Name: Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 10.5 ounces can cream of chicken soup ((1 can)); 8 ounces sour cream ((1 cup)); ½ cup yellow onion (chopped small (about ½ of a medium onion)); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ((¼ cup), melted); 2 teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded, divided); 30 ounces shredded hashbrowns ((1 bag), thawed/room-temperature)

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This Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole is the creamy, cheesy copycat I count on for the real diner taste at home. It bakes up soft and rich, with sharp cheddar melted through tender shredded potatoes and a savory cream sauce in every bite.

Spoon scooping cheesy hashbrown casserole from a white baking dish.

I make this for holiday breakfasts, brunch with friends, and slow weekend mornings at home. It takes one bowl and everyday ingredients, and I can have it in the oven in about five minutes.

When I want the real Cracker Barrel side without leaving the house, this is the copycat I reach for. It tastes like the one you order at the restaurant, and the sharp cheddar goes golden on top while the middle stays soft and creamy.

Copycat Favorite

Why I Went Back and Fixed the Dry Casserole Problem

I pulled this recipe back out because the restaurant version can bake up dry, and I wanted mine creamy all the way through. Stirring melted butter into the base was the change that did it. I also took out the garlic powder so it tastes like the Cracker Barrel side and not something busier, and I chopped the onion smaller so it melts in instead of showing up in big pieces.

The One Thing I Always Tell People

If you want this casserole thick and creamy, it comes down to one easy step before you start mixing. Let the shredded hashbrowns thaw all the way and come to room temperature.

Frozen potatoes hold a lot of water, and thawing them first keeps that water out of the sauce so the casserole bakes up rich instead of loose. If they still feel wet after thawing, give them a quick blot with a paper towel.

That is the whole secret, and it is why mine sets up creamy every time.

Cracker barrel hashbrown casserole ingredients.

The Ingredients Worth Getting Right

Shredded hashbrowns: Use shredded, not diced or cubed. The fine shreds are what give this casserole that soft Cracker Barrel texture. Diced potatoes stay firmer and change the whole feel of the dish.
Cream of chicken soup: This is the savory backbone that makes it taste like the restaurant version, and I tested it with Campbell’s. Cream of mushroom or celery will work but will not taste like Cracker Barrel. Note that condensed cream soup contains wheat and is made with chicken, so use a certified gluten-free soup if you need it, and know the casserole is not vegetarian as written.
Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream is what keeps the sauce creamy and gives it that gentle tang. Low-fat versions have more water and can leave the casserole thinner than you want.
Sharp cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the closest match to the Cracker Barrel bite. I like to shred it myself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking additives that keep it from melting as smoothly.

Forkful of cheesy hashbrown casserole held above the baking dish.

How to Make Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole

Step 1: Heat the oven and prep the dish Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 2½ quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Set it aside.

Step 2: Mix the creamy base In a large bowl, stir together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, melted butter, chopped onion, salt, black pepper, and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar. Stir until everything is smooth and evenly combined. Hashbrown casserole ingredients mixed together in a glass bowl before baking.

Step 3: Fold in the hashbrowns Add the thawed hashbrowns and stir until the potatoes are coated, no more. Overmixing can make the texture gummy, so stop as soon as everything is combined. Hand stirring shredded hashbrown casserole mixture in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon.

Step 4: Fill and top the dish Spread the mixture into the prepared dish. Top it with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar, then cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Hashbrown casserole topped with shredded cheddar cheese in a baking dish before baking.

Step 5: Bake covered, then uncovered Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden. Overhead view of baked hashbrown casserole with melted cheddar cheese in a white dish.

Step 6: Rest before serving Let it cool on the counter for 5 minutes before you serve it. It looks a little loose straight out of the oven and firms up as it rests.

Easy Ways to Switch Up the Cheese

The cheese is the easiest place to make this your own. I reach for sharp cheddar because it gets closest to the Cracker Barrel bite, but mild or extra sharp both work if that is what you have on hand.

If you love this kind of cheesy potato bake, my cheesy potato casserole with hash browns is a good one to make next.

Overhead view of cheesy hashbrown casserole in a white dish with a serving spoon.

What to Serve With Hashbrown Casserole

Hashbrown casserole is a side, and it goes with almost any comfort-food main. I love it next to crispy air fryer fried chicken for a full Cracker Barrel style plate, or alongside scrambled eggs and bacon for a big weekend breakfast. It also earns a spot on the holiday table right next to the ham.

For more ideas, it fits right into my roundup of easy casserole recipes.

Plated cheesy hashbrown casserole with a fork, next to the baking dish and shredded cheese

Make It Ahead

You can put this together up to 24 hours before you bake it. Cover the dish and keep it in the fridge, then pull it out and let it come to room temperature before it goes in the oven. A very cold dish going into a hot oven can crack, so give it that rest on the counter first.

Storing and Freezing

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or until warmed through.

To freeze, wrap the casserole well and freeze it for up to 2 months, baked or unbaked. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bake or reheat until it is hot in the center.

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