Cracker Barrel Cheesy Hash Brown Recipe: Crock Pot

Ingredients List and Tips

• Frozen hash browns: It is best to thaw the hashbrowns and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture
• Butter: Use real butter, not margarine
• Cream of chicken soup: Do not dilute with milk
• Sour cream: It's best not to use low-fat.
• Onion: For this recipe, I find a sweeter onion, such as Vidalia, is best.
• Cheese: A good quality sharp cheddar cheese is best, so it is not so greasy.
• Black pepper: If you don't like black specks in your food, white pepper is a good option.

Why Should The Hashbrowns Be Thawed?

The frozen hash browns need to be thawed and dried for proper consistency. If you don't thaw and dry them, they will release water as they cook and make the casserole watery.

Do I have to use frozen potatoes?

If you have fresh potatoes, you can grade them into hashbrowns for this casserol. However, the consistency of the finished dish will be a bit different than what you get at Cracker Barrel. It still will be delicious, though.

How To Make Copycat Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

1. To begin, it is best to thaw the frozen hashbrowns in your refrigerator overnight or on the defrost setting in your microwave.

After they are thawed, pat them dry of any excess water with paper towels.

3. Pour the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients except for 1 cup of cheddar cheese. This will be used for the topping after the casserole has been mostly cooked.

4. Spoon the mixture into a crock pot.

5. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 3 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, open the lid and sprinkle the cup of shredded cheese that was set aside. Place lid on the slow cooker and finish cooking time.

Easy Clean-Up Tip

If you want an easy cleanup after you use our slow cooker, then I suggest buying these disposable crock pot cooking bags. They really make life easier!

Give the casserol a twist in flavor

• Cream of chicken soup: Instead of cream of chicken, you could also try Campbell's brand cream of bacon soup. You could also try cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery, or cream of cheddar soup.

• Oven: You can also make this dish in the oven. Just preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients, minus 1 cup of cheese, in a large mixing bowl and place in a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Cover and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the cover and top with 1 cup of cheese. Turn the heat up to 400°. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to crisp the top.
• Corn flakes: For a crunchy topping, try topping the casserole with corn flakes before baking.
• Potato chips: Another option for a crunchy topping is to use potato chips.
• Cubed potatoes: You could also use cubed potatoes instead of hash browns.

Optional Add-Ins

• Meats: diced ham, sausage, bacon, or chicken.
• Veggies: a variety of colors of bell peppers, chiles, jalapenos, broccoli or green beans.
• Cheeses: Colby, Cheddar Jack, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Swiss, Gruyere, provolone, mozzarella.
• Herbs: chives, thyme, oregano, basil, parsley.

Can This Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole Be Kept In The Fridge to Bake Later?

Yes, you can keep this dish in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just cover it tightly with plastic wrap and bake it when you're ready.

Can You Freeze and Bake It Later?

Yes, you can freeze this dish to bake later. Just place it in a freezer-safe container and cover it tightly. When you're ready to bake it, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then bake it according to the recipe

Storage

The leftover casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you freeze the leftovers, it is best to thaw over night in the fridge and then reheat in the oven.

Reheating instructions

To reheat, place the casserole in a 350-degree oven and heat for about 20 minutes, or until heated through.

You can also reheat it in the microwave, on 50% power, for about 3 minutes. Then, if you want to keep the topping crispy, you can place it under the broiler for a minute or two.

Questions You Might Have

Does Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole have eggs?

Freshly cooked from scratch, Cracker Barrel's hashbrown casserole is topped with crispy bacon, farm-fresh scrambled eggs, melted Colby cheese, fried onions, green onions, and sliced fresh tomatoes.

Is there meat in Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole?

Yes, Cracker Barrel's hashbrown casserole contains bacon. However, if you are vegetarian, you can ask them to remove the bacon when dining there.

Why is my hash brown casserole soggy?

There are a few reasons why your hash brown casserole could be soggy. One is that you didn't cook the potatoes long enough before adding them to the casserole dish. Another reason could be that you didn't pat the potatoes dry enough before adding them to the dish. Finally, adding too much liquid (such as milk or cream) to the dish can also make the hash browns soggy.

How do I keep my hash brown casserole from getting watery?

The best way to prevent your hash brown casserole from getting watery is to make sure that you cook the potatoes long enough before adding them to the casserole dish. Another way to prevent watery hash browns is to pat the potatoes dry before adding them to the dish. Finally, if you are using frozen hash browns, thoroughly thaw them before adding them to the casserole.