Sour Cream and Cheese Hash Brown Casserole

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/2/22
Hash Brown Casserole

 The Spruce

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 6 to 9 servings

Casserole and hash browns both stand for comfort food, and this dish combines the two. It is a wonderful addition to lunch, holiday or weekend brunch, hearty breakfast, or weeknight dinner. With only six ingredients, it's an easy, straightforward recipe. The casserole requires very little preparation with ready-made convenience foods such as frozen shredded hash browns and canned condensed cream of chicken soup. If you are pressed for time, you have the option to use instant minced onion instead of chopped onion.

Not counting the thawing of the frozen hash browns, it takes a mere 10 minutes to assemble all the ingredients and pop the casserole in the preheated oven. Baking the casserole uncovered is important to obtain a nice crunchy top.

This simple recipe is a good base for flavor variations and more elaborate dishes. Instead of cream of chicken soup, use cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup. For a richer casserole, add bacon bits, cubed ham, ground beef, chopped leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving bird, or sunny-side up eggs on top.

If you are a parent looking to find ways to feed your children their daily servings of vegetables, you can add fresh or frozen vegetables such as frozen peas or broccoli florets into the casserole. Mixing veggies into the casserole is a great way to make children less reluctant to eat them plain.

For some extra texture, you can add a buttered breadcrumb topping. If you'd like the topping extra crunchy, top it with crushed cornflakes mixed with melted butter. For an extra layer of salty tang, top it with some grated Parmesan or pecorino. You can even make a vegan variation by swapping the dairy and eggs with vegan ingredients. The possibilities for this casserole are virtually endless. For ideas, see the box below the recipe instructions.

Since you are already using the oven to bake the casserole, try to make a whole dinner without turning on your stove. You can bake dishes that require the same oven temperature, such as the basic baked chicken breasts, alongside the casserole in the oven. Or you can bake the casserole first, keep it warm, and then increase the oven temperature to make roasted chicken thighs and some roasted cauliflower. Just before serving, pop the casserole back in the oven to serve it hot.

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, or margarine, melted, more for the baking dish

  • 1 (30-ounce) package frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

  • 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, or 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh onion

  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, or Colby cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Hash Brown Casserole recipe ingredients
     The Spruce

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan.

    Hash Brown Casserole recipe
     The Spruce

  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the thawed hash browns with the melted butter.

    Hash Brown Casserole recipe
    The Spruce 

  4. Add the sour cream, condensed soup, onion, and cheese to the potatoes. Mix well until all of the ingredients are well combined.

    Hash Brown Casserole recipe
    The Spruce

  5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan.

    Hash Brown Casserole recipe
     The Spruce

  6. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

    Hash Brown Casserole recipe
     The Spruce

  7. Serve hot and enjoy.

Additions to Your Casserole

Here are some ideas for change-ups for our hashbrown casserole recipe:

  • Breadcrumb Topping: Toss 1 cup of fine soft breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, 1 minced clove of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mixture over the hash brown potato casserole and bake as directed.
  • Cereal Crunch: Toss 1/2 cup of crushed cornflakes with 1 tablespoon of melted butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over the potatoes and bake as directed.
  • Creamy Switch: Use cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup in place of the cream of chicken.
  • Cheesy Alternative: Use equal parts of American and cheddar cheeses or a cheddar jack blend.
  • Vegan Friendly: Use vegan margarine instead of butter. Replace the sour cream with vegan cream cheese, and use a vegan creamy soup (mushroom or celery) to replace the can of cream of chicken soup. If the mixture seems too soupy, add more potatoes. Sprinkle with vegan shredded cheese and bake as directed.
  • Veggie: Add 1/2 cup of thawed frozen peas, 1/2 cup of thawed broccoli florets, and 2 cups of chopped fresh spinach. Mix well, pour in the baking dish, and bake as directed.
  • Eggy Protein: Add 4 large eggs to the mixture but use only half of the canned soup. Use 1/2 pound of cubed ham, crunchy bacon bits, or any deli meat of your liking, and mix well before pouring the mixture into the baking dish and baking as directed. Grate Parmesan on top.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
587 Calories
45g Fat
32g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 9
Amount per serving
Calories 587
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g 58%
Saturated Fat 20g 101%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 666mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 7mg 35%
Calcium 409mg 31%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 568mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)