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.
More Must Try Cheesy Casseroles
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Easy recipe
7 ingredients. And so versatile – can add other vegetables. So Good.
I used cream cheese instead of sour cream cause and some plain yogurt , it came out perfect.
absolutely amazing
I love this dish I add ham to mine and it’s soooo good
no sour cream in it!!!!!
I’ve had a version of this hashbrown casserole without sour cream, I definitely prefer it with, it adds a little bit of creaminess and tang to the recipe.
We love this at our house.
I’ve doubled it for family gatherings. It’s always gone.
Love it! We love Sour Cream!
I did cooked shallots and tater tots insted of shredded potatoes and got a better texture.
Not sure if this has been posted but I would love to see these wonderful curated recipes with a 1/2x recipe button in addition to the 1x, 2x, 3x buttons. I think lots of us are in 2 person families and frankly, we don’t do well with leftovers.
Hi! Once you select the print option you can adjust the servings to reduce the recipe.
I used regular shredded potatoes and cooked them a bit longer and followed what some recommended of using half the sour cream. Came out AMAZING! Just needed a little more salt imo but definitely going in my meal rotation. SO EASY TOO
I love this recipe! I know it’s an extra step, but sauteing the onions will take out the oniony flavor and add a little sweetness to the casserole
I always look at your recipes first, because I have always had good luck with yours.
Is it necessary to use THAWED hash browns? They can’t be frozen?
If they’re frozen, you will need to increase the baking time. They can be thawed quickly in the microwave or spread on a sheet pan at room temperature for a little bit.
I only used half the amount of sour cream and am glad I did. I also used less cheese, more onion and added garlic powder, harissa, pepper and ground red pepper. I used frozen hash browns so bake time longer.
I love this hashbrown casserole. I will tell you that I have gotten away from using cream of chicken and I either use cream of cheddar soup or the best one that people always ask for is made with the spicy nacho cheese soup. I would say it’s better than Cracker Barrel. The spicy nacho cheese soup does add a little bit of spice, but it’s so good. Otherwise, I used the exact same recipe. I just change the cream of soup.
Oooo a spicy nacho cheese soup sounds like an amazing swap! Thanks for sharing, Danielle.
? ~ can you add precooked sausage to this recipe & how many persons does this dish serve?
This recipe makes ten ½ cup servings. You can add sausage to this recipe but this sausage hashbrown casserole might be perfect for you as well.
Can this casserole be frozen before baking?
Kit, this dish is great for making ahead and freezing right before baking. When you’re ready to enjoy, just thaw in the fridge then bake as directed. If the casserole is cold it might need an additional 5-10 minutes.
Can you make this on a larger scale by tripling it? Bake it in a large foil pan? I wonder how long you would cook it?
You will need to increase the cooking time but it would depend on the pans used. I would suggest more than one pan for best results. If you’re filling the pan more than suggested in the recipe, give it a stir part way through cooking (and then add the cheese on top). Allow for extra time, if it’s cooked early you can leave it on warm for a while.
There is definitely way to much sour cream in this recipe which i don’t think is even in the original Cracker Barrel recipe. So next time i will probably add 1/2 the amount or none. Also would probably sauté the onions first and add extra cheese. I think this recipe has so much potential if it wasn’t for the amount of sour cream
This is our take on the classic copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole Recipe so it may differ slightly in flavor. But you can definitely adjust as you see fit! Enjoy.
Tried this today. I will try again with 1/2 or even 1/3 cup of sour cream. Overall easy and inexpensive to put together.
Thanks for trying our recipe, Lona!
Hashbrown casserole, party potatoes, funeral potatoes, whatever you want to call them they are delicious and this is an easy and awesome recipe! They may mention it somewhere, but you can add in sausage or bacon for breakfast, chunks of ham for dinner, or of course delicious as is.
Love the recipe with one adjustment. I made the casserole twice in a two week span, and the only change I made was to cut the sour cream in half. The first time the sour cream was to overpowering for the casserole; the second time it was the perfect balance. And always shred your own cheese, never use the horrible stuff in a bag (and don’t forget the salt).
Thanks for sharing your tips, Bruce!
I have been looking for a great cheesy potatoes recipe and have been thrilled with this one. I have made it several times and everyone loves it! This is one to add to my recipe book as it will get made a lot . Thank you for sharing
Being from Canada, I’ve never had the CB version of this. Don’t think I need to now! I followed the tips of some of the other commenters, and I used about 12 ounces of sour cream instead of 16. I also seasoned with salt, pepper, and a bit of smoked paprika. I cooked the diced onions in the butter with some diced green pepper, and added some minced garlic before pouring the mix into the bowl with the other stuff. I also added some green peas (as we weren’t having much veggies). It was fantastic! Dreaming of the leftovers! I asked my husband and father what they thought, and rather than the usual ‘it’s good’, I got ‘I Loved It!’. Going to make it for a family getogether next.
im canadian and we make certain to hit up the closest CB as soon as we drive across