Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
Got 15 minutes? Because that’s all the prep time you’ll need to get my Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole recipe ready for the oven! Serve this casserole full of cheesy, carb-filled goodness with breakfast or as the perfect side dish for dinner.
If you’ve ever eaten at a Cracker Barrel restaurant, you’ve probably had their Hash Brown Casserole. It’s possibly the most popular item on their menu. People crave it. And I’m giving you my copycat recipe so you won’t have to leave home just to satisfy that craving!
This hot, bubbly, cheesy hashbrown casserole is not only perfect for breakfast, it’s a great side dish for dinner or to take to potlucks. I like to serve it with everything from barbecued ribs to meatloaf to chicken tenders. And it goes without saying that it makes a fantastic meal when paired with fried chicken, pork chops, or old-fashioned salisbury steaks.
This copycat recipe for Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole is so good you may even find that you prefer it to the original!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is true comfort food!
- Kids and adults both love it.
- It’s easy to reheat and is even better the next day.
- It transports well. Make two and take one to a neighbor!
- The recipe doubles or triples easily.
- It’s full of ooey gooey hot, bubbly cheese and potatoes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
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- Shredded Hash Browns (I use the Simply Potatoes brand of shredded hash browns. There’s information at the bottom of the post on using frozen and/or freshly grated potatoes.)
- Cream of Chicken Soup (I use the readily available canned version. If you’d like to make your own from scratch, you might try Cozy Cook’s recipe.)
- Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (You can certainly use mild or sharp, but I prefer extra sharp Cheddar for more cheesy flavor.)
- Sour Cream (Adds a great tangy background flavor.)
- Green Onions (Use both the white and green parts.)
- Butter (Of course!)
- Salt and Pepper
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a square (8×8 or 9×9) baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Transfer the potato mixture to the baking dish spreading it evenly.
Customized Square Casserole Baking Dish
from: Etsy
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until cheese is melted and the top of the casserole is nicely browned. It’s important to let the casserole sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Custom Family Kitchen Sign Wall Art
from: Etsy
Can I Make This Recipe in Advance?
Yes. You can make this hash brown breakfast casserole a day ahead, cover and refrigerate it. Bring it up to room temperature before baking.
Can I Use Frozen Hashbrowns for This Casserole?
You can make the recipe using frozen hashbrown potatoes, but you’ll need to thaw them first. Follow this procedure:
- Place the frozen hash browns in a colander set inside a plate.
- Leave at room temperature until completely thawed.
- Place the thawed potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- When using frozen hashbrowns, the casserole will need additional cooking time of 10 to 15 minutes.
Can I Use Freshly Grated Potatoes?
To use fresh potatoes:
- Grate the potatoes with or without the skin.
- Rinse well under cool water and let drain in a colander.
- Remove as much excess moisture as possible by squeezing the potatoes in a clean kitchen towel.
Recipe Variations
There are so many ways to make variations on this casserole! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Change the cream of chicken soup out for cream of celery, cream of mushroom, or cheddar cheese soup.
- Add a topping of 1 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes tossed with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the top before baking.
- Vary the cheese. Try Gruyere (or any Swiss), Colby, or Monterey Jack.
- Add a quarter teaspoon (or more!) of red pepper flakes to the mixture.
- Add leftover chicken or ham.
- Add broccoli florets or green peas.
- Mix in about 8 ounces of browned, drained ground beef.
- Stir in some finely chopped jalapeno.
- Sprinkle some crispy fried onions on top for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Slow Cooker Version
To make the casserole in your slow cooker. grease the inside of a 4- or 6-quart cooker generously with butter or cooking spray. Add in the potato mixture. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or high for 3 to 3.5 hours.
TIP: Unfortunately, there’s no standard for slow cooker temperatures so the low and high settings vary greatly based on the manufacturer. Keep a check on your casserole and turn off the cooker when the potatoes are tender and the mixture is hot and bubbly.
Storing the Leftovers
To store leftovers, cover tightly and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat, covered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
To freeze: I’d suggest portioning the leftovers into servings and then wrapping each serving in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped servings in an airtight freezer container and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
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Recipe
Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 20 ounces refrigerated, shredded hash browns (recommended brand: Simply Potatoes)
- 10.75 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 6 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a square (8×8 or 9×9) baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Transfer the potato mixture to the baking dish spreading it evenly.
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until cheese is melted and the top of the casserole is nicely browned.
Notes
- Let the casserole sit for 15 minutes before serving.
- Make a day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Bring the dish up to room temperature before baking.
- To use frozen hash browns, thaw them first in a colander set inside a plate. When completely thawed, remove as much moisture as possible by placing the potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and squeezing out any excess liquid. The casserole will also need additional cooking time of 10 to 15 minutes.
- To use freshly grated potatoes, grate the potatoes with or without the skin. Rinse well under cool water and drain in a colander. Remove as much excess moisture as possible by squeezing the potatoes in a clean kitchen towel.
- To store leftovers, cover tightly and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat, covered, at 350 degree for about 20 minutes.
- To freeze: I’d suggest portioning the leftovers into servings and then wrapping each serving in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped servings in an airtight freezer container and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on April 6, 2011 and has been updated with new photos and additional information.
How many cups equal 1 pound of hash browns?
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each tkme a
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Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
Many thanks!
On the emails you receive, there should be a link to click to remove yourself from receiving further comments.
I’m fairly certain you could fix this the night before and bake it the next morning. I’m curious about freezing it. I cook for two, and it would be easy to make it and put it in small containers to pull out as needed.
BTW: I have fixed this and used chives instead of scallions.
I’ll bet you could, Mitzi. I have to say that I’ve never tried freezing it myself, but my intuition is that it would work well.
I made this using frozen hashbrowns (thawed) and cream of mushroom soup. I didn’t have real potatoes or cr of chicken soup. Well, it turned out FANTASTIC!!!! This is the best hashbrown casserole I have ever made and will never use another recipe for this again!! Thank you!!!
I’m so glad to hear that, Linda! We just love this casserole and you’ve reminded me that I haven’t made it in quite some time. This may be Saturday brunch for us!
I cannot wait to try this!!!
Do you think I can make this ahead of time an put it in the fridge? Will the potatoes be ok?
I would think you could make it ahead of time. However, I have not tried it so I can’t say definitely.
@Cathy,
Did you try making this ahead of time? I wanted to make it the night before but wasn’t sure….
Vanessa
I’m making a double batch today! Yummy!!!! Just wondering how many cups would make a couple pounds of shredded potatoes? I don’t have a kitchen scale and I’d rather shred more than I need than not enough! :) Thanks!
I looked all over the web for a cheesy potato recipe using fresh potatoes!
It sounds delicious — Thank You!!
I will be serving it with meatloaf and salad for dinner tonight :)
looks like it’d really stick to your ribs. yummy!
I’m saving this in “Breakfast for a Crowd” . . . what a fun recipe! Thanks, Lana.