Straightforward Hashbrown Casserole
Hashbrown casserole is straightforward, cheesy, takes only minutes to throw together, and is a favorite side dish for holiday dinners from Easter to Christmas, casual weeknight dinners, and potlucks alike. It’s total comfort food!
Ahhhh, hashbrown casserole.
Our aunt makes a version slightly different from this, but it always shows up at Easter and Christmas. Not surprisingly, cheesy potatoes go exceptionally well with ham dishes!
Tuck it away for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any other casual gathering when you want to make a big hit, because we guarantee that this will be the first thing to disappear every single time!
What Is Hashbrown Casserole?
Hashbrown casserole is one of the most irresistible side dishes you will ever eat! It's A straightforward casserole that takes less than 10 minutes to mix together - simply stir together thawed hash browns, melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chopped onion, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper, pour it into a casserole dish and pop it in the oven!
Some consider this a at-home of the Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole, so if you're a fan of that, you'll love this recipe!
It's also a cousin to the cheesy potato casserole that we made a couple of years ago; many people refer to that particular recipe as "funeral potatoes".
Ingredient Notes
The ingredient list for this family favorite is not long; here are a few speedy notes to make sure you have what you need!
- Frozen Shredded Hashbrowns – The hash browns should be thawed before using so that the dish bakes evenly. You can also use the diced hashbrowns if you’d like. We do not recommend using fresh potatoes, as there would be too much excess moisture.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – You can also substitute cream of mushroom soup.
- Sour Cream – You can substitute full-fat, plain Greek yogurt.
- Cheddar Cheese – The classic pick for this type of casserole and you can use sharp cheddar cheese or mild, but you can also use other cheese varieties, too. Other good options are mozzarella, gouda, Montery Jack, and Colby cheese.
How to Make It
We love how quickly and easily this casserole comes together. The most important (and timely) step is making sure you thaw the frozen hashbrowns ahead of time so they’re ready to go. Once they’re ready, this is all you need to do:
- Stir together all of the ingredients in a large bowl, ensuring everything is evenly combined.
- Spread in a 9×13-inch baking dish and bake at 375 degrees F until it is browned and bubbly. You can sprinkle with some chopped fresh parsley or chives if desired.
That’s IT! Two steps! Such a wonderfully simple side dish option.
Ways to change it
This casserole would lend itself to tons of modifications based on personal preferences - add bell peppers, ham, sausage, bacon, ground beef, broccoli… so many options! A couple of different spins you can put on this:
- Turn it into Funeral Potatoes – Simply add a topping of crushed cornflakes or Ritz crackers for extra taste and texture.
- Spice it up – Stir in a 4-ounce can of green chiles to give this casserole a kick and southwest flavor.
Keeping leftovers
- You can assemble this casserole in the baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
- Once the casserole is baked and cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze the hashbrown casserole, either before baking it or after it has been baked and cooled. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking or reheating in the oven.
Watch How to Make Hashbrown Casserole:
Recipe was originally published in March 2018.
Photography by Dee Frances of One Sarcastic Baker.
- Yield: 10 servings
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook: 45 minutes
- Total: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen hashbrowns, thawed
- ½ cup ( 113 g ) unsalted butter, melted
- 10.25 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 16 ounces sour cream, full fat
- ½ cup ( 71 g ) finely chopped yellow onion, about 1 small onion
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, stir together all of the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake until golden brown and bubbling, 30 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or chives, if desired.
Notes
Frozen Shredded Hashbrowns - The hash browns should be thawed before using so that the dish bakes evenly. You can also use the diced hashbrowns if you'd like. We do not recommend using fresh potatoes, as there would be too much excess moisture.
Cream of Chicken Soup - You can also substitute cream of mushroom soup.
Sour Cream - You can substitute full-fat, plain Greek yogurt.
Cheddar Cheese - The classic pick for this type of casserole and you can use sharp cheddar cheese or mild, but you can also use other cheese varieties, too. Other good options are mozzarella, gouda, Montery Jack, and Colby cheese.
Turn it into Funeral Potatoes - Simply add a topping of crushed cornflakes or Ritz crackers for extra taste and texture.
Spice it up - Stir in a 4-ounce can of green chiles to give this casserole a kick and southwest flavor.
Make-Ahead – You can assemble this casserole in the baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
Storage – Once the casserole is baked and cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can freeze the hashbrown casserole, either before baking it or after it has been baked and cooled. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking or reheating in the oven.
Recipe was originally published in March 2018.
Photography by Dee Frances of One Sarcastic Baker.
