4.85 from 40 votes

Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole

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I absolutely love the comforting taste of Cracker Barrel’s famous hashbrown casserole. When I made this recipe in my kitchen for the first time, I was immediately reminded of the nostalgic flavors of eating out at this iconic restaurant.

Over the years, I’ve fine-tuned this copycat cracker barrel hashbrown casserole to serve as a delicious breakfast casserole and make a fantastic side dish. Whether you’re a fan of my main dish, sausage hashbrown breakfast casserole, or prefer a heartier tater tot breakfast casserole recipe, this ultra-cheesy casserole delivers the creamy bite you crave.

Homemade Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole being scooped out of a baking dish with a spatula.

Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole Ingredients

As you can see, this dish has pretty straightforward and just a few ingredients. As a note, I keep it cheesy with the cream of cheddar soup choice which is close to the original, but you can substitute for other “cream of” soups if you prefer. Just know that it changes the taste and recipe, but I always encourage finding what works for your family.

  • 1 bag (32 oz) frozen hashbrowns, thawed (I use the red ORE-IDA Bag in Frozen Section at the store)
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of cheddar soup
  • 1 cup diced white onions – A tip for adding white onion is to always use a vegetable chopper.
  • 2.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese – this is for the topping and the mix-in
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
Ingredients for hashbrown casserole laid out on a kitchen counter.

Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole Recipe

I think you will find that this version of the famous top secret cracker barrel casserole recipe is pretty spot on. Easy to prepare and budget-friendly, there really is no wrong way to enjoy it- and you will enjoy it! With just a few ingredients, the focus is on the creamy cheesy base and hashbrowns.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. This step is crucial for even cooking, so let the oven reach the full temperature before you start.

Prepare your casserole dish by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. This helps prevent the potatoes from sticking.

collage of the ingredients going into a mixing bowl for hashbrown casserole.

Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the thawed hashbrowns, cream of cheddar soup, diced onions, 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and melted butter. Stir until well mixed.

Season to taste: Add salt and pepper to taste. Remember its always easy to add more and you cannot take away, so its fine to add a salt and pepper shaker on the table vs overdoing it pre-baking. Canned items like this cream of cheddar soup typically have their own salt content, so just be aware of that.

Transfer to the casserole dish: Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the mixture evenly in the greased casserole dish. Don’t press down too much; you are not trying to pack it in, just level it out.

The back of a spoon or spatula helps you smooth out the casserole without smashing it down.

Add the topping: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top.

Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let it rest for a few minutes to set and then serve.

super melty cheese on the top of the hash brown casserole.

Add Toppings

This casserole is meatless as written (just like the original copycat version), but you can make it heartier by adding cooked ground sausage or bacon right into the mix. For toppings, try fresh chives, a dollop of sour cream, or a splash of hot sauce for an extra kick.

scoop of cracker barrel casserole, letting it rest is the trick to this recipe.

How to make ahead Cracker Barrel Casserole

One of the things I love most about this recipe is how easy it is to prepare ahead of time. This make-ahead option is a lifesaver.

  1. Assemble the Casserole: Follow the recipe instructions to mix all the ingredients together and spread the mixture in your greased casserole dish. Don’t add the final layer of cheese yet.
  2. Cover and Refrigerate: Once assembled, cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. You can do this up to 24 hours in advance.
  3. Add the Topping: When you’re ready to bake, take the casserole out of the fridge and preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the cover, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats.
  4. Bake: Bake as directed, for 40-45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Potatoes make perfect potluck ideas

Personally, this copycat hashbrown casserole is one of my favorite recipes to bring when there is a sharing even like potlucks and meetings. Its honestly better than the original and the positive feedback I get is always overwhelming. Its not as filling as some of the other egg and meat dishes and is truly complementary as a side dish.

If you need more delicious ways to enjoy hash browns, I got you. Try our ham and potato casserole, this hearty cowboy breakfast casserole with lots of eggs, or simply learn how to make hash browns in the oven (a GREAT trick for crispy hashbrowns without the oil mess).

scooping casserole in a spoon.
4.85 from 40 votes

Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole


Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole is an authentic copycat recipe that is just so easy to make. Fine to prepare ahead, this hashbrown casserole can be a side dish or a main dish, and is perfect for holiday mornings. Cheesy, melty, creamy and oh so filling, this is the top secret recipe everyone raves about!

Ingredients
 

  • 30 oz. Hash browns thawed and drained of excess moisture if necessary
  • 1 stick of butter melted
  • 16 oz. full fat Sour Cream
  • 10.5 oz. Cream of Cheddar condensed soup
  • 1/2 cup white onion diced
  • 2.5 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray your casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese for the topping.
  • In a large bowl, combine 30 oz of thawed hash browns, 1 stick of melted butter, 1 can of cream of cheddar condensed soup, 1/2 cup of diced onion (or more if you like extra onion), 1.5 cups of cheddar cheese, 16 oz of full-fat sour cream, and a light pinch of salt and pepper (be cautious with salt, as the canned soup is already seasoned).
  • Mix all ingredients well until evenly combined. Transfer the mixture into your prepared casserole dish and use a spatula to smooth the top evenly without mashing the ingredients.
  • Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
  • Bake for 45 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Let the casserole set and cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow the ingredients to firm up and then serve.

Video

Notes

Alterations

THAW POTATOES: Your hashbrowns need to be thawed out. If there is too much water in them, you can drain but mine didn’t have too much so I was able to thaw and dump. I just put mine in the fridge so they can thaw out a few hours before I assemble this casserole.
CHANGE POTATOES: Hashbrowns are just potatoes, so you can substitute the shredded ones for the diced ones if you like. And while I always grab the frozen ones and leave on the counter or fridge to thaw, you can actually buy pre-thawed ones right in the fridge section, typically by the eggs. 
TOPPING: Prefer your casseroles with a crunch? Try topping with a cereal base (like corn flakes), panko crumbs or even crushed butter crackers. Just mix with some melted butter and add to the top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 814mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g

Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.

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4.85 from 40 votes
4.85 from 40 votes (40 ratings without comment)

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10 Comments

  1. Just a note your ingredients at one point say 16 oz cream cheese, I think supposed to be sour cream as it says this later in the recipe. Just FYI

    1. omgosh, you are right. Goodness!! Thankfully it was ok on the printable one but sheesh. Thankyou!

  2. Lora Bachman says:

    You might want to put ” thawed hashbrowns” in your ingredient list.
    🙂

    1. It does say that in the recipe card on the bottom where the full recipe is written out, but Ill add in the main article as well. 🙂

  3. Do you cover this when baking or do you leave uncovered?

    1. I leave it uncovered.

      🙂

      Trisha

    2. Thanks! That’s what I thought.

  4. I did it today. My wife has always been a proponent of Cracker Barrel’s hashbrown casserole. Just for fun, I decided to make one myself. I followed your recipe to the letter, except that I used cream of chicken instead of cream of cheddar. She thought it was BETTER than Cracker Barrel’s! So now I’m stuck and she’s going to want it all the time. So thanks, I guess… FIVE STARS!!!!!

    1. Hey Darryl, thank you so much for your feedback! I am so glad that you and your wife enjoyed this hashbrown casserole, its totally one of my favorites too!

  5. Tonia Feltner says:

    I made this tonight and it was amazing! I added sausage!!!