Crockpot Hash Brown Casserole is perfect for brunch. No cream of condensed soups here! Refrigerated hash browns mix with a creamy mushroom-onion base and lots of cheese. Top with cooked bacon and fresh chives!
Pair this casserole with some other brunch favorites like Homemade Crepes, this Ham and Cheese Quiche, or this country breakfast Egg Skillet.
Crockpot Hash Brown Casserole
This cheesy hash brown casserole is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a holiday side dish. It pairs wonderfully with ham or turkey and is ideal for saving oven space, as it cooks in the slow cooker.
Unlike many recipes that use canned soups, this one features a homemade creamy base, adding freshness and flavor without any questionable ingredients. Making the sauce is similar to making gravy and worth the extra effort.
Crockpot Hash Brown Casserole Ingredients
- Butter: I use unsalted butter so I can perfectly control the amount of salt that goes into this casserole.
- Onion: The onion adds loads of flavor and texture, so dice it into small pieces so it will be well distributed in the casserole.
- Mushrooms: Any variety works, and I prefer baby bella or cremini mushrooms.
- Seasonings: The seasonings make this casserole! I use dried parsley, thyme, chicken bouillon powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and a good amount of salt and pepper. Potatoes need a lot of salt and pepper to boost the flavor. Add more at the end if needed to really enhance the flavor.
- Flour: White, all-purpose flour will thicken this creamy base.
- Chicken broth: This adds more flavor and seasoning to the base.
- Milk: I use whole milk for a thicker and creamier base, but 1% or 2% will also work. I don’t recommend a milk alternative or skim milk.
- Sour cream: Low-fat, fat-free, or regular — any works. Obviously, full-fat sour cream is going to be the creamiest, but we’ve tried all different kinds and there isn’t too much of a noticeable difference.
- Dijon mustard: It adds a nice depth of flavor to the casserole.
- Hash browns: I recommend fresh, refrigerated hash browns (as opposed to frozen) for this casserole. I use Simply Potatoes® hash browns (not sponsored).
- Extra- sharp Cheddar cheese: Freshly grated cheese is best since it melts better into the casserole.
Adding Protein To This Casserole
I love topping this casserole with freshly cooked, chopped bacon. To make Crockpot Hash Brown Casserole a full meal, add a protein like bacon, or stir in chopped ham or sausage. For best results, use smoked, diced ham and/or sausage. If using raw sausage, brown it first before adding it to the crockpot.
Garnish
Since this is a rich and cheesy casserole, herbs cut the richness and add a fresh flavor. We love fresh chives or freshly chopped parsley. Fresh thyme would also pair nicely.
More Delicious Brunch Recipes
- Quiche Lorraine onion, bacon, and cheese quiche
- Homemade Pancakes reader favorite!
- One-pan Breakfast Potatoes and Bacon
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies with peanut butter chips
- Strawberry Scones made with Greek yogurt
Crockpot Hash Brown Casserole
Crockpot Hash Brown Casserole is perfect for brunch. No cream of condensed soups here! Refrigerated hash browns mix with a creamy mushroom-onion base and lots of cheese. Top with cooked bacon and fresh chives!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced mushrooms (I use baby bella)
- 3 cloves finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder
- 2 teaspoons EACH: chicken bouillon powder, dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
- 1/3 cup white, all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 packages refrigerated shredded hashbrowns (each package is 20 oz)
- 3 cups freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- Optional toppings: 7 slices cooked and chopped bacon, fresh chives
Instructions
- PREP: Spray a large slow cooker (I use a 6-quart pan) with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- MUSHROOMS AND ONION: Add the butter to a large and deep skillet set to medium heat. As the butter is melting down, add in the finely diced onion and finely diced mushrooms. Sauté, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce the heat if anything is burning.
- GARLIC AND SEASONINGS: To the skillet, add the minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, chicken bouillon powder, dried parsley, dried thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. (I add in 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, but add to preference — depending on how salty the chicken broth is, you may want less.) Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until a thick dough forms. Cook for about 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- MILK AND BROTH: Gradually, while whisking constantly, add in the milk, cooking until thickened. Continue in the same manner with the chicken broth. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened. Stir in the Dijon mustard.
- SOUR CREAM AND HASH BROWNS: Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Pour this creamy mixture into the base of the prepared slow cooker. Add both bags of hash browns and the freshly grated Cheddar cheese (See Note 1). Stir everything together and press into one even layer (Quickly wipe down the edges of the crockpot to avoid burning).
- COOK: Place a few sheets of paper towel in between the lid and the crockpot (this helps gather steam and liquid to keep the casserole from getting soggy). Cook on high for 2-3 hours (See Note 2). Remove the lid and if desired, place the casserole base in the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes to get a crispier top and edges. ( Only do this if your cooker crock is oven safe!) Taste the casserole and adjust seasonings — add more salt and pepper as needed.
- TOP AND ENJOY: Garnish the casserole with toppings of your choice such as cooked and chopped bacon, thinly sliced chives, etc.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Cheese: Freshly grated cheese is preferred over packaged cheese (which has a tendency to get greasy and not melt as well). This casserole is very cheesy — you may want less cheese (if so, reduce to 2 cups). Alternatively, you can use two types of cheese such as 2 cups Cheddar and 1 cup Parmesan.
Note 2: Cooking time: Watch carefully, depending on your slow cooker. If you have a really hot one it may be done sooner and a cooler one may take longer. Each appliance is different. Mine typically takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 8as a side | Calories: 1273kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 86g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 1692mg | Potassium: 1412mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1910IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 997mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Where does the chicken bouillon get added to the recipe? Excited to try it!
It’s added with the other seasonings, I just updated the recipe! Thanks for your comment! Let me know what you think! 🙂
Would I be able to make the base the night before and add the potatoes to the base and cook the day of a party? I need to make a hashbrown casserole for work and I don’t want to be up at the crack of dawn. ????
I think that would work great! I’d add the potatoes just before cooking so they don’t brown 🙂
Thank you! I can’t wait to try this casserole.
Hope you love it!