Hash Brown Casserole
A Casserole For Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Hash Brown Casserole is so versatile. It’s made with bagged hash browns, creamy onion soup, cheese, and caramelized onions.
I love to make this casserole for a great start to the day or serve it next to a beautiful ham for a wonderful side.
Many Ways To Make and Serve
This Hash Brown Casserole can also be topped with bacon for an extra special treat. What is nice about this dish is that it can be assembled the day before being baked, saving you time in the kitchen.
This also reheats really well if you need to bake it before reaching your final destination.
The recipe card at the end of this post has directions for making this ahead of time and reheating. There are also instructions for assembling this and baking it the next day.
If someone is feeling brave and trusting of their slow cooker, I would even dare say that it would bake up just fine in there on low for 8 hours. Someone should try this and let me know!
The Perfect Side
I love the idea of this casserole for breakfast or brunch. I was also thinking that it would be an excellent side to a Rib Roast, a Beef Tenderloin, or even just some Filet Mignons.
We go to a supper club in the Northwoods of Wisconsin called Blink Bonnie that serves delicious hash browns with onions as a side to their steaks. This would be an upgraded version of that wonderful pairing.
Pretty Familiar Ingredients
There are not too many unique ingredients in this recipe for the Hash Brown Casserole but one that may not be too familiar is this Cream of Onion soup.
I have not had a hard time finding this but if you cannot find it anywhere, you can use any other “cream of” soup that you can get your hands on.
Caramelized Onions Are Key
I was recently served a copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole and it was delicious. What I notice about that recipe is that onions have more texture to them when they bake up in that version.
I love that but I also enjoy the flavor, texture, and sweetness of caramelized onions in this casserole.
Be patient with your onions and let them cook low and slow. I add the Worcestershire sauce or powder as a way to provide yet another layer of flavor to this dish.
You can omit this if you like. You can also use a dash of soy sauce.
Butter Is Better
The butter gives a golden brown luster to the top of this casserole. You are welcome to reduce the amount of butter if you like.
The egg/cream/sour cream mix allows this all to rise up so that it is slight crispy and airy.
Make Less
This does make a large portion so if you have less people you are cooking for, you can halve the recipe. That being said I will encourage you to make the full recipe, as it reheats well.
It is also delicious and people will want leftovers.
Hash Brown Casserole Recipe
Hash Brown Casserole can be made in advance and is perfect as either a breakfast or special dinner side.
Ingredients
- 20 ounce bag of shredded hash browns, thawed
- 2 cups of cheddar jack cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon of sour cream
- 2 cans of cream of onion soup
- 2 large yellow or white onions, diced
- 8 tablespoons of butter
- 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon of dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon of dried chives
- 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire powder or 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup of cooked, diced bacon *optional
- 1/2 cup of thinly sliced green onions *optional
Instructions
- You will want to prep your onions ahead of time. Dice your onions, add two tablespoons of butter to a skillet and cook them low and slow until they are golden brown. This will take about an hour if done right. At the end of cooking, add a sprinkle of black pepper and either the Worcestershire powder or sauce. After adding, sauté for a minute or two.
- Add the cooked onions to a large bowl. Whisk in the two cans of cream of onion soup. Then add all of the dry seasonings and salt and pepper.
- Fold in your hash browns and stir well to coat.
- Fold in your shredded cheese.
- I taste this at this point and see if this needs any seasoning adjusted.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the two eggs, the heavy cream and the sour cream.
- Fold the egg mixture into the potatoes. Spread this all in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Thinly slice the rest of the butter and place it all over the top of the casserole before baking.
- Bake at 375 degrees for one hour. All ovens are different, so check this the first time you make it. It should "puff up" and be set in the middle, golden brown on the top and extra golden brown on the edges.
- If you want to make this ahead of time, after adding it to the casserole, you can cover and refrigerate overnight. Let this sit out before baking for at least 30 minutes, then bake as instructed above.
- If you want to bake this off ahead of time, you can. Refrigerate overnight after baking and then place in a cold oven set to 350 degrees to warm up with the oven.
- While the casserole bakes I like to slice my green onions and chop my bacon and cook until crispy. Let the bacon drain on some paper towels. As soon as the casserole comes out of the oven I top with the bacon and green onions.
- Let the casserole rest in a warm spot for 15 minuets before serving.