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I used to LOVE the Hash Brown Casserole at Cracker Barrel. That's before I started asking questions about how they make their food (did you know almost all of their vegetable side dishes are made with sugar?).
Then if you look at the copycat recipes online, most of them call for a can of condensed soup - no thank you MSG and other unwanted additives! There has to be a better way, and thankfully there is, which I've detailed for you below.
It's hard to go wrong when it comes to potatoes and cheese and other wholesome ingredients. This is a tasty dish that you can enjoy with breakfast, lunch or dinner! You will love this Classic Hash Brown Casserole too!
If you have leftover potatoes, try these Air Fryer Hash Browns.
Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole (like Cracker Barrel’s!)
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter (+ extra for greasing the pan)
- ⅓ cup onion (diced)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 4 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (mild, freshly grated)
- 1 pound frozen hash browns (be sure to buy a brand with only 1 ingredient - potatoes, no need to defrost)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a square baking dish with butter (8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch) and set aside.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat melt the butter. Cook the diced onion until it softens but does not brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Throw in the minced garlic and cook while stirring for 1 more minute.
- Turn the heat down to medium low and whisk in the flour. Continuously stir until the flour darkens but is not burnt, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk, salt, and pepper until it slightly thickens, about 1 minute.
- Turn the heat off and, using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the grated cheese until it melts. Fold in the hash browns until evenly coated.
- Transfer to the baking dish being careful to push the thick mixture down on top into one even layer.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes uncovered, and then turn the heat up to broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the top turns golden brown. Keep a close eye under the broiler so it doesn't burn! Serve warm and enjoy.
Amanda says
I would like to make this with fresh grated potatoes, and also prepare it the night before. Do you think I could mix everything together and store in the refrigerator overnight, or the freezer? Would the cooking time or temperature need to be adjusted? Thanks for any insights!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Amanda. Lisa did not have luck when she tried it with fresh potatoes. I do think it would be fine prepared and refrigerated the night before, but I cannot predict the outcome without the frozen hashbrowns. ~Amy
Julie M says
I have never found hashbrowns with one ingredient. What brands are available and where do I find them?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Julie. Lisa bought Cascadian Farms. ~Amy
Megan says
This was SO good. I must admit, my 3 year old and I (mostly myself) ate almost half of the pan in a day. I will definitely be making this in the future, most likley this weekend!!
Laurel McGilvery says
I don't buy frozen hashbrown potatoes so also curious if I can use fresh potatoes or my favorite hashbrowns...leftover grated baked potatoes (yes, already cooked as I bake extras just for hash browns the next day).
tanya says
Looks great! Can't wait to try it!
Kata says
This was super yummy! I found this recipe just in time for a brunch I attended. It was a huge hit! The only dish that was completely finished. I will definitely be making this one again! Thanks for sharing & congrats on the 1 million likes!!!
Andrea says
Sounds delish. I have limited freezer space though. Can freshly grated potatoes be used as well?
Thanks, Andrea
Marla Ferguson says
Do you think i could make this and freeze it?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Marla. I think freezing will work fine. ~Amy
Elle says
This plus some bacon looks like a perfect Christmas morning breakfast!
Shannon says
I made this and my husband said " it's better than Cracker Barrel's!" This is a big deal because he has been difficult transitioning to real food. He loves fast food and soda, so,little by little, I am sneaking in changes. His joke is to ask, before eats something, "is this free-roaming?" So when I told him " yes, they are free roaming hash browns." (Ha ha). I expected the usual comments. But......He loved it!! It was served up with uncured, organic bacon, & eggs, for dinner!
Olivia Gregory says
I am going to be trying this out very soon! Looks great- like the perfect healthy comfort food! Can you recommend a cheddar replacement, though? How about Gouda or Emmental?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Olivia. We haven't experimented with other cheeses. You could try either. Let us know. :) ~Amy
Amy says
I used Colby Jack and it was delicious.
Michelle Taylor says
Hi, I have been looking through your page and on facebook for the last week now. It all looks great. Myself and hubby are going to start our own 100 days of real food challenge as our New Years resolution. I'm just wondering about bacon. I dearly love it but live in an area where it isn't easily available locally. We do have a great brand at the grocery store we have been eating lately. It is natural and hormone/antibiotic free but it does have sugar in it. When I looked all the available brands had sugar. I expect it to be very low though because the sugar content is listed as 0 grams. Would this still be considered a real food?
Thanks again for all the information and sharing your experiences. We are trying your Jambalaya recipe this week, really looking forward to it :)
Michelle
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Michele. Anything with added sugar falls outside of the pledge rules but you can use your own discretion outside of the pledge. If it is otherwise a good product, then just enjoy it on occasion. :) ~Amy
Miranda says
Could this also be done in the slow cooker?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Miranda. That is not something we've tried. :) ~Amy
Miranda says
Hi Amy! I wanted to share - I tried it in the slow cooker and it turned out great. I still prepared everything as written in the recipe, but when it came time to put it in the pan, I just tossed it in the Crock Pot instead. I left it on low for three to four hours and it was delicious. Great recipe for nights my daughter has dance. :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Thanks for sharing!! :)
Jennifer says
I am making these tomorrow but adding some dices green chilie and serving with the pulled pork.
Sara says
This looks great! Can it be prepped/assembled the night before? That would make it perfect for Christmas morning.
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Sara. It could. :) ~Amy
laramealor.com says
Can't wait to try this recipe ,I am a fan of cheesy hash brown casserole and this healthy twist on it makes it even better. Thank you! on my way to check out the Unconventional Kitchen website.
simple green moms says
Thanks for sharing this! Perfect time of year for a comfort meal like this =)
Shana says
You can use left over baked potatoes instead of raw potatoes. I bake them until they are almost done, just a little firm, then grate them. They hold up much better than raw potatoes.
Kristi says
I used to love Cracker Barrell's hashbrown casserole, but I'd much rather make mine at home! Thanks for the recipe!
Barbara says
Can this dish be put together and then refrigerated overnight and prepared the next morning? Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Barbara. Yes! :) ~Amy
Kathy says
Just to be clear, when you tried it yourself did you shred & thoroughly rinse the potatoes prior to using? I was hoping to try with fresh potatoes. I recall from making my own homemade shredded hash browns that rinsing is necessary to prevent the potatoes from becoming sticky & grey. Thanks!!! :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kathy. Let us know how yours turn out. Lisa did not have luck with freshly shredded and rinsed potatoes. ~Amy
Lynn says
MC, I use fresh baked potatoes all the time. But instead of shredding, I slice and dice. The taste is amazing because you use your own fresh baked potatoes! Stir em up quick in a pan plain, or with diced onion and bell pepper for a quick hash brown for breakfast or anytime!
Stacy says
Made this recipe last night with half cheddar, half pepper jack cheese and it turned out well. I used the Broiler for the first time (fun) to brown it, and served it with steamed green beans (perfect and healthy side). It's basically Mac and cheese with potatoes instead of pasta so I definitely like that. Oh that reminds me, whoever was saying they couldn't give their family whole wheat pasta.... Some brands are definitely better than others. I finally found one that we actually like more than white pasta. I recommend you try a few different ones before you give up!
MC says
I've read that to use fresh potatoes you first make baked potatoes (in the oven)... cool... shred... spread shredded potatoes out on parchment paper and freeze... when frozen- put in freezer containers for later use. Not sure if it works, but when I have all the ingredients I'll give it a shot.
Shayla Shumaker says
I wish I had read all of these comments! I made it tonight with fresh potatoes... not yummy. Thankfully we had a lot of amazing french toast with whipped cream and fruit!
Danielle says
Could you just use real shredded potatoes?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Danielle. This was Lisa's reply to the same question: "I tried fresh and the outcome was just not good unfortunately. I tried them raw, parboiled, drained, etc – it was just not as good as the frozen variety!" ~Amy
Carrie says
If anybody figures out how to make this work with fresh potatoes, post the info!!! I live in Spain, so no frozen hashbrowns... but I´d love to try it!
Diana says
Love your recipes! Are they on Pinterest or do you have a published cookbook available? Thanks!
Tardis_blue says
Lisa, you are a genius! Thank you! I have your pork in the crock pot right now. I don't think I will make this today, though, because I'm not going back out, but very soon!
Naomi says
Is it possible to use freshly grated potatoes?
Naomi says
Ooops just read that fresh didn't work well. We live in France...there is no such thing as frozen hashbrowns here...looks delish though!
Lisa says
Sorry Naomi I tried fresh and the outcome was just not good unfortunately. I tried them raw, parboiled, drained, etc - it was just not as good as the frozen variety!
Kathryn says
I wonder if you were to grate your own potatoes, and then freeze them overnight. I am assuming that freezing the potatoes changes the structure of them. This would be way more work, but it would be worth it for hashbrown casserole :)
nancy nichols says
Yay! Cannot wait to try this. I hate reading recipes that call for condensed soup or lipton mixes.
Lori says
I usually just boil mine and then shred the in the processor. I will have to check out Trader Joe's again. The last time I checked, they had dextrose in them and then I never looked again.
Robyn Owens-Miille says
Perfect side dish for your pulled pork from yesterday!
Lisa says
Robyn - You got that right! We've had the two together as well and it was a delicious combination!
Lisa says
Trader Joes has frozen hash brown with nothing but potatoes in it
Cathy says
I am going to try this with brown rice flour, rather than corn starch. I, too, have gluten issues, but the brown rice flour is 100% whole grain!
Susan says
You can actually use a box grater if you don't have a food processor. I always rinse mine after grating to remove extra starch, press between dish towels to dry and lightly fry in olive oil and butter. Kind of a pain but cheaper and healthier than pre packaged.
Lisa says
The prepackaged frozen potatoes I found are just 1 ingredient (organic potatoes) so there is really no need to try to make fresh work in this recipe. I tried fresh potatoes and it did not turn out good.
L.S. says
What was the problem with fresh? Too much water in fresh potatoes? Would it work if I grated my fresh potatoes and froze them first? The reason (for me) to use fresh is all about money.
Kristen says
YUM! Is the flour just a thickener? Thinking of using corn starch for gluten free.
Lisa says
Yep, just a thickener...I would think a sub would work although I have not tried it.
Lisa says
Please let me know if the corn starch works. I am just starting with a gluten free diet and really need some help! Thanks!
Misty says
Try using the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour. I use it in just about all recipes that call for an all-purpose recipe. I bet it would work just fine in this one.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
...or you can try buckwheat flour. Cornstarch is a highly processed ingredient that we don't typically use. ~Amy
Susan says
So much healthier if you use fresh potatoes instead of packaged frozen ones. They sometimes add preservatives and other additives so at least read the ingredient list (Not just the bag front) to make sure they're healthy.
Lisa says
Susan - I tried this recipe with fresh potatoes and it did not work at all - I found frozen organic hash browns with 1 ingredient to use instead.
Christy says
Looks good! Where do you find frozen hash browns that don't have preservatives?
Sonia says
Was just thinking that
Mallory says
Cascadian Farms has frozen hash browns with the only ingredient being organic potatoes. No oils or preservatives! I can't wait to try this recipe we love cheese and potatoes!
Sarah says
Ditto to Christy's comment! I don't buy frozen hash much but I would assume it would have more than 5 ingredients!
Lisa says
Like Mallory said I bought the Cascadian Farms organic frozen hash browns with 1 ingredient - potatoes!
Janett says
Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's
Kathryn Kennedy says
Could you add ground beef or sausage?
Robyn Owens-Miille says
I've added chopped ham before to cheesy potatoes. I bet it would be super yummy with some cooked, crumbled sausage.
Lisa says
If you try that just make sure you cook it first!