Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole is a perfect copycat breakfast classic with shredded hash browns, cheese, sour cream and condensed soup.
Potatoes are the perfect base for a starchy side dish and if you love this recipe you should try Ultimate Loaded Mashed Potatoes or Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes. They’re both the perfect starchy comfort food your whole family will love. Plus the bacon in the loaded mashed potatoes is just heavenly!
CRACKER BARREL HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
If you’re craving a new main dish for dinner or looking for something fun to serve up for brunch, this yummy copycat recipe from Cracker Barrel is the perfect comfort food recipe to try. It’s got a fairly short cook time and the prep is incredibly easy. You’ll love serving it alongside Perfect Simple Roast Chicken or Classic Beef Meatloaf.
If you are looking for a dish that is the perfect blend of breakfast and dinner, you should try making hash brown casserole from this recipe we found at Cracker Barrel, which is perfect for breakfast or a late night hang out restaurant.
It’s rich and savory and it doesn’t take the whole day to prep and bake. In fact you can probably prep the entire recipe in less than five minutes and just put the pan in the oven before it even finishes preheating! This dish couldn’t be any easier!
This cheesy hash brown casserole is hearty enough to serve up in a breakfast for dinner scenario, or you can serve it in smaller portions for breakfast or brunch. You can also save it for later if you’re looking for a breakfast that’s filling and that you don’t have to make from scratch every morning. Kids will love having it with chicken tenders!
HWHAT TO SERVE WITH HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
- Super Crispy Chicken Tenders – This is the ultimate chicken tender recipe!
- Oven Fried Chicken (Super Crispy!) – Forget deep frying, you will never want chicken another way after this recipe!
- Chili’s Chicken Crispers (Copycat) – the perfect breading copycat to Chili’s famous Crispers!
HOW TO MAKE CRACKER BARREL HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 11 x 14 inch casserole or baking dish with cooking spray.
- In large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir together.
- Spread evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown.
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VARIATIONS ON CRACKER BARREL HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
- Cheese: If you’re looking for some new taste variations, switching up the cheese you use is a good way to alter the taste without having to change the recipe too much. Try using parmesan, pecorino or colby cheese.
- Spices: Dust a bit of black pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika or an Italian spice blend over the top of your casserole. You can add any mixture that you want depending on the flavor palette you prefer.
- Toppings: As unusual as it sounds, you can add crushed cornflakes to the top of the casserole to give it a delicious crunch without having to do extra work, and cornflakes don’t interfere with the overall flavor of the dish.
- Vegetarian: If you want to make this dish vegetarian-friendly, all you have to do is switch out the cream of chicken soup for cream of mushroom soup. The rest of the recipe is already meat-free and cream of mushroom soup cooks similarly to the chicken variety.
- Onions: You can use a large yellow onion, but if you are craving a different or stronger onion taste, you can try using a scallion or chopped green onions. Even though scallions are a small onion, don’t be fooled: they pack quite a punch.
WHO CAN WE THANK FOR HASH BROWNS?
There are a lot of similar dishes around the world, but the first time the term “hashed browns” showed up was in New York City around 1888. They showed up in a cookbook written by Maria Parloa, the founder of multiple cooking schools and a respected food writer.
The name was originally “hashed browns,” but it was shortened over time to “hash browns.” The word “hashed” comes from “hacher,” which means “chopped” in French. “Hash browns” was first coined by H.L. Mencken, an American satirist and journalist, in 1945.
HOW TO STORE CRACKER BARREL HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
- Serve: You should not leave the casserole out for longer than about 2 hours at room temperature.
- Store: You can keep your leftovers in the fridge for about 4 days as long as you keep them covered in the fridge.
- Freeze: If you want to keep your casserole around for longer, it will stay good for about 3 months in the freezer. The hash browns won’t reheat well beyond that point, so you’re better off making a new batch.
Ingredients
- 32 ounces shredded hash browns , thawed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 10.75 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1/2 yellow onion , chopped
- 2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix hash browns, melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onions, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
- Spread evenly in a 11x14 baking dish.
- Cook for 45 minutes until top is melted and browned.
Video
Nutrition
Photos used in a previous version of this post.
it says 11×14 pan in beginning,
9×11 in actual recipe.which pan do I use?
That is a typo and I appreciate you bringing it to our attention! The recipe card has been fixed to read 11×14 pan.
Can this be prepared a night before and cooked the next day
Yes! Did you try it?
Could I sub out the cream of chicken for mushroom to make it vegetarian?
I haven’t tried it without cream of chicken. What did you decide to do? Would love to hear your feedback!
Oh yum. Another good one. I used to work at Cracker Barrel HQ in Lebanon TN (worked from home thank goodness it was over 1 hour away). Great company. I had cancer surgery last year and they supported me the whole way. While in hospital typing with one finger I asked my boss to lower my salary until I was up to speed – he said no he wouldn’t do that. Loving retirement now – never know what day it is and I don’t care. LOL Oh BTW, this is a GREAT recipe! I can always count on you to put out good ones.
Wow, what a story. So glad you’re enjoying life and thanks for the 5 star rating!
Can I use Light sour cream and green onions?
Yes, you may; however, it will taste a bit different than Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole.
The first time I made it it was too wet, so next time I only used 1 cup of sour cream. I also sautéed the onion first. Worked out great.
Could you add eggs to this to make it an egg casserole?
Hi Sheryl, I’m sorry I’ve never tested that so I’m not sure how it would work. We do have a breakfast casserole with hash browns you could try though: https://dinnerthendessert.com/breakfast-casserole/
I’ve been making this for years. I hate cream of chicken so I use cream of celery. Yum.
Great idea Michelle!
I added sausage and ranch seasoning, and it stepped up the flavor. Great recipe.
I am giving you a five star because I know how much work it takes to put together one of these videos, but mine didn’t turn out as a solid. It turned out wet and soggy. Tasted okay, though. Thank you for your time.
I’m sorry Joyce! hopefully, I have another recipe that will work better for you. Thank you for your sweet comment!
I made this and added hamburger. OMG! So good. And since I used hamburger I used cream of mushroom soup. Again, so good!
Success!! Yay! Thank you for trying my recipe!
We love this recipe, make it regularly! I add a package of cubed/ diced ham and make it a meal. It turns out perfectly every time!
I plan on doubling this. Should I freeze it before I cook it or after? Thanks in advance.
You can freeze after and it will stay for about 3 months!
Can you use the hasbrowns in the refrigerator section (not frozen) as a substitute?
Sure!
Can this be doubles and still be fabulous
Very tasty. I used the cheese I have on hand, monterey jack and just as good as CB’s. I will make it again.
Thank you for sharing!
Hi! Could you make this the evening before and refrigerate before you bake it?
Hi Anna, sorry for the delay in replying. Yes you could, be sure to cover right over the top with plastic wrap, you don’t want any potatoes oxidizing.
Why not just broil it?
What do you mean? Would love to help but need more details.
I realize this comment is very old, so I am so sorry for the delay in replying.
I am so sorry the comment got lost, I am just seeing this tonight. I am sure the recipe has long been cooked/or not but I still want to try to help.
The entire casserole needs to be cooked through, so the lower temperature is necessary to cook the recipe. If after the recipe is fully cooked, you want the top a little crispier, you could certainly broil it until it gets to your desired crispiness.
Turned out great! I followed the recipe, did not have issues as mentioned in previous posts, such as too much butter or turning soupy. I added a few jalapeños to kick up all those potatoes. I also used a 9×11 baker, and next time I’ll bake a little longer and broil the top to crisp it up. The bottom of the casserole was lovely, crispy brown. Thanks for the recipe.
Love the jalapeño twist! Sounds amazing, Kathleen.
I had to cook for an hour then broiled for Crispy top. For some reason it was kinda soupy Next time I would cut back on the sour cream . Way to much for 2 people . And definitely should add ham or sausage to make it meal. Otherwise it was very good just VERY heavy .
Can you use the diced or cubed hash browns ?
It won’t be a copycat but it’ll still be delicious! Enjoy!
Can you make this ahead of time and freeze? Or is it better to cook first and then freeze? Thanks!!
I’d cook before freezing. Then when reheating, keep it covered so the top doesn’t dry out.
This looks YUMMY! Could you make this in the crockpot?
You could! I would do low for 4 hours and check it at that point.
This sounds wonderful. But I am wondering if you could use “fresh” potatoes that you grate? Thank you.
Sure, just shred them and rinse in cold water to release some of the starch. I’d let them sit in a large bowl of cold water in the fridge for at least an hour and then rinse. Before using, just drain and squeeze as much of the water from them as possible. That’ll help with allowing them to crisp up. Good luck!
I made this today in spite of only having 1/4 of an onion. I added onion powder, and the casserole is too oniony tasting. I would recommend only adding 1 tsp salt since cheese tastes salty. Otherwise, it is very good!
Also, the top did not brown after 45 minutes of baking, so I upped the oven temp to 500 degrees and baked for an additional 10 minutes to get a crusty top.
Thanks for the feedback, Cindy.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I have made it a few times now and will make again tomorrow so I come back to make sure I had the recipe and wanted to let you know just how much we have loved it! Super simple, cheap, delicious, and makes a great potluck dish! I’ve received many compliments at each gathering and it has sure been the first dish emptied.
I’m glad to know it’s such a hit, Lindsay. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Great flavor added diced ham but turned out super runny even let it cook an extra 10 min . It was more like a thick soup. Don’t know what I did wrong . Any suggestions?
Were the hash browns completely thawed? If not, that would add extra moisture and turn it into more a soup.
Actually, This recipe is nothing Like Cracker Barrel. I spent years cooking it in the restaurant. There is no sour cream in the recipe, and they use shredded Colby, not cheddar. Cracker Barrel cooks NOTHING in butter. The only butter you will find in their restaurant is in those little packs you ask the waitress for. Otherwise, they use liquid margarine in everything. Sorry!
Thanks for the feedback!
Can this be made and frozen until ready to use?
Sure 🙂 Just make sure to place it in an airtight freezer safe container. Enjoy!
So the only thing they do different is No sour cream?….
I would love the actual recipe if you wouldn’t mind sharing.
what is their recipe then?
ridiculously good!!! can i give more stars?
That’s so sweet of you to say, Joni.
My husband LOVES the hashbrown casserole at Cracker Barrel, so I gave this recipe a try for Easter. The only reason that I am giving this a 3/5 is because of the butter. Do yourself a favor and cut it in half. There was sooooo much butter literally dripping off the casserole when I was trying to serve it. We actually felt sick after we ate it. All of the other ingredients meshed well and I wouldn’t change anything else. Definitely giving this a second chance with less or no butter.
Oh no! We’ve made this so many times and have never had that happen. Glad you’re willing to try again with it more to your liking.
I completely agree. I could literally ring the butter out. It caused it to be very greasy. Despite the fact it was a lot of butter it had a good flavor. The excess butter caused the casserole to be soggy once you got through the layer of cheese. I’m going to try to make it again. I’m just not sure exactly how much butter I’ll cut down or omit. I guess I’ll start by only using a 1/2 stick of butter vs a whole. If that doesn’t work I’ll omit it altogether. I’m just also trying to keep it from drying out.
But then I also wondered if I made a mistake the first time I tried. I wonder if it makes a difference if your melted butter is still pretty hot when you put it in vs allowing it to cool some. (Of course not all the way.) I’m just curious by me adding the other wet ingredients with the hot butter, if it caused the sauce to break while in the oven? Does anyone have a clue if this could have happen or not? And if not are there any recommendations as to how I can fix the issue?
Feel exactly the same
Same comment. Literally swimming in butter.
Do you need to cook the onions and the hash browns before mixing it with everything else?
Nope 🙂
How far in advance can I make the casserole and put in refrigerator before baking?
I usually make this the night before but I would think it would last up to a couple days in the refrigerator before baking. Enjoy!
Is there a substitute for the sour cream? Like cream cheese or no?
You could do 12 ounces cream cheese mixed with 1/2-3/4 cup milk, you’re looking for a similar thickness to the cream cheese as the sour cream. Happy Thanksgiving!
Can I use fresh hash browns?
Yes 🙂
I love this recipe and make it quite often. It is just too much for 2 people. I realize you can freeze the leftovers, but I was wondering if you could freeze it before you bake it, and just thaw and bake when you want to serve it. Thanks!
Sure 🙂 I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe.
Can you put together the night before, put in refrigerator and then bake the next morning?
Yes!
Love this recipe! Been making it for years. It doesn’t matter whose recipe you use. They’re all the same. Ingredients, bake time and temperature, etc. Made this last week and it was great, as usual. Made it this morning. Different ballgame. For the love of God, whatever you do, DO NOT USE NATURAL SOUR CREAM! It doesn’t have the same tangy flavor that regular sour cream has. It changes the flavor 100%! I guess you live and learn.
Glad that you loved it! Yes, sometimes natural sour cream can alter the flavor. Hope you continue to enjoy it in the future!
We would always go to cracker barrel when we visited Ohio, this was fun to make and a trip down memory lane!
I’m glad it brought back fun and happy memories!
Seriously my favorite thing at Cracker Barrel! Love this recipe.
This has become a family favorite, thank you!
You’re welcome! Glad to hear your family enjoys it as much as mine does!
Yasssssss! Cracker Barrel has the best hashbrown casserole – this recipe tastes just like it!!
Love this! It is dang good!
It is SO good!
This is the best has brown casserole! Just like Cracker Barrel.
Looking for the recipe??
The recipe for this dish is above in the recipe card. 🙂
We loved the hash brown bake. I mentioned that next time I would put the Corn Flakes on and my husband and daughter said there is nothing I can do to make this better than it is. That was a real compliment. In addition to it being a delicious dish, it was so quick and easy to make. I will be making this quite often, to my family’s Delight.
Thank you so much Vicki! You just made my day!
excellent recipe lol I added 1 lb thick cut bacon chopped fried crispy and drained, I mean why not it’s always better with bacon
Will try this one soon.
I’d love to know what you think after trying it. Enjoy!
I have the most wonderful collection for mashed potatoes with garlic’
I need to collect my brain and will send it to you within a day or so, but you will need at least 5 heads of fresh garlic ( 50-60 cloves) yes it is crazy but it will warm the hearts and souls of all who partake ( not any good if you let it out how much garlic is in the sauce)
[garlic is not bitter or hot or anything else but SWEET if prepared properly]
Recipe on its way!
Thanks Nelson.
My mouth is watering!!! May i have the potatoe recipe you mentioned? Ty.
Respectfully, Thomi