Crack potatoes are the ultimate comfort food—creamy, cheesy, and loaded with bacon and ranch seasoning. Made with just a handful of ingredients and frozen hash browns, this easy casserole comes together fast and is the perfect potato side dish for family dinners, holidays, or potlucks. Everyone will want the recipe!
What are Crack Potatoes?
Our Crack potatoes recipe makes a rich and flavorful cheesy potato casserole. This highly addictive crack potato recipe rightfully has a claim to the slang word in its name—when food is referred to as “crack,” it means that it tastes so good you can’t stop eating it. And that’s just what this delicious dish is! Its amazing flavors make me want to skip dinner and eat this savory side dish as my entire meal.
The dry ranch dip mix is the key to making the most flavorful seasoning, mixed with creamy soup and sour cream. It creates a rich sauce with a tangy taste that coats the hashbrowns and infuses them with bold flavor. Stir in some cheese and real bacon bits, and you will have the perfect side dish to serve your crowd.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Crack Potatoes
- Cream of chicken soup
- Sour cream: Feel free to substitute plain greek yogurt for the sour cream.
- Dry ranch dressing mix: Don’t use ranch dressing in the bottle! This recipe is made with dry ranch dressing mix.
- Onion powder: You can use garlic powder if you prefer.
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Kosher salt
- Shredded hash brown potatoes
- Bacon: If you don’t have time to cook your own bacon, you can use store-bought, pre-cooked bacon bits.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Feel free to substitute Colby Jack cheese for the shredded cheddar. You can also use any cheese you have on hand. Havarti, Gouda, and Monterey are very good options.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make the Best Crack Potatoes
- Make The Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the soup, sour cream, dry ranch mix, onion powder, pepper and salt until smooth. Stir in the hashbrowns, bacon, and cheese.
- Prepare The Pan: Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bacon on top.
- Bake: Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve while hot. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Crack Potatoes
Popular at group gatherings, potlucks, and holiday parties, this creamy side dish is highly customizable, and pairs perfectly with a variety of main courses. Serve it with grilled chicken breasts, pork chops, steak, grilled fish, or even a hearty bowl of soup or chili for a warm, cozy meal. Lighten up your loaded crack potato plate with roasted vegetables or a side salad for a well-balanced meal.
Tips for Perfect Cheesy Crack Potatoes
- Prepare the Pan: I highly recommend spraying your casserole dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze.
- Choose Your Cheese: Opt for freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-packaged shredded varieties. Freshly shredded cheese melts better and provides a creamier texture. Cheddar is a classic choice, but you can mix it up with Monterey Jack or Colby for added flavor.
- No Need To Thaw: You do not need to thaw your frozen hash browns before cooking. That’s what makes this recipe so easy–you can pull your bag from the freezer and mix them right in with the other ingredients before baking.
- Prepare With Fresh Potatoes: If you have fresh potatoes, feel free to chop them up and use them as a replacement for the frozen shredded hash browns Make sure to dice them evenly into small pieces so they all cook together. Feel free to try diced sweet potatoes for a slightly sweeter and nutrient-packed variation.
Variations of Crack Potatoes to Try
Serve It Spicy: Add diced jalapeños or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to give the dish a spicy twist. Perfect for those who love a little heat!
Swap The Ranch Seasoning: Experiment with different seasoning mixes, like Italian seasoning, garlic herb blend, or Cajun spice, for a unique flavor profile.
More Meat: This dish can be prepared with chopped ham, turkey bacon, cooked chicken, or you can even make it meatless!
Vegetarian Version: Skip the bacon and add sautéed mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, or spinach for a veggie-packed version.
Bake It For Breakfast: Add scrambled eggs or cooked breakfast sausage to transform crack potatoes into a hearty breakfast casserole.
Green Garnishes: Green garnishes, such as green onion, scallion, or chopped parsley can add extra flavor and color to your casserole.
Tasty Toppings: You can top this loaded crack potatoes dish with french fried onions, buttered bread crumbs, or even prepared stuffing mix just before baking for an extra bit of crunch.
Looking for more “crack” dishes? You will be equally addicted to my Baked Crack Chicken, Crack Chicken Casserole, Crack Chicken Chili, and Crack Dip!
More Easy Potato Recipes
If you tried this Crack Potatoes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Crack Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 26 ounce can cream of chicken soup undiluted
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 ounce (2 – 1 ounce package) dry ranch dressing mix
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 30 ounce bag frozen hash browns
- 1½ cups cooked, crumbled bacon (divided 1 cup and ½ cup)
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided 3 cups and 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*. Generously spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set it aside.
- Using a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, dry ranch dressing mix, onion powder, cracked black pepper and kosher salt, until smooth.
- Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the hashbrowns, 1 cup crumbled bacon and 3 cups of shredded cheese. Stir well until completely combined.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese and ½ cup crumbled bacon.
- Bake for 50 minutes. Evenly sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve while hot.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the unbaked crack potatoes for up to 2 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Allow the crack potatoes to completely thaw before baking according to my directions.
- Don’t use ranch dressing in the bottle! This recipe is made with dry ranch dressing mix.
- If you don’t have time to cook your own bacon, you can use store-bought, pre-cooked bacon bits.
Did anyone else find this to be extremely salty? I did not add the salt as listed in the recipe, and I still could not eat it. I wish I could figure out what to add after cooking to dilute the salt!
Elaine, I only used one package of ranch dressing mix and omitted the salt. I made this once before and I agree with you. I still found it salty. The second time around wasn’t as salty.