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But First We Brunch ยป Recipes ยป Breakfast & Brunch

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

Published: Oct 4, 2021 ยท Modified: Feb 28, 2022 by Cynthia Christensen ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท 2 Comments

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5 from 5 votes
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A white cast iron skillet, and a small white plate, containing cheesy hash brown casserole.
Steak and eggs with cheesy hash brown casserole on a black plate.
Pinterest image of a spoonful of cheesy hash brown casserole coming out of a white cast iron pan.

My take on a classic Southern hash brown casserole includes fresh hash browns, a homemade soup concentrate, and lots and lots of cheese. This is a Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole you'll want to serve at every meal!

Taking a spoonful of cheesy hashbrown casserole out of a white cast iron pan.

Save This Recipe! ๐Ÿ’Œ

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!

The road to Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

I feel like every region in the United States has their own version of a hash brown casserole. When I was in my 20's, I moved back to Mississippi and, if I was lucky, Olga Mae (my grandma) would have a pan of hers on the stovetop when I went to visit on Sundays. She called them her Sunday Potatoes. Olga Mae was pretty clever.

In the Midwest there's another version called Funeral Potatoes, I guess because they're an easy dish to bring to someone's house after a funeral. Most funeral potatoes are topped with corn flakes. Olga Mae topped her potatoes with crushed Ritz crackers. Told you she was clever.

Whatever you call them, they are a lot of potatoes with a lot of cheese. Everyone loves a cheesy potato.

A white cast iron skillet, and a small white plate, containing cheesy hash brown casserole.

What's with the chicken soup?

Another thing most hash brown casseroles have in common is the addition of cream of chicken soup. Or cream of cheddar soup. Or both. It's the glue that binds everything together. The salty, preservative laden glue. I make my own, it's less salty, and I don't even know where to get preservatives. Oh, and it only takes 5 minutes.

a pan containing Concentrated cream of chicken soup and a whisk.

Ingredients in these cheesy hash brown potatoes

  • Cream of chicken soup concentrate We will be making our own in this recipe with butter, flour, chicken broth, milk, and a tiny bit of dried bouillon, but you are free to use a store bought can if you want.
  • Hash browns This recipe calls for a fresh bag of hash browns, usually found in the egg and bacon section of your local Mega Market. If you can't find them, you can use 20 ounces of frozen hash browns. Just allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Onion Half an onion, sautรฉed in a bit of butter, is added in for an extra boost of flavor.
  • Shredded cheese You can use whatever cheese suits your fancy in this recipe. I tend to use whatever I have in my fridge at potato time. My preferred combo is cheddar, colby, and a bit of mozzarella (for that oozy, melty factor.)
  • Sour cream Adds, well, creaminess and a touch of tang.
  • Cream cheese See above, and also keeps the sour cream from separating when it bakes.
  • Salt Potatoes are inherently bland and literally cry out for salt. There is salt in the soup concentrate, but you'll want to add more salt when mixing this together, and test for seasoning before you put in in the baking pan.

How to make Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

  • Make your "soup" So simple. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Using a small whisk, whisk in flour and cook for one or two minutes, to give it some color and to cook out the raw flour taste. Whisk in chicken broth, then milk, and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about three minutes. Add a teaspoon of chicken bouillon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let cool.
  • Sautรฉ onions Give half a chopped onion a quick sautรฉ in a tablespoon of butter, remove from the heat and add three more tablespoons of butter. Set aside for the butter to melt.
  • Mix In a large bowl, mix together your soup, seasonings, onions, sour cream, cream cheese, and all but ยฝ cup of your cheese. Add your potatoes and gently fold together until all the potatoes are coated.
  • Bake Place your potato mixture in a buttered 10 inch cast iron skillet, or a square baking pan, and bake at 400ยฐF for 35-40 minutes, or until it is bubbly and the cheese on top is nicely browned.
  • Make ahead To make mealtime go as smoothly as possible, while still getting warm potato belly, you can make this ahead of time. After assembly, cover the baking pan, and refrigerate for up to two days. You may need to adjust the baking time by 10 minutes to account for the chill, and cover the pan with foil if the top is browning too quickly.

Love a good casserole? Try my Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Casserole, with layers of potatoes, sausage, and eggs, covered in creamy country gravy and topped with flaky biscuits!

How to serve your potatoes

  • Breakfast Serve these beauties with eggs of your choice and some crispy bacon for a classic breakfast.
  • Brunch/Dinner What could be better than steak and eggs with a big serving of Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole on the side? No really, I'm asking. What?
  • Anytime I'm literally sitting here with a bowl of leftover Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole as I type this. For motivation, of course.
Steak and eggs with cheesy hash brown casserole on a black plate.

Love potatoes? I got you covered!

  • Crispy Sheet Pan Potatoes
  • Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
  • Chorizo and Potato Tacos

๐Ÿ“– Recipe

Taking a spoonful of cheesy hashbrown casserole out of a white cast iron pan.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

My take on a classic Southern hash brown casserole includes fresh hash browns, a homemade soup concentrate, and lots and lots of cheese. This is a Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole you'll want to serve at every meal!
5 from 5 votes
Author: Cynthia Christensen
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 305 kcal

Equipment

  • Small whisk
  • Square baking pan
  • 10 inch cast iron skillet
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 

Chicken โ€œsoupโ€

  • 2 tbs butter
  • 3 tbs flour
  • ยฝ cup chicken broth
  • ยฝ cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Hash browns

  • 20 oz fresh cubed or shredded hash brown potatoes
  • Chicken โ€œsoupโ€ from above, or 1 can of cream of chicken soup concentrate
  • ยฝ onion diced
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter divided
  • 2 cups shredded cheese divided
  • 4 oz softened cream cheese ยฝ block, cut or torn in chunks
  • ยฝ cup sour cream
  • ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • ยผ teaspoon pepper

Garnish

  • Chopped chives

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour and let cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Slowly stir in chicken broth, then milk. Continue whisking until it begins to thicken. Add bouillon and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool
  • Sautรฉ onion in 1 tbs butter until just beginning to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add 3 tablespoons of butter and allow to melt in residual heat.
  • Preheat oven to 400ยฐ Butter the inside of a 10 inch cast iron skillet or a square baking pan.
  • Add all soup concentrate, diced onion with butter, all but ยฝ cup of your shredded cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and seasonings to a mixing bowl and Mix well. Add potatoes and fold together until completely combined.
  • Transfer to the well-buttered square baking pan or 10 inch cast iron skillet. Top with the reserved shredded cheese and bake at 400 until golden brown on top, about 35-40 minutes.
  • If you want the cheese more browned and crispy on top, place the casserole under a broiler for 3-4 minutes - watch it carefully!!
  • Garnish with chopped chives if desired.

Save This Recipe! ๐Ÿ’Œ

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!

Notes

Instead of making the homemade soup concentrate, you can substitute with one can of store bought cream of chicken soup.
I like to use a combination of cheeses: cheddar, colby, and mozzarella for the best flavor and melty qualities, but any cheese you prefer is fine.
You can prepare this dish ahead of time. After assembly, cover the baking pan, and refrigerate for up to two days. You may need to adjust the baking time by 10 minutes to account for the chill, and cover the pan with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 482mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 713IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional and caloric information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It does not assert or suggest that readers should or should not count calories, and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโ€™s or doctorโ€™s counseling.

Tried this recipe?I would love for you to leave a comment!

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Comments

    5 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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  1. kelsey says

    February 10, 2022 at 9:55 am

    5 stars
    i made a mini version of this recipe for breakfast yesterday, and it came out perfectly! so so so luscious and tasty.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      February 10, 2022 at 11:11 am

      Iโ€™m so glad you made it work for you! I love these potatoes!

      Reply
Picture of the author with a banner, stating welcome to my blog I am Cynthia.

In our house we get up with the sun, and most of us don't stop working until late in the night, so breakfast and brunch are our family meals. So join me at the kitchen counter, where I cook up delicious food for my busy family, starting first thing in the morning!

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