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Nobody passes up hash brown casserole when it shows up at a potluck or a holiday brunch. Shredded potatoes bake in a creamy sauce of cream soup and sour cream, topped with a bubbly layer of cheddar, and the chopped onion keeps a juicy bit of crunch. Everything gets stirred together in one bowl with nothing to cook on the stove first. Spread it in a 9-by-13-inch dish, and pop it right into the oven.
My friend, Molly, has been bringing this hash brown casserole to our get-togethers for decades. It’s sort of a copycat recipe for the Cracker Barrel version, but I think this version is even better.
This casserole is creamy, cheesy, and good for breakfast or as a side for dinner. It’s easy to make, and you can do the whole thing in advance. It’s also a great casserole to take to someone who’s under the weather or otherwise in need of good, old-fashioned comfort food.
Testing results for hash brown casserole
- Molly has always made this casserole with cream of chicken and mushroom soup. Most recipes call for plain cream of chicken soup, so I’ve tried it with that. It’s fine, but I prefer Molly’s version.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Let those hash browns thaw
Frozen hash browns hold a lot of water, so it’s important to allow them time to thaw completely before mixing everything together. I usually forget to take them out the night before, so I’ll dump them into a colander in the sink and let them thaw there.
Once the hash browns are completely thawed, use a couple of paper towels to press them against the colander and absorb some of the liquid.
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A good dish and a box grater
You don’t need much for this one. A 9-by-13-inch baking dish goes from the oven to the table, and a box grater makes quick work of a block of cheddar.
Thawed shreds and block cheddar
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card.
Shredded hash browns: A large bag of shredded hash browns. The diced ones don’t work as well in this recipe.
Cheddar cheese: An 8-ounce block, shredded yourself, gives you about 2 1/2 to 3 loosely packed cups. Two cups get stirred into the potatoes, and the rest is sprinkled on top.
Sour cream: Two full cups. Along with the soup, it makes the creamy sauce the potatoes bake in.
Soup: One 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of chicken and mushroom soup, straight from the can.
Southern hash brown casserole for brunch or supper
For a Southern brunch, set this out next to a basket of cathead biscuits made with full-fat buttermilk. Add a pan of bacon baked in the oven, and breakfast for a houseful of family is ready.
At supper, Southern hash brown casserole sits right beside a ham with a bourbon orange glaze. It’s just as good next to flank steak with chimichurri. It bakes and serves in the same dish, so it’s easy to carry to a potluck or to a neighbor’s door.
You don’t need a special occasion for this one. Make it for the next family breakfast, and it may well become the casserole everybody counts on you to bring.
Related 📖 ➡️ How to Host a Southern Brunch
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Hash Brown Casserole with Sour Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 ounces shredded hash browns thawed and drained
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken and mushroom soup
- 2 cups sour cream
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 8 ounces Cheddar cheese freshly shredded (about 2 1/2 to 3 loosely packed cups), divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, basil, or green onions optional, to top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Shred the cheese and chop the onion.
- Stir 32 ounces shredded hash browns, 1/2 cup butter, 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken and mushroom soup, 2 cups sour cream, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 2 cups of the cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a large bowl.
- Spread the mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 1 hour, until bubbly.
- Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, basil, or green onions and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in a 350 degrees F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until warm.
