Hashbrown Casserole Recipe is an easy, cheesy potato casserole that is always a favorite! The ultimate comforting side dish!
Looking for more side dish ideas? You’ll also love my easy Mac and Cheese, Deviled Eggs, and Broccoli Cheese Casserole.
The BEST Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
I have to admit I’m in love with this cheesy Hashbrown Casserole. I mean, what’s not to love?! Cheesy deliciousness, hashbrowns, and a creamy sauce make one perfect dish. Think loaded baked potatoes meet creamy, crunchy hashbrown potatoes! It comes together so quickly and is super easy to make.
It makes the perfect easy side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Sunday dinners. It is also a delicious breakfast casserole for brunch, too!
Table of Contents
- The BEST Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- How to Make Easy Hashbrown Casserole
- Ingredients
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- How to Store and Reheat Leftovers:
- Can You Make Hashbrown Casserole Ahead of Time?
- Can You Freeze Hashbrown Casserole?
- Can You Make this as Funeral Potatoes?
- Can You Make This As a Main Dish?
- What Else Can You Add to this Recipe to Make it a Hearty Breakfast Casserole?
- Other Favorite Easy Casseroles
- Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I’ve just shared so many reasons I love this recipe, but here are the main reasons.
- Ultimate comfort food. Cozy and comforting perfection in every bite! It reminds me of the Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole, but it’s better if I do say so myself!
- Flavorful. It reminds me of a twice-baked potato in casserole form and is always a crowd favorite.
- Easy recipe. Perfect for novice cooks and busy experts, it can be made ahead and with less than 10 ingredients!
How to Make Easy Hashbrown Casserole
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
To make this recipe, you’ll need a few simple ingredients:
- Frozen Diced or Shredded Potatoes – You can use either diced potatoes or frozen shredded hash brown potatoes. Thaw potatoes before using.
- Cheddar Cheese – I love to shred the cheese directly from the block since some shredded cheeses are coated with ingredients to prevent them from sticking. You can also use Colby jack, gouda, or mozzarella cheese, based on your preference.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – I love to use my easy homemade cream of chicken soup recipe, but you can use store-bought if you prefer. You can also substitute it with cream of mushroom soup if you prefer it.
- Sour Cream – it adds so much flavor and creaminess to this casserole.
- Butter – melted butter is mixed into this casserole.
- Green Onions – these add color, crunch, and flavor to the casserole. You can omit it if you prefer. If you omit the onions, I love to add a few tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley for color.
- Stone House Seasoning – my favorite house seasoning that I use in so many dishes. If you don’t have it already on hand, I highly recommend it. You can also use 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Mix. Add all the ingredients, saving a little bit of cheese to sprinkle on top during baking, to a large bowl and stir it well until all of the ingredients are combined. Transfer to a 9×13 baking dish.
Bake. Bake until the cheese has melted and the hashbrowns are cooked through about 30 minutes.
Serve. Remove from the oven and serve!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers:
To store leftovers. Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat leftovers. Cover the dish with foil and warm it in a 350º F oven until it is heated, for about 30 minutes. Note: You may need to add moisture to the casserole. Sprinkle with water or milk before covering with the foil and reheating.
Can You Make Hashbrown Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes! This is perfect for serving at holiday gatherings or weekend brunch because it’s easy to make ahead!
Make Ahead. Prepare it without baking it, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, bake as directed, serve, and enjoy.
Can You Freeze Hashbrown Casserole?
You can freeze this for later, too!
To freeze. Prepare the potato casserole without baking, store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container, and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To serve. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake as directed and serve.
Can You Make this as Funeral Potatoes?
Absolutely! This recipe is very similar to the recipe for funeral potatoes, which you may know got its name since it is regularly served at many funeral luncheons. To turn this easy hash brown casserole into funeral potatoes, add a topping! I’ve listed a few topping options below.
- Corn Flakes – many people use buttered cornflakes as the topping.
- Ritz Crackers – when I make it, I prefer to use Ritz Crackers for the topping as I do for my squash casserole.
- Panko – you can also use Panko crumbs for the crispy topping.
For the topping, you’ll need 2-3 cups of cornflakes, crackers, or Panko, along with ½ cup melted butter. Stir these together until well coated, and then spread them onto the top of the casserole and bake as directed!
Can You Make This As a Main Dish?
Yes! To make this recipe the main dish, you may want to add a protein – like cooked ham, ground beef, or shredded chicken. Add 1 pound of diced ham, browned ground beef, or shredded chicken and mix with the other ingredients until well blended. Pour into the casserole dish and bake as directed.
What Else Can You Add to this Recipe to Make it a Hearty Breakfast Casserole?
We love it as a side dish for a large holiday brunch. But you can add cooked and drained breakfast sausage or diced ham to this dish to take it to a hearty main dish.
Here’s my Hashbrown Casserole Recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
Other Favorite Easy Casseroles
Here’s my Hashbrown Casserole Recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen diced or frozen shredded potatoes,, thawed
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 cups cream of chicken soup, or 1 (10-ounce) can, storebought
- 2 cups sour cream
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 bunch green onions, sliced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Stone House Seasoning
Optional Toppings:
- 2 – 3 cups Ritz crackers
- 1/2 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Lightly butter a 9×13 baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix. Stir together the thawed diced or shredded potatoes, half of the cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, melted butter, onion, and Stone House Seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Spread into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake. Bake until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes and then top the hashbrown casserole with the remaining cheddar cheese. Return the hashbrown casserole to the oven until the cheese has melted.
- Serve warm.
For the Optional Topping:
- Stir together the the Corn Flakes, Ritz Cracker, or Panko with the melted butter until well coated. Spread on top of the casserole and bake as directed.
Notes
Prepare hashbrown casserole without baking, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To serve, bake as directed and serve. Freezer Friendly:
Prepare hashbrown casserole without baking, store in an airtight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake as directed and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I make this a lot but never as a weeknight meal because it takes an hour to cook when hashbrowns are frozen. I was searching to find out if I can make it ahead and found your page!!! Thank you for the make ahead info!!!!!!
Cheryl, this casserole should be done in about 30 minutes using the thawed potatoes. Of course, this is a great make ahead dish, too. Hope you enjoy!
tried this at a friend’s house yesterday!!!! it was delicious!!!!!!!!
Glad you liked it, Adela. Thanks
Re: Hash Brown Casserole
Hi Robyn, do I need to thaw my southern style hash browns before mixing the ingredients in? I saw that you could make this, refrigerate and bake the next day. I just don’t want to wake up to have water from the thawed potatoes in the bottom of the 9 x 13 baking dish. Suggestions welcome!
.
This is the most delicious casserole. I love it and so does my family. Easy to make and feeds a crowd.
Thank you, Louise. It is one of my favorite make ahead recipes for the holidays.
WOW. I was searching for the ultimate hash brown casserole recipe to make for Christmas breakfast and I liked that this one includes green onions. It was delicious, and a huge hit with all my guests. The only change I made was the addition of some crushed crackers over the top when I added the cheese towards the end of the baking time. Because: who doesn’t love a little crunch with their casserole? I’ll definitely make this again.
Thanks, Jennifer. So glad everyone loved it.
I just discovered your website and I am making my Thanksgiving menu from your recipes! When I have made this dish in the past from similar recipes, I feel like my potatoes are a bit too firm after the dish is cooked. I am assuming your recipe adds the potatoes while still frozen?
Thank you!
Welcome to Add a Pinch, Cindy! I do thaw these potatoes. As I state in my instructions, make sure your potatoes are fork tender before adding the remaining cheddar cheese. You may also be interested in some of my Make Ahead Thanksgiving tips.
Since the hash browns are frozen, does it mess anything up if it is refrigerated the day before and then cooked?
Hi Brooke,
You can either make this ahead, refrigerate for up to 3 days, and then bake. Still tastes great. Or you can make it ahead, freeze it and then bake it according to step 3 in the instructions. Enjoy!
Does freezing change the texture or consistency of the dish since it has sour cream in it?
Hi Gina,
I have not found that freezing causes these changes. Just follow my Freezer Friendly tips and your casserole should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
I have frozen them a few times and I did NOT like the outcome. The taste was okay, but the consistency was off. I think it was the sour cream.
I am a retired FACS (Home Ec) and have made huge batches of this recipe for school events. Easy to make ahead of time.
I absolutely love this casserole! As previously mentioned, I will add a ham steak diced or sausage chopped to make it a complete meal served with garlic bread and raw vegetables!  It’s been a family favourite for years!!
Sounds delicious, Lorrie!
This was a great dish. I did make it a few hours ahead and took it to my mother-in-law’s to cook for dinner. Unfortunately, I forgot to take the foil off before I baked it, but it was still very good. My MIL said it was a keeper. I can’t wait to make it again without the foil so it browns on top. Thanks Robyn for another great recipe.
I will be making this recipe. I will modify it by adding a generous amount of Hatch green chilies. We like spicy food.
I hope you enjoy it, Martha! xo