I reach for this breakfast casserole when the morning feels busy and we still want something cozy. We bake tender hashbrowns with a creamy mix and a blanket of cheddar. The top turns golden and the center stays soft. It smells like a diner in the best way. We love easy casserole recipes that do the work in the oven while we sip coffee. This pan fits right in with the best casserole recipes. It even plays nice with Baked Casserole Recipes when you plan a big spread for friends. Want a twist for someone who eats plant based. Try a Vegan Breakfast Casserole version by swapping the soup and cheese. Craving a shortcut. A Breakfast Casserole With Bisquick makes a fun variation for a brunch bar. I keep a sweet tooth too so I joke that Dessert Casserole lives next door to this savory pan. Different mood. Same comfort. However you make it we sit down warm plates in hand and the day starts easy.
Table of Contents
- 1 Key Takeaways
- 2 Easy Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
- 3 Ingredients for Hashbrown Casserole
- 4 How to Make Hashbrown Casserole
- 5 Tips for Making Hashbrown Casserole
- 6 Making Hashbrown Casserole Ahead of Time
- 7 Storing Leftover Hashbrown Casserole
- 8 Try these Breakfast next
- 9 Hashbrown Casserole
- 10 Nutrition
1 Key Takeaways
We start with frozen potatoes and finish with a warm pan that feeds a crowd. The bake sits in the oven and frees our hands. The crust looks golden. The center tastes creamy.
This breakfast casserole fits busy weekends and slow holidays. I mix. I spread. I wait. Then we gather. Two words repeat in my head breakfast casserole. It comforts in a quiet way.
We swap soup or cheese to fit how we eat. We top with crumbs for a little crunch. We slice clean squares that hold. Simple steps. Big payoff.
2 Easy Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
Hi, I am Lila from Lila Cooks at https://www.lilacooks.com. I make this pan when morning runs fast and everyone wants something warm. The scent hits first and pulls us to the table. I call it a friendly breakfast casserole, the kind that waits for you without fuss.
I keep the bowl close and work near the oven. The mix looks rich and smooth. The potatoes hold the sauce and the cheese ties it all. I whisper brunch casserole in my head and smile. It feels like a small win.
I once burned toast during a brunch rush. This saved me. The steps stay steady and the pan forgives. It suits easy hashbrown breakfast recipe searches and it earns a place next to our coffee mugs.
3 Ingredients for Hashbrown Casserole
Frozen diced hashbrowns I thaw them until they feel loose and dry. This helps the bake hold body and keeps water out of the mix.
Condensed soup Cream of chicken makes it cozy. Cream of mushroom brings a meatless path for a vegan breakfast casserole swap with plant cheese.
Melted butter I stir it in warm so it coats the potatoes fast and gives the edges a crisp bite.
Shredded sharp cheddar One part melts into the mix and one part rests on top. The lid of cheese browns and smells like a diner line.
Sour cream A small scoop keeps the middle soft and smooth. It rounds sharp notes and adds body.
Chopped onion Tiny pieces turn sweet in the heat. They thread through each bite and never take over.
Garlic and onion powder These sit in the background and make the whole pan taste fuller.
Salt and black pepper I season with a light hand and taste again after baking.
Paprika A dust on top adds color. It hints at smoke and keeps the top lively.
Crunchy topping Cornflakes or panko bring contrast. I toss them with a touch of butter for an oven baked potato casserole finish.
4 How to Make Hashbrown Casserole
Step one I heat the oven to three hundred fifty F and grease a nine by thirteen dish. The pan waits on the middle rack.
Step two I whisk the soup with melted butter and sour cream in a big bowl. The sauce turns smooth and glossy.
Step three I fold in the thawed potatoes. I shake in garlic and onion powder with salt and pepper. The spoon moves slow so the mix stays even.
Step four I stir in most of the cheddar and keep a handful for the top. The bowl now looks like a proper morning casserole.
Step five I spread the mix in the dish and scatter the rest of the cheese. If I want crunch I add buttered crumbs.
Step six I bake until the edges bubble and the top turns deep gold. I let it rest a short spell so the slices hold shape.
5 Tips for Making Hashbrown Casserole
Thaw the potatoes in the fridge on a tray. Wet potatoes weigh the mix down. Dry potatoes lift it up. Small move big gain.
Shred your own cheddar if time allows. The melt turns silk and the flavor leans nutty. Store shreds still work and save minutes during a breakfast casserole rush.
For a brunch bake add a pinch of paprika and a light crumb. Want meat. Fold in diced ham. Want plants only. Use mushroom soup and plant cheese and you have a vegan path.
6 Making Hashbrown Casserole Ahead of Time
I mix the filling the night before and cover the dish. Morning comes and I add the cheese and crumbs. The oven takes over and we drink coffee.
If you chill the dish pull it from the fridge while the oven heats. A cool pan needs a few extra minutes. I test the center for heat and trust my eyes.
This plan fits a make ahead brunch casserole goal and helps when guests arrive hungry. The steps stay light. The payoff lands right on time.
7 Storing Leftover Hashbrown Casserole
I cool the pan to room temp and pack slices in tight containers. The fridge keeps them fresh for three days. The texture holds well.
For reheating I cover the slice and set the oven to three hundred fifty F. Ten minutes brings back the steam. The top wakes up again.
Freezing works for a month in a freezer bag with air pressed out. I thaw in the fridge and warm gently. The comfort returns and breakfast casserole stays in the plan.
8 Try these Breakfast next
9 Hashbrown Casserole
Cheesy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen diced hashbrowns 26 ounce thawed
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 10.5 ounce or cream of mushroom
- 1 half cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 and one half cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1 half cup sour cream optional
- 1 small onion finely chopped optional
- 1 half teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 half teaspoon onion powder
- 1 quarter teaspoon black pepper
- 1 quarter teaspoon paprika optional
- 1 quarter teaspoon salt
- 1 cup crushed cornflakes or panko for topping optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl stir the soup with the melted butter and sour cream until smooth.
- Fold in the thawed hashbrowns. Add garlic powder onion powder pepper paprika and salt. Stir gently.
- Stir in 1 cup cheddar. Keep the rest for the top.
- Spread the mixture in the dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the top.
- If using topping mix the crumbs with a spoon of melted butter and scatter over the cheese.
- Bake 45 to 60 minutes until hot and bubbling and the top looks golden.
- Rest 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
10 Nutrition
Serving size one square from twelve. Calories about three hundred twenty. Sugar around three grams. Sodium near six hundred forty milligrams. Fat about twenty grams with ten grams saturated. Carbs about twenty eight grams. Fiber near two grams. Protein about nine grams. Figures vary with brand and swaps.
I fold in a few helpful search terms here so you can find this again hashbrown casserole and cheesy potatoes and brunch bake. For longer searches try make ahead brunch casserole and easy hashbrown breakfast recipe and oven baked potato casserole. They map to how we cook and eat.
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