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! Serve the casserole alongside Alpine Eggs and Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits for a complete brunch plate.
Recipe Snapshot: Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 1 Hour
Servings: 10
Primary Ingredient(s): Refrigerated hash browns, cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This is the best hashbrown casserole I have ever made and will never use another recipe for this again!! Thank you!!!”
— Linda
What You’ll Like About 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.
Ingredient Notes
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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.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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.
How to Make Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
STEP 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
STEP 2. Spray a square (8×8 or 9×9) baking dish with cooking spray.
STEP 3. Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until evenly mixed.
STEP 4. Transfer the potato mixture to the baking dish, spreading it evenly.
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STEP 5. 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.
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.
Pro 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 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.
Questions About Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
Yes. You can make the recipe a day ahead, cover and refrigerate it. Bring it up to room temperature before baking.
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.
Yes, you can! To use fresh potatoes, (1) Grate the potatoes with or without the skin, (2) Rinse well under cool water and let drain in a colander, (3) Remove as much excess moisture as possible by squeezing the potatoes in a clean kitchen towel.
More Recipes You’ll Like
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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.Cooking spray
- Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.20 ounces refrigerated, shredded hash browns, 10.75 ounces cream of chicken soup, 6 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup chopped green onions, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 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
- 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.
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 healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
How many cups equal 1 pound of hash browns?
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.
I’m thinking Easter brunch! :)
Have a great weekend Lana.
Made this for dinner, because it sounded so good & my hubby loves the hashbrown casserole from Cracker Barrel…it tasted good, but was so very greasy :( Did you notice that at all? I would definitely make again, but I would totally leave out the butter. Half of the cheese I used was reduced fat & the cream of chicken soup was 98% fat free, but I soaked 2 bounty with grease from the top, and it was pooled in the bottom of the casserole dish. Please don’t think I came to your blog to criticize…is there a possibly a typo in the recipe?
Wow, Janet, I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you! But no, it isn’t like that at all for me. It’s definitely rich with all the butter and cheese, but I’ve never had grease to rise to the top or pool in the dish. I wonder if you maybe didn’t have enough shredded potatoes? You need two pounds weight after shredding. I almost always buy those shredded ones in the bags from the dairy section of the grocery store just for convenience sake. Again – I’m so sorry it wasn’t a great recipe for you.
I’m sure it was something I did, your picture looks way better than my casserole. I’ll have to give it another try! Love your blog…and your photos :)
Wow, Lana, that looks amazing!!! I think I’m going to have to try that. Definitely comfort food.
I think everybody loves this casserole – I know I do! And my husband is the same way. He’d be perfectly happy to never touch a salad or vegetable all the rest of the life. Luckily he has me to veggie terrorize him into at least eating a few on occasion. :)
Have a great weekend!!
Keep on terrorizing him with the veggies, Mary!
I LOVE hashbrown casserole! Yours looks soooo good and I wish I had some right now. :) I’ll have to make this soon because now I’m craving it!