Classic Hash Brown Casserole
This Southern-style hash brown casserole is a crowd-pleaser. Made with frozen hash browns, sour cream, and cheese, it’s the perfect side.
This Southern-style hash brown casserole is a popular way to serve potatoes. It’s a rich and flavorful casserole made with frozen hash browns, sour cream, and cheese. Using canned soups for the sauce makes it a quick and easy dish to throw together. A breadcrumb topping finishes the casserole perfectly, giving it a lovely browned and crunchy texture.
With frozen hash browns and a simple mix-and-bake method, it’s one of those versatile recipes that works for holidays, potlucks, or everyday meals. You can easily tweak it with different cheeses, proteins, or toppings depending on the occasion—or what you have on hand!
Why You’ll Love It
Simple ingredients. Frozen hash browns, canned soup, sour cream, and cheese make it easy and convenient.
Make-ahead friendly. Assemble it ahead of time and bake when ready—great for holidays or meal prep.
Perfectly crowd-pleasing. It’s a rich, satisfying side that disappears fast at brunch or dinner gatherings.
Endless variations. Switch up the soup, cheese, or add meat to make it your own.
Ingredient Notes
- Hash browns: Use a 32-ounce bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, fully thawed before mixing.
- Butter: Unsalted butter in the casserole and salted for the topping ensures flavor balance.
- Sour cream: Adds creaminess and a little tang; Greek yogurt is a suitable substitute.
- Condensed soup: Cream of celery or cream of chicken both work well.
- Onion: Finely chopped yellow or sweet onion blends in without overpowering.
- Cheddar cheese: Use sharp or mild cheddar, or try a blend—reserve some for the topping.
- Breadcrumbs: Fresh soft breadcrumbs toast up beautifully with butter for a golden top.
Steps to Make Classic Hash Brown Casserole
- Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the thawed hash browns, melted unsalted butter, sour cream, condensed soup, chopped onion, and 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the mixture to the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar over the top.
- In a separate bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the melted salted butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the casserole.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
Recipe Variations
- Topping: Use panko crumbs or replace the butter and breadcrumb topping with crispy fried onions.
- Soup: Add another can of condensed soup for an extra creamy texture. Or use a thick white sauce as a homemade base.
- Cheese: Swap cheddar with Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Swiss, or a combination for added flavor.
- Meat: Add diced ham, cooked ground beef, or shredded chicken. Pair with a complementary cheese like Swiss or Gruyère.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with ham, sausage, or bacon for a hearty breakfast or brunch.
- Pair with roasted meats, such as pork chops or baked chicken, for dinner.
- Add a simple green salad or sautéed vegetables to balance the richness.
- Include on a holiday table alongside turkey, stuffing, or green beans.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Let the casserole cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. Consume within 4 days.
Freeze: Not ideal due to texture changes, but possible. Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To Reheat: Transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until hot (165°F internal temperature). For smaller portions, microwave in short bursts, covered, at 50–70% power.
Classic Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
For the Casserole
- 32 ounces hash brown potatoes, frozen, thawed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 can cream of celery soup, or cream of chicken
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Topping
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, soft fresh
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly butter a 3-quart baking dish.
- Combine the thawed hash browns with 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter, sour cream, soup, onion, and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. Mix to thoroughly combine and taste. Add salt and pepper, as needed.
- Turn the potato mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
Prepare the Topping
- Combine the breadcrumbs with 3 tablespoons of melted butter in a medium bowl and sprinkle over the cheese topping.
- Bake the casserole for 35 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
