, and when it looks golden and bubbly, you’re good to go!
super easy to make. took it to church for breakfast and it was loved by all!
This is delicious! The last few times a made a variation of this casserole it was disappointing, I tried this recipe, followed exactly and it was the best!
We make this all of the time, especially holidays. Use O’brien frozen potatoes with bell peppers and onions already in. The cubed potatoes add more texture.
Great swap for hashbrowns!
best I have made so far crumbled a 32 oz bag of tater tots and pre-sautéed to slightly Brown 16 oz of diced yellow onion. added one teaspoon of garlic powder, one teaspoon of spicy Farm dust, and uped the black pepper to 1 teaspoon. consistency was perfect thanks again for another great base recipe. going back for seconds!
Sounds delicious Topher!
Has anyone made these from frozen hashbrowns? I forgot to take them out to saw, and now it’s too late .
I’m just gonna add more cooking time and hope for the best!
It should work just fine with extra cooking time.
I have made them with frozen hash browns since they are already pre-cooked it’s not an issue Chances Are by the time you get it stirred up they’ll be thawed just look for that perfect Browning on the top I do mine for about 55 minutes
I always come back to this exact recipe. I use the exact same ingredients, only I soften the onions in the butter and pour into the mixture. 10/10 love this recipe.
Great idea to soften the onions! So glad you love it as much as we do.
It is a disappointing recipe—dry, tasteless, and the sour cream dominates; 8 oz is plenty. Next time, I’ll follow helpful tips offered—cut sour cream in half, add a cup of milk, Cheddar cheese, seasonings (1 T. garlic powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or one’s favorite potato seasonings).
Before baking, cover tightly with foil for 50 minutes, then remove
foil and add 1/2 cup remaining cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with chopped parsley and top with a favorite texture crunch, e.g., chopped pecans, bacon bits, etc.
Thanks to everyone for your helpful comments/tips.
Thanks for sharing your version, BG! It sounds delicious.
I’m not American, so I’m a little puzzled… are “shredded hash browns” just grated potatoes or is there more to it? Could I just grate some spud and throw it in here and do they need additional cooking?
They are grated potatoes but since they’re frozen they’re soft (and usually have salt). To replace shredded hash browns, peel and quarter about 3.5 to 4lbs of russet potatoes. Boil them for 9 to 10 minutes, they should be firm in the middle. Drain and cool and then grate them on the large side of a box grater. You will likely need to add additional salt to the recipe.
sounds doable – thank you!
This was great, with some alterations inspired by other comments.
I used 1/2 cup of grated onion, instead of diced. One complaint I have of Cracker Barrel’s HBC is that it often has big pieces of uncooked onion in it.
I used 5.3 ounces of Greek-style yogurt, and it was just the right amount.
I added about a teaspoon of sea salt, and a large dash of garlic powder, and doubled the pepper.
I used sharp cheddar cheese, because I like the bolder flavor.
I decided to experiment with softened butter, instead of melted, and used 6 Tbl, and that worked well.
16 ounces of sour cream is way too much! Should have stuck with 8 ounces like other recipes I’ve tried. Now I hate to serve it :((
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that! Thanks for trying our recipe.
I totally agree the recipe had way too much sour cream. The sour cream cancelled out the cheese flavor. I remember the cracker barrel recipe having a more orange color and cheesier flavor. I’m going to look for a different recipe.
Thanks for trying our version, Debbie! You can definitely reduce the sour cream and add in a bit more cheese if you prefer. I would love to hear how that turns out for you.
could I use cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken also instead of cheddar cheese can I use provolone or mozzarella cheese is it the same results or taste
Hi April, both of those changes will affect the flavor of the recipe but sound like delicious changes. I would love to hear how it turns out for you!
We love this, so good! I sub 8oz of sour cream for cream cheese can I make this in the crock pot?
Yes, this can be cooked in a slow cooker on low for 3 to 4 hours.
Can you use diced hash browns instead of shredded?
Yes, diced hash browns can be used in this recipe.
this is the exact recipe of funeral potatoes and tastes nothing like cracker barrels potato casserole.
Hi Leslie, this recipe differs slightly from funeral potatoes, but both delicious.
Hi!
I have made this before and it was delicious! I am going to make it for an Easter brunch. Do you think I could make it a day ahead and then just warm it up on the big day?
Thanks so much!
Marla
So glad you loved it! Yes, it can be made a day ahead. If it’s cold from the fridge, you may need to add some extra baking time.
Do you need to use frozen hash browns to thaw out? Or can I use the refrigerated ones?
I have never tried this recipe with refrigerated hashbrowns, but other readers have suggested to increase the cooking time to ensure the potatoes are fully cooked or pre cook them.
This recipe is very deceiving. Either the reviews are not honest or they are completely …
This recipe is very bland, needs seasoning, needs salt, needs everything. Made this for a dinner party and no one wanted it. It was tasteless and I really don’t know where all of these positive ratings came from.
Why didn’t you season it to your liking when making it??
it tasted okay would rather have only put in a half a can of cream of chicken and a half a can of the cheddar cheese soup and only maybe a half a container of sour cream. cuz after I cooked it and pulled it out it’s like thick soup. Can’t even cut it in squares.
Wow!!! We love going out to eat, but are usually exhausted after a grueling week of being caregivers. This was such a hit, and so easy. One nurse told me that she is not invited to family gatherings, unless she brings this exact dish! Thank you, exact directions were perfect!