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Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Name: Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 14
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 30oz frozen hash browns, thawed; 12 oz shredded cheddar cheese; 8 oz sour cream; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 onion, chopped; 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup; 1 cup butter, melted, divided; 2 cups cornflakes, crushed (or Frosted Flakes, as I use)

★★★★★5 stars from 6 reviews

48 comments

by: Lindsay

published: Nov 8, 2012

updated: Sep 22, 2022

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Covered in a crunchy and buttery cornflake topping, this Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole is a super easy breakfast bake that always hits the spot. It also makes a wonderful side dish for the holidays!

One serving of a cheesy hashbrown casserole on a white plate with fancy cutouts on the rim

Table of Contents

Cheesy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
What You’ll Need
How to Make a Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
Tips for Success
Serving Suggestions
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Can I Freeze This?
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Cheesy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

This sweet and salty casserole is one of my very favorite things to make and eat – especially around the holidays! I’ve been whipping it up on a semi-regular basis for years, and it never gets old. You can serve it for breakfast, as a side dish, as a snack or even as a light lunch.

The combination of flavors is magical, from the cheese, potatoes, sour cream and onion in the hashbrowns to the buttery cornflakes on top. You have the option of using regular, unsweetened cornflakes if you’d prefer to leave out the sweetness. But I’m a huge fan of that sweet and salty combo, so I like to use Frosted Flakes. The result is utter perfection!

A close-up shot of the casserole in a turquoise baking dish with one serving missing

What You’ll Need

The ingredients used in this recipe are straightforward and readily available, which is a huge plus. Let’s go over each one!

Frozen Hash Browns: Thawed.
Cheddar Cheese: You can buy pre-shredded cheese or shred it yourself.
Sour Cream: For consistency and flavor.
Salt
Onion: Chopped. You’ll need about half of one onion.
Cream of Chicken Soup: To add depth of flavor and keep the casserole nice and creamy.
Melted Butter: You’ll need half a cup for the hashbrowns and another half cup for the topping.
Cornflakes: Crushed. I highly recommend using Frosted Flakes!

A piece of cheesy hashbrown casserole on a white plate with a glass of ice water in the background

How to Make a Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

With just 5 minutes of prep time, you can’t beat the ease and convenience of this casserole. Plus, it tastes even better than the classic Cracker Barrel version!

Heat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine Ingredients: Combine the hash browns, cheese, sour cream, salt, onion, soup and 1/2 cup of melted butter in a large bowl. Mix well.
Add to Baking Dish: Spread the mixture evenly into a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Make Topping: Combine the cornflakes and remaining butter. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the casserole.
Bake: Bake your casserole for 30-45 minutes, or until it’s heated through.

An overhead shot of the Frosted Flakes topping over the casserole in a baking dish

Tips for Success

There’s truly nothing complicated about this recipe. Nevertheless, here are some helpful tips and suggestions!

Make it in Advance: This cheesy hashbrown 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.
Can I Use Fresh Potatoes? For sure! Sometimes I like to do this during the holidays, just to level up the homemade charm of the dish. All you have to do is grate your potatoes in a food processor and proceed with the recipe!
Shred Your Own Cheese: In order to achieve the freshest flavor, shred the cheese yourself instead of buying pre-shredded cheddar.

A slice of casserole on a dish with a napkin underneath it and the remaining casserole behind it

Serving Suggestions

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. Here are some fool-proof ideas!

Serve with Chicken: Cheesy hash browns and Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken? Now that’s a dinner everyone is going to devour. The chicken is super easy to make in your Crock Pot!
Pair with Pancakes: These Fluffy Homemade Pancakes are a must-have for any big breakfast or brunch. They’ll taste great with this casserole no matter what you top them with!
Serve with Sweet Potatoes: 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 and salty side dish!
Pair with Breakfast Bread: Speaking of fall holidays, this Easy Homemade Apple Bread is one of those seasonal dishes you wait patiently for every year. It makes a great addition to your breakfast plate alongside this cheesy casserole!

A cheesy hashbrown casserole inside of a light blue baking dish on a dining table

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

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! Plus, 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.

Can I Freeze This?

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 minutes to the bake time since the hashbrown mixture will be cold.

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