Covered in a crunchy and buttery cornflake topping, this cheesy hashbrown casserole recipe is an easy breakfast bake that always hits the spot. It doubles as a wonderful side dish for the holidays!
This crunchy, cheesy hashbrown casserole is one of my very favorite things to make and eat. I’ve been alternating between this and my breakfast casserole for years, to serve alongside sheet pan pancakes and boiled eggs. With just 5 minutes of prep time, you can’t beat the ease and convenience of this hashbrown casserole recipe. Plus, I think it tastes even better than the classic Cracker Barrel version!
The combination of flavors is magical, from the cheddar cheese, tender potatoes, sour cream, and onion in the hashbrowns, to the buttery cornflakes on top. I’m a huge fan of a sweet-salty combo, so I like to use Frosted Flakes. There’s the option to use regular, unsweetened cornflakes if you’d prefer.
Why This Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole Is My Favorite
- Cheesy comfort in every bite. The hashbrowns are covered in sharp cheddar cheese and tangy sour cream, and topped with crunchy cornflakes. It’s classic comfort food.
- Layer and bake. Part of the reason I make this dish so often is because it is SO easy. All you have to do is mix and layer the ingredients, then bake.
- Hashbrowns any time. Serve this casserole for a comforting breakfast, as a cheesy side dish, as a snack, or even as a light lunch. Basically, you can eat it any time of the day that you like. It’s that versatile!
Key Ingredients
The ingredients in this hashbrown casserole recipe are readily available, which is a huge plus. Let’s go over what you’ll need. Note that you can find the exact quantities in the recipe card below.
- Frozen Hashbrowns – Make sure to thaw these before starting.
- Cheddar Cheese – You can buy pre-shredded cheese or shred it yourself. Shredding it yourself usually leads to a stronger, bolder flavor!
- Sour Cream – This creates the creamy consistency and adds tangy flavor.
- Onion – Chopped onion adds some crunch and subtle sweetness to the casserole.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – To add depth of flavor and to keep the casserole nice and creamy. You could also use cream of mushroom.
- Melted Butter – Both salted and unsalted butter will work – use whichever you prefer.
- Cornflakes – I highly recommend Frosted Flakes, but you can use regular cornflakes, too.
Helpful Tips When Making This Casserole
- Make it in advance. This casserole is great for making ahead of time. You simply assemble it, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate it, and bake it up the next day.
- Use freshly shredded cheese. In order to achieve the freshest flavor, shred the cheese yourself instead of buying pre-shredded cheddar.
- Try different cheeses. If you don’t have any cheddar, try this casserole with mozzarella, provolone, or a combination of cheeses. Any meltable cheese does the trick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Unthawed hashbrowns can make the casserole come out soggy. It’s best to thaw them in the fridge overnight before baking the meal.
For sure! Sometimes I like to do this during the holidays to level up the homemade charm. All you have to do is grate your potatoes in a food processor (or use a box grater) and proceed with the recipe as written.
This could be because frozen hashbrowns were not completely thawed. I highly recommend thawing them overnight. To absorb excess moisture, pat the shredded potatoes dry before starting.
What to Serve With a Hashbrown Casserole
Whether you’re serving this casserole for breakfast, as a dinner side, or anything in between, there are so many different things you can pair it with.
- As a dinner side dish: Pair these cheesy hashbrowns with creamy lemon butter chicken or chicken pot pie.
- Breakfast favorites: I love cheesy hashbrowns alongside sweet brunch dishes like fluffy homemade pancakes or blueberry scones.
- Holidays: Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays to bust out this hashbrown casserole. I suggest whipping up my brown sugar roasted sweet potatoes for another sweet-savory side dish. Don’t forget a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert!
- Quick breads: This easy homemade apple bread makes a great addition to a breakfast plate alongside this cheesy casserole.
Proper Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate. Keep any leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 4 days. The topping may lose some crunchiness, but it will still taste great.
- Reheat. If you reheat your casserole in the oven, the topping will crisp back up. Larger portions can be warmed up in the oven at 350°F until they’re warmed through. Individual servings should be reheated in the microwave for about 20 seconds at a time.
- Freeze. The topping of this casserole does not freeze well, but you can freeze the hashbrown layer before baking, if desired. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it out in the fridge before adding the topping and baking, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time to take the chill off.
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
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Ingredients
- 30 ounces frozen hash browns (thawed)
- 12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ onion (chopped)
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup butter (melted, divided)
- 2 cups cornflakes (crushed (or Frosted Flakes, as I use))
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine hash browns, cheese, sour cream, salt, onion, soup and ½ cup butter in a large bowl. Mix well.
- Spread mixture evenly into a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Combine cornflakes and ½ cup butter and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through.
Video
Notes
- Makes 12-15 servings
- To Store: Keep any leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for up to 4 days. The topping may lose some crunchiness, but it will still taste incredible!
- To Reheat: If you reheat your casserole in the oven, the topping will crisp back up. Larger portions can be warmed up in the oven while individual servings should be reheated in the microwave for about 20 seconds at a time. To reheat your casserole in the oven, simply bake it at 350°F until it’s warmed through.
- To Freeze: The topping of this casserole does not freeze well, but you can freeze the hashbrown part before baking, if desired. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it out in the fridge before adding the topping and cooking. You may need to add a couple of minutes to the bake time since the hashbrown mixture will be cold.
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Categories:
Breakfast, Christmas, Easter, Holidays, Recipes, Recipes with video, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving,
Can you make this night before?
Absolutely! I pretty much always do. 🙂
This hash brown recipe is so easy and absolutely delicious. I used the Frosted Flakes and was loved by young, old and everyone in between. Will be making over and over again.
Awesome! Glad it was a hit!
Sounds delicious
How much cheese & sour cream
It is listed there in the ingredients. 12 ounces of cheddar cheese and 8 ounces of sour cream.
When I didn’t have corn flakes (or Frosted Flakes) I used what I had…French’s fried Onions for topping and it was a huge hit!
Yumm! I cannot wait to make this version with frosted flakes….thanks for sharing!
This is a classic church supper dish! Love all the variations mentioned in comments, too. I also tend to creatively substitute depending on what’s on hand. Particularly now that we don’t go to the grocery like we used to.
I use wavy lays or any kind of plain potato chips on top rather than corn flakes. I also add a decent amount of season salt to the potato mixture. The family loves these minor changes.
Can some one please help me with this facet of cooking this treasure. How much onion salt equals half an onion? I hate the crunch or chance thereof from onions; hence onion salt. Thank you much and GOD Bless!!!!!
Sweat the onions down for several minutes in butter on low heat, make sure not to brown. They wont be crunchy.
I’d use onion POWDER rather than onion SALT. I do this with dishes when my DIL is eating with us as she has similar aversion to onion, even if soft (it squeaks on her teeth?) I usual sub about 1 tsp for a whole onion.
A little different version, I use the nacho soup instead of the cheddar Cheese and top with crushed ritz or buttery crackers. I do make the night before and top the next morning before putting in the oven drizzled with melted butter. Yummy.
Requested at all gatherings with family.
Looking forward to topping with bacon next time.
This is seriously one of my all-time favorite recipes… THANK YOU!!! I’ve been making it since Easter 2017 when I found it here & my husband just requested it today so wanted to say thanks…. pulling it out of the oven in 5 minutes!! 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that! It’s one we love too!
Any tips on cooking it after freezing it ? I forgot to sit it out and worried that if I just cook longer , it will burn. Thanks!
Yeah, cooking it while still frozen probably won’t go over very well. You’ll want to let it thaw first.
I made a recipe just like this today, and the cornflake topping came out tough/chewy/hard…Any thoughts why this happened? Are you suppose to completely mix the cornflakes and butter together before putting on, or just sprinkle dry cornflakes on top, the drizzle butter over? Thanks for any advice you can give me!
I made this for my wife who is recovering from cancer surgery. I am challenged in the kitchen but tried this, except I only had cinnamon Frosted Flakes and Laura Scudders green onion dip, that I mixed with sour cream.
My wife loved it except she recommended a quarter cup less butter and not adding salt if using the dip.
Thank you for helping me do a good dish for her.
Wonderful! I’m so glad you all enjoyed! 🙂