Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 25 to 30 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Whether you want a tasty side item for a traditional dinner or you want to try something new for a big, country-style breakfast, this recipe for Hash Brown Casserole has everything you need to treat your family to a delicious potato rich side dish. Using cheese, frozen hash browns, and a few other ingredients, you can prep this side dish ahead of time so that you’ll have it on the table in a snap.
Comfort foods are definitely not on the list as the most nutritious things that a person can eat, but when you’re stressed or sad or just needing a momentary respite from your ordinary life, nothing else will do. And that is exactly what our recipe for Hash Brown Casserole provides.
It includes all of the components of a classic comfort food choice—mellow potatoes, delicious cheese, and the tangy creaminess of sour cream. While you don’t want to make these kinds of recipes a part of your regular diet, there are occasions where nothing else will satisfy.
Our recipe for Hash Brown Casserole makes a creamy, rich dish, similar in texture to macaroni and cheese. If you want to get creative, there are several ways to dress it up. You can add ham or bacon to the dish to provide a little more savory flavor to it. Alternately, things like peppers, onions, or red pepper flakes can give it a little more of an herbal twist. If you enjoy strongly flavored cheeses, a sharp cheddar would give a delightful tang to this dish if you prefer.
Our recipe uses frozen hash browns for convenience. Of course, if you really want to make hash browns from scratch, feel free to simply shred potatoes in a food processor or you can use a box grater to grate them into small pieces. When using frozen hash browns, you really do want to thaw them before you begin mixing the ingredients.
Using them when frozen means that your casserole will take quite a long time to bake, and it only takes a few minutes to thaw your hash browns before you mix up the casserole. Thawing frozen hash browns is quick and easy. Simply place your hash browns in a colander, place the colander in the sink and run slightly warm water over the hash browns for a few minutes. When they are thawed, shake the colander well and press out any excess liquid using a layer of paper towels.
This recipe makes a smaller casserole dish. If you want to double it, you can make it in a nine by thirteen baking pan and serve your whole extended family for the holidays. Additionally, if you want to, you can prepare this casserole up to three days before you need to serve it.
When you are done mixing the hash browns with the other ingredients, put it in the prepared pan and top it with cheese. Then, cover it tightly with aluminum foil and put it in the refrigerator until about an hour before you want to serve it. Preheat your oven, and proceed as described in the rest of the recipe.
Hash Brown Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen hash browns
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ten-ounce can of cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups cheese of your favorite flavor
Step 1: Spray an eight or nine-inch in a diameter casserole dish with cooking spray.
A pie pan will work well if that is what you have on hand. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Place the frozen hash browns in a colander. Run lukewarm water over the hashbrowns, turning them with your hands, until they feel thawed. Turn off the water and shake as much water as you can out of the hashbrowns, and then use several sheets of paper toweling to press down on the top of the hash browns to remove any extra water.
Step 2: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the thawed hash browns with the melted butter, the sour cream, and the cream of chicken soup.
Add about half of the cheese, reserving the other half to top the casserole.
Spread the hash brown mixture into the prepared pan. Top it with the reserved cheese.
Step 3: Place the pan in the oven and bake it for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese on the top of the casserole is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.
Let the casserole cool for ten to fifteen minutes before serving.
Related: Hash Brown Recipes | Dinner Recipes with Sour Cream
