A Cheesy Side Dish

I decided it was time to revisit this old favorite. I first shared this recipe back in 2012 and it has remained a favorite over the years although I’ve made a few little changes here and there. Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole was one of the first dishes I learned to make that didn’t require a crock-pot and it’s so super easy to make that it’s perfect for beginners. Best of all, it’s one of those recipes that you can easily switch out ingredients depending on what you like (and dislike).

Did I mention its insanely easy to make?

A Few Changes to an Old Favorite

Lately, it can be difficult to find all ingredients needed to make this casserole and sometimes I’ve had to make little substitutions (also had to make a little change after my husband used one of the ingredients hahaha). Funny, a “oh well let’s just try it like this” turned out to be such a hit that it’s now how I always make this dish.

Check out the original recipe and post HERE.

Getting Started:

First, make sure you set out the hashbrowns before hand, usually 30-45 mintues before you are ready to actually make the cheesy hashbrown casserole. The hashbrowns need time to thaw!

You’ll need a medium to large bowl to mix the cheesiness in and a casserole dish for baking.

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Package of Shredded Hashbrowns, thawed
• 1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
• 8oz Container of Ranch Dip
• 16oz of Shredded Cheese (*I use 8oz Original Velveeta and 8oz of Old El Paso Queso Blend)

Directions:

• Pre-heat Oven at 350 degrees

• Take the thawed hashbrowns and spread them out in the casserole dish.

• Combine the Cream of Chicken Soup, Ranch Dip and Shredded Cheese in the mixing bowl and stir until well blended. I normally add a tiny bit of water if the mixture seems too dry.

***This is where you can easily switch out and experiment with ingredients. The original recipe my step-mom made used sour cream. My husband hates sour cream so I experimented with substituting in ranch dip. The amount of ranch dip you use can also be adjusted, you can use a little more. The Cream of Chicken soup can be switched out to Cream of Mushroom. And of course, the biggest area to play around with is the cheese! When I first made this, I used finely shredded Mild Cheddar. Then I switched to using Original Velveeta. And of course, now we prefer it with the mix of Velveeta and Old El Paso Queso Blend. You can truly have fun changing it up to your personal preferences.

• Once well mixed/blended together, spread the cheesy mixture over the top of the hashbrowns.

• Bake for about 45 minutes. Please adjust cooking time accordingly, most ovens will cook differently. Cook slightly longer if you like a little “burnt” on top.

• Serve with your dinner choice… I love serving this with either BBQ Chicken or Lil’ Smokies in BBQ Sauce. It just pairs perfectly with anything covered in BBQ sauce!

Enjoy!

If you try out this recipe, let me know what you think! If you make little changes, let me know! I would love to know how you make this recipe your own!