Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole Is Brunch Goals

Cracker Barrel is one of our favorite restaurants to stop at whenever we're on the road traveling to and from home.

There's a bounty of riches to choose off of the Cracker Barrel menu -from country fried steak, mashed potatoes and biscuits. All of the menu items are fabulous and we strongly urge you to work your way through the offerings. But do yourself a favor and start with their spectacular breakfast. Namely, the hash brown casserole. It's loaded with cheese and onions and there is another flavor in there that we could just never figure out. Until now.

Related: 100+ of Our Very Best Casserole Recipes For Warm Dinners on Busy Days

Turns out, the magic ingredient in Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole recipe is chicken soup. We like making to make our own cream of chicken soup, so that's what we started with that. Then all you do is add the ingredients to a casserole dish, stir and bake. Easy peasy—like any good recipe.

Perfect for breakfast or brinner, this copycat hash brown casserole is amazing. The only downside? It disappears so quickly.

Recipe for Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients

  • 8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, divided

  • 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided

  • ¼ tsp poultry seasoning

  • ¼ tsp onion powder

  • ¼ tsp garlic powder

  • ½ tsp kosher salt

  • ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

  • ½ cup milk

  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided

  • ½ cup chopped onions

  • 1 (26 oz) package frozen shredded hash browns

  • 1 (8 oz) package shredded colby cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 375 °F.

  2. In medium sized saucepan, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter is melted add 2 tablespoons flour and all seasonings. Whisk to create a paste. Add milk, whisking as you pour. Whisk until completely combined.

  3. In a quart sized mason jar combine 2 tablespoons flour and chicken broth. Seal tightly and shake the living tar out of your mixture. You will create a smooth flour mixture for thickening your sauce called a slurry.

  4. Slowly pour slurry into mixture, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

  5. Pour soup into 9x13 casserole dish. Add remaining 6 tablespoons butter and onions. Stir until butter is melted. This will also start to cool your soup. Add cheese and frozen hash browns. Mix well with a spoon.

  6. Bake 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

  7. Serve and enjoy!