Vegetarian Hashbrown Casserole (Cracker Barrel Copycat)

Name: Vegetarian Hashbrown Casserole (Cracker Barrel Copycat)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 32 ounces frozen shredded hash browns, thawed; 1 1/2 cups Colby cheese, shredded; 8 tablespoons butter, melted and divided; 1 large onion, diced fine or shredded, about 3/4 cup; 1 can cream of cheddar soup (10 1/4 ounce can of condensed soup); 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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If Cracker Barrel was a part of your childhood road trip adventures, then you know the deliciously nostalgic experience that awaits when you order their hash brown casserole. Try this Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole (Vegetarian) and bring that classic breakfast casserole experience home!

Vegetarian Hash Brown Casserole in a brown baking dish with a stack of plates and forks

This simple hash brown casserole involves about 5 minutes of prep, and gets rave reviews every single time.

Make it for breakfast with eggs, for Meatless Monday dinner with a side of Lemon and Garlic Seasoned Green beans, or next to your Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Shrimp and Grits Stuffing and all your favorite comfort foods at Thanksgiving.

Ingredients you'll need to make this recipe:

ingredients for Vegetarian Hash Brown Casserole on a table

Before we get to the step by step directions, a few notes about the ingredients:

Shredded hash browns: I make this recipe with a 2-lb bag of frozen hashbrowns. Just leave them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw before making the cheesy casserole. Feel free to substitute that bag of shredded fresh potatoes in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

Colby cheese: Colby looks like cheddar cheese, but has a milder flavor and a much creamier texture. It's the only cheese Cracker Barrel uses in their potato casserole. Feel free to substitute cheddar or your favorite shredded cheese mix.

Cream of cheddar soup: You might already know that your local Cracker Barrel Old Country Store hash brown casserole recipe uses cream of chicken soup. To keep this easy recipe fully vegetarian, we reach for a can of cream of cheddar soup. But you have a range of options of creamy soups that would be delicious in this copycat recipe, including cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery, cream of onion and cream of broccoli.

Full measurements and ingredients included in printable recipe card below.

Need even more Cracker Barrel in your life? Try this copycat Sweet Potato Casserole next!

Step by step instructions:

1. Start oven and baking dish

To begin, preheat oven to 375℉. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish with one tablespoon of butter and set aside. Then assemble all of your ingredients

ingredients for Vegetarian Hash Brown Casserole

2. Combine all ingredients

Combine completely thawed hash browns, melted butter, diced or shredded onion, condensed soup, salt, black pepper and 1 ¼ cup of shredded Colby cheese in a large mixing bowl, reserving ¼ cup of shredded Colby cheese to sprinkle over the top. Mix well to combine the ingredients.

3. Bake casserole

Transfer the potato mixture to the greased casserole dish. Use a fork to even out the casserole without compressing the mixture. Top with the remaining ¼ cup of shredded cheese. Bake hash brown casserole for 45-50 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.

4. Serve and enjoy

Broil for the final 2-3 minutes for a deeper brown and crispy topping. Serve with any of our favorite dishes.

Vegetarian Hash Brown Casserole on a plate and in a dish.

Looking for more easy and impressive side dishes?

FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:

Shouldn't I add sour cream to this Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole?

A popular southern dish called Funeral Potatoes is similar to Cracker Barrel's hash brown casserole. It uses a large amount of sour cream in most versions of the recipe. While it's a delicious side dish, it has a different flavor and texture profile than the popular restaurant side dish, which is a simple concoction of potatoes, cheese, onion and creamy soup. If you're looking for something with sour cream, just google "funeral potatoes" and you'll find a ton of options!

Is Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole vegetarian?

The creamy casserole served at your local Cracker Barrel is made with cream of chicken soup, so it is NOT vegetarian.

Can I use fresh potatoes instead of frozen hash browns in the recipe?

You can, but the texture will be different. Frozen hashbrowns are precooked and shredded, which gives the casserole a more uniform texture. Fresh potatoes will need to be peeled, cooked, and shredded before they can be used in the recipe. Or grab a bag of fresh shredded potatoes in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.

Can I substitute the cream of cheddar soup with something else?

Yes, you can use cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup, cream of onion soup or broccoli soup in place of the cheese soup. I love making this recipe with cream of mushroom soup, but the cheddar soup keeps the flavor profile more similar to the Cracker Barrel version!

Can I make this casserole recipe ahead of time?

These hash brown potatoes can be assembled in the casserole dish ahead of time and refrigerated. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time if the casserole is cold when you put it in the oven.

Can I add a crunchy topping to this potato casserole?

While it's not included in the Cracker Barrel version of this recipe, a buttery cracker topping, crushed corn flakes or even french fried onions would all be delicious additions over the top of this epic casserole. Keep in mind that fried onions will add a higher salt content to the casserole, so start with ½ teaspoon in the casserole, then taste and adjust from there.

How to store leftover hash brown casserole?

To store, transfer leftover cheesy potato casserole to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in microwave until just heated through, or grill in a skillet for crispy, cheesy potato pancakes.