Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (2024)

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Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream is a Southern favorite! It’s the perfect side dish for family gatherings, holiday dinners, and everything in between.

Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (1)

This five ingredients recipe is the ultimate comfort food! You will love this recipe if you’re craving an easy recipe that takes minutes of prep.

You’ll also love this recipe if you love cheesy potatoes with a crunchy, golden-brown top!

When you’re hosting a family dinner and you want an easy hashbrown casserole, this is the recipe you need to make!

Let’s get started.

How to Make Hash Brown Casserole with Sour Cream

First, let’s gather the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.

Cream of Mushroom Soup — if you’ve ever seen a recipe for funeral potatoes, you’ll notice it calls for cream of chicken soup. Use whatever cream soup you have on hand! I don’t think you can go wrong here! Cream of celery soup, creamy of cheddar soup, or anything of the sort. Yum!!

Frozen Potatoes — Grab some Southern-Style Hashbrowns from your grocer’s freezer section. These are the cubes of brown potatoes! The diced potatoes. Sometimes they even have onions and peppers in the mix. If you can only find shredded hash browns, those will work fine too! You’ll get a more Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole style cheesy casserole, but you really cannot go wrong with this recipe!

Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (2)

​Pro Tip: Keep a bag of frozen hash browns in your fridge at all times. This recipe mixes up in less than 10 minutes, and it’s an easy side dish the entire family will love! You can serve it as a dinner side dish, or the perfect breakfast casserole.

Sour Cream — Sour cream is one of the best ways to make a delicious casserole. It creates a creamy sauce with the cheddar cheese and cream of mushroom soup. And, potatoes and sour cream are synonymous!

Cheese — Shredded cheddar cheese is super yummy in this comforting side dish recipe, but feel free to use different cheeses. It’s the perfect way to use up the leftover bags of cheese in your fridge, too!

Melted Butter — Cheesy hashbrown casserole recipe isn’t complete without half a cup of butter that’s been melted.

You’ll need something for the top of the casserole, and in these pictures, I used a combination of crushed potato chips, fried onions, and extra cheese. Some people use crushed cornflakes, which makes for a super crunchy topping!

Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (3)

Mixing Up the Potato Casserole

This is a dump-it-in, mix-it-up-and-bake-it kind of casserole dish. I prefer to mix everything up in a large bowl, but people do just mix it up in their baking dish, which makes for effortless cleanup!

Take your cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and cheese and mix them up so they’re evenly combined.

Dump in your potatoes — I like to thaw mine out the night before, but straight from the freezer works just fine.

Gently combine hash browns and the cheesy mixture together. I like to fold everything in since the potatoes are delicate, especially if they’re thawed.

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At this point, you may have noticed we haven’t added any seasoning. Mainly because the cream of mushroom soup is salty, and it’s best to add extra after it’s cooked, right at the table.

You can add a generous grind of black pepper! Or some garlic powder and onion powder. Fresh sliced green onions would be nice, too, and add a little color.

Once your simple ingredients are mixed well, dump this into a casserole dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray.

​Smooth it out, and move on to making your crunchy casserole topping.

If you are making this casserole ahead of time, which you can do up to 3 days in advance, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge.

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Crunch Topping for Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream

Here’s where you can get fancy, or plain, whatever you want!

I mixed crushed potato chips, fried onions, and extra shredded cheese to make my topping.

However, if you want to top your comfort food dish, do it!! It’s one of the best things about this recipe, and the measurements are in the full printable recipe below.

​Spread this topping over the casserole, and cover the whole thing with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350˚ for 45 minutes, removing the foil with 10 minutes left.

Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (6)

Serving This Cheesy Dish

Serve this fantastic casserole for Christmas dinner or any holiday meal! Or, a usual Sunday dinner, lazy Sunday brunch, almost anytime!

Here are a few options for a main dish that pairs well:

Grandma’s Roasted Turkey — this is a holiday meal essential!

The Best and EASIEST Beef Tenderloin — potatoes and beef, yes, please! Such a great start to the perfect celebration menu.

2-Ingredient Pork Chops — Bake these all together in the same oven! Woo hoo.

Easy Keto Egg Bake — if you’re wanting to use this recipe for brunch, make this egg casserole! Yum.

This Carrot Souffle Recipe would make another incredible side dish that goes well!

​In closing, you will love this recipe for years to come if you’ve never tried it! It’s one of those great recipes that will be requested over and over!

Save this recipe to your favorite Side Dish Board on Pinterest!

Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (7)

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Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (8)

Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream

  • Author: Sweetpea
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 10 1x
  • Category: side dish
  • Method: oven-baked
  • Cuisine: southern
Print Recipe

Description

Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream is a Southern favorite! Just a few simple ingredients, too!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 can Cream of Mushrom Soup
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 2 1/2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (the 1/2 cup is for the topping)
  • 12 ounces Southern-Style Hash Browns
  • 1 stick Butter, melted
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup Crushed Potato Chips
  • 1/2 cup Crushed Fried Onions
  • 1/2 cup Shredded Cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350˚.
  2. In a large mixing bowl combine the cream of mushroom soup, one cup of sour cream, and 2 cups of cheese. Stir well to incorporate everything well.
  3. Add in 12 ounces of southern-style hash browns (frozen or thawed!) and one stick of melted butter. Combine everything well.
  4. Pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine half a cup of crushed potato chips, half a cup of crushed fried onions, and half a cup of shredded cheese.
  6. Spread the topping over the cheese, and bake covered at 350˚ for 45 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, remove the foil to brown the top of the casserole.

Notes

This casserole can be made up to 3 days in advance, withholding the topping. Just cover the casserole in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

Recipe Card powered byEasy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (9)

Easy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe with Sour Cream (2024)

FAQs

What is the hashbrown casserole at Cracker Barrel made of? ›

Shredded potatoes, Colby cheese, chopped onions, our signature seasoning blend, salt and pepper baked together in the oven for our Signature Hashbrown Casserole. *May be cooked to order. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

Why is my hash brown casserole soggy? ›

Frozen hash browns will leak moisture during cooking, which could leave a soggy, sad mess behind. For the best results, let the frozen hash browns thaw overnight in the fridge, then thoroughly pat them dry to remove as much moisture as possible before cooking them to crispy.

How to make hash browns that aren t mushy? ›

Tips for the Crispiest Hash Browns

Squeeze out moisture: Use a potato ricer, orange or lemon press, or a tea towel to wring out excess moisture from the shredded raw potato. Some people find a salad spinner can work well too.

How do you get hash browns to stick together? ›

Press down lightly on the top of the potatoes with a spatula, to flatten it just slightly. Then don't touch it. After about 5 to 6 minutes, when the bottom has firmed up, sticks together, and is lightly browned, flip it over and cook for another 4 minutes, to get your hash browns crispy on both sides.

What are funeral potatoes made of? ›

Full of tender potatoes, gooey cheese, sour cream and topped with crispy Kellogg's corn flake cereal this savory casserole cannot be beat. Funeral potato with real potatoes is easy, cheesy, and delicious.

What is traditionally the main ingredient of hash browns? ›

Hash browns, also spelled hashed browns and hashbrowns, are a popular American breakfast dish consisting of finely julienned potatoes that have been fried until golden browned.

What is the trick to cooking hash browns? ›

Squeezing the shredded potato in a towel or cheesecloth to remove as much moisture as possible helps it brown more evenly. Cooking the shredded potato briefly in the microwave helps it develop a better crust that remains crispy for longer.

How do you thicken a hash brown casserole? ›

Whisk together equal parts cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness.

Why are my hash browns not getting crispy? ›

If you don't eliminate enough liquid (from the potatoes that you, again, just soaked in water), they will get soggy instead of crispy, a.k.a. a total bummer.

Why do my homemade hash browns turn GREY? ›

A: Exposure to air or oxygen is the cause of this situation when the potatoes are cut and stored in advance for any future cooking.

Why did my potatoes turn GREY when I cook them? ›

This process, which is called oxidation, happens because potatoes are a naturally starchy vegetable. And when exposed to oxygen, starches turn gray, brown, or even black. An oxidized potato is completely safe to eat.

Should you rinse shredded potatoes? ›

To ensure ultimate crispness, be sure to rinse the grated potatoes with cold water until the water runs nearly clear and to use a very hot, well-seasoned pan. As with all potato dishes, remember to season well.

What seasoning is good on hash browns? ›

Sprinkle shredded potatoes into hot butter in an even layer; season with cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook potatoes until a brown crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip or stir and continue to cook until potatoes are browned and crusty all over, about 5 more minutes.

What is a McDonald's hash brown made of? ›

Ingredients: Potatoes, Non-Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (Sunflower, Rapeseed, in varying amounts), Salt, Maize Flour, Dehydrated Potato, Dextrose, Stabiliser (Diphosphates), Black Pepper Extract. Prepared in the restaurant using non-hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Is it better to cook hash browns with butter or oil? ›

Using a drier, starchier potato such as Idaho, and rinsing away the excess starch is a sure-fire way to crispy, golden hash browns. Butter helps both browning and flavor, while oil lowers the smoke point, allowing your pan to do the steady, even cooking needed for perfectly crisped potatoes.

Does Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole have meat? ›

Our signature Hashbrown Casserole griddled and layered with Colby cheese, scrambled eggs, with choice of hickory smoked Bacon or Sirloin Steak Tips, topped with crispy fried onions, diced tomatoes and green onions (970-1080 cal). Served with Buttermilk Biscuits.

Is there pork in Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole? ›

The original Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole does not contain meat, unless you get the “loaded” menu item.

Does Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole have bacon? ›

Our Hashbrown Casserole grilled and topped with Colby Cheese, and bacon pieces. *May be cooked to order. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

What ingredients are in hash brown potatoes? ›

Image of What ingredients are in hash brown potatoes?
The potato is a starchy root vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are tubers of the plant Solanum tuberosum, a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United States to southern Chile.
Wikipedia

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