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My aunt brought the hash brown casserole to every family reunion for thirty years, and she let everybody know hers did not come out of a can of soup. Cheesy hash brown casserole is shredded potatoes baked in a creamy cheese sauce with sour cream and onion, under a golden crust of crushed cornflakes and melted butter. It is the first dish to go empty on any potluck table, ahead of the fried chicken and the potato salad, and the corners are always the first spoonfuls taken.
Most recipes start with a can of cream soup. My aunt said the can tasted like the can, and she was right. A simple homemade cheese sauce takes ten minutes and makes this casserole taste of real cheddar and butter. The trick is to take the pan off the heat before the cheese goes in, so it melts into a smooth sauce instead of turning grainy or oily, and to squeeze the thawed potatoes dry so the casserole bakes creamy rather than watery. Here is how to make the cheese sauce from scratch so it never turns grainy.
Why this cheesy hash brown casserole works
- A real cheese sauce. Butter, flour and milk cooked into a white sauce, with sharp cheddar melted in off the heat, coats every shred of potato.
- Cheese grated by hand. Freshly grated cheddar melts smooth; pre-shredded cheese is coated to stop it sticking and can make the sauce grainy.
- Potatoes squeezed dry. Wringing the thawed hash browns in a towel removes the water that would thin the sauce.
- Sour cream for tang. Stirred in at the end, it makes the casserole rich and creamy and balances the cheese.
- A buttery crunchy top. Crushed cornflakes tossed in melted butter bake into a golden crust that crackles under the spoon.
Ingredients
Makes one 9x13 inch casserole, about 12 servings. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the cheese sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (56g)
- 1/2 small onion, grated or very finely chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (32g)
- 2 cups whole milk, warmed (480ml)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (250g)
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream (360g)
For the potatoes
- 2 pounds frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed (900g)
For the topping
- 2 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed (60g)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (56g)
Use plain frozen shredded potatoes with nothing added. To shred your own, grate about 2 1/2 pounds of peeled russet potatoes, rinse them in cold water, then squeeze them very dry in a towel.
How to make cheesy hash brown casserole
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C) and butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Put the thawed potatoes in a clean dish towel, a few handfuls at a time, and twist and squeeze until no more water comes out. Put them in a large bowl.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until soft but not brown.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Pour in the warm milk a little at a time, whisking constantly, until smooth. Add the salt, pepper and garlic powder and let it bubble gently, whisking, for 2 to 3 minutes, until thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat. Wait 1 minute, then add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each handful melts before adding the next.
- Stir in the sour cream until smooth.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes and fold until every shred is coated. Spread evenly in the baking dish.
- Toss the crushed cornflakes with the melted butter and scatter them evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the top is deep golden and crisp. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Tips that make the difference
- Never let the sauce boil once the cheese is in. Heat is what turns a cheese sauce grainy and oily.
- Warm the milk first. Cold milk into hot butter and flour makes lumps.
- Squeeze the potatoes harder than you think you need to. Watery potatoes make a soupy casserole.
- Crush the cornflakes by hand in a bag, leaving some bigger pieces, for the best crunch.
Variations
- Crushed cracker top. Use buttery crushed crackers in place of the cornflakes.
- With chicken. Fold in 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken to make it a supper.
- Green chile. Stir a small can’s worth of chopped mild green chiles into the sauce.
- Half pan. Halve everything and bake in an 8 inch square dish for 40 to 45 minutes.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350 degree oven until hot.
To make ahead, assemble without the topping, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add the topping and bake 10 minutes longer.
The baked casserole freezes, without the topping, for up to 2 months.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep the cheese sauce from turning grainy?
Take the pan off the heat before adding the cheese, use cheese you grated yourself, and add it a handful at a time. Never let the sauce boil once the cheese is in.
Can I use fresh potatoes?
Yes. Grate peeled russets, rinse them in cold water, and squeeze them very dry in a towel before mixing.
Do the potatoes need to be thawed?
Yes. Thawed and squeezed dry, they bake evenly and do not water down the sauce.
Can I make it ahead?
Assemble it the day before without the topping, refrigerate, then add the topping and bake a little longer.
Bring it to the next family gathering, stand by the dish the way my aunt did, and tell them it did not come out of a can.
Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole from Scratch (Homemade Cheese Sauce, No Canned Soup)
Cheesy hash brown casserole made from scratch: shredded potatoes in a homemade cheddar cheese sauce with sour cream and onion, topped with buttery crushed cornflakes and baked at 350 degrees until bubbling. No canned soup.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 small onion, grated or very finely chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 2 pounds frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
- 2 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C) and butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Put the thawed potatoes in a clean dish towel, a few handfuls at a time, and twist and squeeze until no more water comes out. Put them in a large bowl.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until soft but not brown.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Pour in the warm milk a little at a time, whisking constantly, until smooth. Add the salt, pepper and garlic powder and let it bubble gently, whisking, for 2 to 3 minutes, until thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat. Wait 1 minute, then add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each handful melts before adding the next.
- Stir in the sour cream until smooth.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes and fold until every shred is coated. Spread evenly in the baking dish.
- Toss the crushed cornflakes with the melted butter and scatter them evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the top is deep golden and crisp. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
