By Becky Hardin
Updated Oct 22, 2025
If you’re looking for a delicious side dish to serve at your next dinner, potluck, or holiday meal, look no further! This Loaded Hash Brown Potato Casserole is always a hit. I’ve taken shredded hash browns, bacon, green onions, and lots of cheese, and combined them to create the perfect crunchy, cheesy comfort-food goodness.
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5-Star Review
“Made this tonight. It was excellent. This recipe is a definite keeper.” – Donna
Easy Loaded Hash Brown Potato Casserole Recipe
What’s better than a crispy, savory hash brown potato casserole? A Loaded Hash Brown Potato Casserole! I’ve taken this casserole up a notch and topped it with bacon, scallions, fried onions, cheese, and sour cream for a truly addictive side dish.
I find this hash brown recipe is pretty much perfect for any occasion, potluck, family gathering, holiday celebration, or just when I’m in the mood to indulge—it truly does not disappoint.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 lb. bacon cut into ¼-inch slices and cooked, divided
- ▢ ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
- ▢ 1 30 oz. package frozen shredded hash browns
- ▢ 6 tbsp butter divided
- ▢ 1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
- ▢ 12 oz. sour cream
- ▢ ½ cup milk
- ▢ 3 cups shredded cheese your favorite, divided
Toppings: (optional)
- ▢ cooked bacon, chopped tomatoes, crushed crackers, sliced scallions, sour cream, fried onions (French’s)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Pour off all except 1-tablespoon bacon drippings, and reserve the drippings, in an airtight container, in the fridge for future use. 1 lb. bacon
- Cook the diced onions in the tablespoon of bacon drippings still in the pan over medium-low heat until translucent and softened. ½ medium yellow onion
- In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup melted butter, soup, sour cream, milk, cooked onions, 1 cup cheese and half of the crisped bacon pieces. 6 tbsp butter, 1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, 12 oz. sour cream, ½ cup milk, 3 cups shredded cheese
- Add the potatoes, and stir well. 1 30 oz. package frozen shredded hash browns
- Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared pan and press it slightly down in an even layer. Top with 2 cups cheese.
- Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes or until bubbly and hot throughout. If the cheese is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil. The internal temperature should register at least 165°F-175°F.
- Remove from the oven and let set for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with your favorite toppings, and enjoy! cooked bacon, chopped tomatoes, crushed crackers, sliced scallions, sour cream, fried onions (French’s)
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Loaded Hash Brown Potato Casserole Step by Step
Get the oven ready and prepare a casserole dish : Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, preheat to 350°F, and spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook the bacon: Cook 1 lb. of bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Pour off all except 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Transfer the balance to an airtight container and place it in the fridge for future use.
Cook the onions : Cook ½ a diced onion in the tablespoon of bacon drippings over medium-low heat until it becomes translucent and softened.
Combine cheese mixture ingredients : In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup melted butter, 1 can of soup, 12 oz. of sour cream, ½ cup of milk, the cooked onions, 1 cup cheese, and ½ the crisped bacon pieces.
Add potatoes: Stir in 1 30 oz. package frozen shredded hash browns.
Transfer : Transfer the cheese and potato mixture to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer. Sprinkle the top with 2 cups of cheese.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes or until bubbly and hot. If the cheese is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil. The internal temperature should register between 165°F-175°F.
Let sit: Remove from the oven and let set for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve: Serve with cooked bacon, chopped tomatoes, crushed crackers, sliced scallions, sour cream, fried onions (French’s), and enjoy.
How to Store
I find this is perfect for serving at holiday gatherings or weekend brunch because it’s so easy to make ahead. You can prepare the hash brown casserole without baking it, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, bake as directed, add toppings, serve, and enjoy.
You can freeze this casserole for later, too. Prepare the hashbrown casserole without baking, store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container, and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake as directed.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this casserole with a whole bunch of different recipes, but I find it goes especially well with a brown sugar glazed ham , along with a nice, crispy kale salad . To finish off the meal, I find I can never go wrong with a simple apple crumble .
Check out these other delicious sides
Baked Sweet Potato Chips
Asparagus Almondine
Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Shoestring Fries
Loaded Hash Brown Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. bacon cut into ¼-inch slices and cooked, divided
- ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 30 oz. package frozen shredded hash browns
- 6 tbsp butter divided
- 1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
- 12 oz. sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 3 cups shredded cheese your favorite, divided
Toppings: (optional)
- cooked bacon, chopped tomatoes, crushed crackers, sliced scallions, sour cream, fried onions (French’s)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and spray a 13x9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Pour off all except 1-tablespoon bacon drippings, and reserve the drippings, in an airtight container, in the fridge for future use. 1 lb. bacon
- Cook the diced onions in the tablespoon of bacon drippings still in the pan over medium-low heat until translucent and softened. ½ medium yellow onion
- In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup melted butter, soup, sour cream, milk, cooked onions, 1 cup cheese and half of the crisped bacon pieces. 6 tbsp butter, 1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, 12 oz. sour cream, ½ cup milk, 3 cups shredded cheese
- Add the potatoes, and stir well. 1 30 oz. package frozen shredded hash browns
- Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared pan and press it slightly down in an even layer. Top with 2 cups cheese.
- Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes or until bubbly and hot throughout. If the cheese is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil. The internal temperature should register at least 165°F-175°F.
- Remove from the oven and let set for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with your favorite toppings, and enjoy! cooked bacon, chopped tomatoes, crushed crackers, sliced scallions, sour cream, fried onions (French’s)
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
