Easy Recipes
Cheesy Bacon Hash Brown Casserole
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40–45 minutes
Servings: 8
This casserole is inspired by the photo: a pan of tender shredded potatoes baked in a creamy sauce, with melted cheese, crumbled bacon, and small pieces of red pepper across the top. It works as a hearty breakfast or brunch dish, but you can also serve it alongside chicken or a salad for dinner. The top turns golden and bubbly in the oven, while the potatoes underneath stay soft and creamy.
Ingredients
- 1 bag (30 oz) frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Butter or cooking spray, for the baking dish
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes. Thaw the hash browns completely. If they feel wet, spread them on a clean kitchen towel and gently press out the excess moisture. This helps the finished casserole stay creamy without becoming watery. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish or a similar-sized foil pan.
- Cook the bacon. Place the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp, turning as needed. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then crumble it into small pieces. Set aside roughly one-third of the bacon for the topping. You can cook the bacon ahead of time if you want to make assembly quicker.
- Make the creamy mixture. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and milk until smooth. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. The bacon and cheese will also add saltiness, so the small amount of added salt is enough to start with.
- Combine the filling. Add the hash browns, 1½ cups of the cheddar, all the mozzarella, most of the diced red pepper, and the bacon reserved for the filling. Fold everything together until the potatoes are coated. Take a little time with this step so there are no dry pockets of hash browns.
- Fill the pan. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar, reserved bacon, and remaining red pepper over the surface. The red pepper and bacon pieces give the casserole the colorful, speckled topping shown in the photo.
- Bake. Place the dish on the center rack and bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes. It is ready when the center is hot, the edges are bubbling, and the cheese on top has melted and developed golden spots. If the top is browning faster than the center heats through, loosely cover the dish with foil for the last part of baking.
- Rest and serve. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes. This short rest allows the creamy filling to settle, making it easier to scoop generous portions without the sauce running across the plate.
Tips
Drain moisture from the potatoes. Thawed frozen hash browns can release a surprising amount of water. You do not need to squeeze them completely dry, but pressing away visible moisture makes a noticeable difference to the texture.