2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 30-ounce bag of frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Fresh chives, garnish (optional)
Step 1: Saute onions and garlic
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute the onions until they soften and become translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Transfer the onions and garlic to a large mixing bowl and then return the saucepan to the stovetop.
Step 2: Combine ingredients
To the large mixing bowl, with the cooked onions and garlic, add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, thawed hash browns and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Stir until well combined and then spread into a greased 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
Step 3: Top with cheese and bake
Top the potatoes with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes or until cooked throughout and bubbly. Remove promptly and sprinkle with chives, if using.
Serve warm with your other favorite breakfast foods—or something from Cracker Barrel’s online store.
Tips for Making Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
Can I use frozen diced potatoes instead of shredded? What if I want to use fresh potatoes?
Of course! Cracker Barrel uses shredded potatoes in their recipe. However, if you prefer the texture of diced potatoes, you can replace the shredded frozen hash browns for a thawed 32-ounce bag of diced hash brown potatoes.
If your preference is to use fresh potatoes, there are a few extra steps you’ll need to take to achieve great results.
Wash and peel 6-8 russet potatoes; about 8 cups
Shred using a box grater or dice finely
Rinse the potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch
Soak in a bowl of cold water for 1-2 hours
Drain and squeeze as much water as possible from the potatoes
Then, prepare casserole as directed above.
What can be used instead of cream of chicken soup?
You can easily use a homemade roux as a substitute. Using a roux would be an easy way to make this recipe vegetarian as well, if you or anyone you’re serving this to prefers to avoid meat.
Tip: You can use just about any condensed “cream of” soup in this recipe. Cream of mushroom or cheddar cheese condensed soup are common alternatives and would also make this recipe vegetarian. Cream of bacon would be a delicious option, too, if you don’t mind meat.
What other kinds of cheese can you use in copycat Cracker Barrel hash brown casserole?
Pick a cheese with a good meltability factor and a mild, non-pungent flavor. Monterey Jack would work well. For a spicy variant of Monterey Jack go with Pepper Jack cheese. Colby (or Colby Jack) cheese would also be a great substitute. You can’t go wrong with part-skim mozzarella cheese, either.