3 Ingredient Cheesy Hashbrown Bake

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Creamy and cheesy, this 3 Ingredient Cheesy Hashbrown Bake is incredible comfort food, (just like my 3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese recipe!). The inner cheesy layer with the addition of the seasoned cream and golden brown topping hits all the right bells to make this dish one that will go into regular rotation.

Keep reading to see all the different variations and serving ideas that can be done with this Hashbrown Casserole!

Creamy hash brown casserole on a white plate on a blue napkin.

This Hash Brown Casserole Recipe is perfect because:

It’s super easy to make and only takes 3 ingredients.
This is a hash brown casserole with no soup (for those who don’t have it on hand).
Versatility is its second name because the possibilities for switching this recipe up are endless.
The ingredients are inexpensive, and you can easily feed a crowd with it.

Groceries Needed

Hash browns (thawed): You can buy frozen ones that are convenient but must be thawed. I used these freeze-dried ones that when you add hot water, they’re PERFECT shoestring potatoes!!
Heavy whipping cream
Cheddar (old or sharp): See below for cheese variations if you don’t like old cheddar.
Green Onions (optional)

Pantry Ingredients:

Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

For the exact amounts along with the easy directions for this cheesy potato bake, look below for the printable recipe card.

EAZYTIP: Remember, ingredients like salt, pepper, garlic powder, sugar, and oil don’t count towards the ingredient list because most people have these items in the pantry.

The hashbrown bake just out of the oven with green onions sprinkled over top.

How to Make this Potato and Cheese Casserole

“Simple as cereal”, as they say!

Basically, you layer the hash browns in the dish with the cheese and green onions if you’re using them.

Then, pour the seasoned cream over the top and sprinkle more yummy cheese, and get it in the oven!

Do you thaw hash browns for this casserole?

Yes. You can start by using frozen hash browns, but when you decide to assemble the casserole, make sure the hash browns are thawed. Cooking them from a frozen state could cause uneven cooking throughout the casserole, plus the dish could become too watery or mushy.

Do I have to use an ‘old’ or ‘sharp’ cheddar?

No. If you prefer a milder cheddar, feel free to use that instead. Or, if cheddar isn’t your game at all, you can switch up the cheeses easily. Look below for how to ‘level up’ this cheesy hashbrown bake.

Ideas to Level Up this 3 Ingredient Cheesy Hash Brown Dish

This is what’s so incredibly great about this potato bake. The base ingredients stay the same, but you can easily add different ingredients to put a twist on it!

Cheeses: Add different cheese combinations (or a different cheese entirely!) to give the casserole a different flavor. Cheese combinations like shredded tex mex, or smoked gouda and mozzarella, or a single cheese like Pepper Jack would be super delicious.
Veggies: Adding half a cup of onions, sweet peppers, or corn will not only increase the volume but would also give some added nutrition and additional flavor.
Protein: Throw in some diced ham, crumbled bacon, or even seasoned (taco) beef would be fantastic!

An overhead angle of the potato casserole with a fork on the left on the plate.

What Sides would go with this Hashbrown Bake?

The sky’s the limit, my friend! I’ve served it with bacon, eggs, and toast for breakfast. If you’re making this casserole for a brunch, then go ahead and serve some crisp green beans or steamed broccoli with it.

And if you’re serving this AS a side dish for dinner, the main protein can be anything you love: juicy chicken or grilled steak!

A large spoon serving out a portion of the potato casserole.

Handling Leftovers

If you have any leftovers, they’re really easy to deal with. Any portions that are left, store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. When reheating, you can place a runny yolked egg over the portion to make the leftovers exciting and new!

If you wanted to freeze this cheesy hashbrown bake, I find it’s easiest to freeze it in portion sizes for a quick and filling breakfast on a busy weekday morning. It will stay great in the freezer for up to two months as long as it’s in a freezer-friendly container.

If you’ve already tried this 3 Ingredient Cheesy Hash Brown Bake, I’d love to hear what you thought of it in the comments below! Until then, thank you so much for stopping Eazy Grub, and I hope you have a great day!

-Joanne

Yield: 6 servings

3 Ingredient HashBrown Bake

This three-ingredient hash brown casserole dish is comfort food at it's best. Shredded hashbrowns with gooey melted cheese and the richness that cream provides all the flavors and textures you're looking for in a basic, but ohhhh so delicious casserole dish.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups Hashbrowns, thawed
2 cups Heavy whipping cream
3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded (see notes)
Salt, pepper, garlic salt
1/3 cup Green onions (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350
In an 11 x 7 pan sprayed pan, add half the hashbrowns. Press in slightly.
Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the top of the hashbrowns, and the green onions (if using) leaving some for garnish at the end if you'd like.
Spread the remaining hashbrowns over the top.
Season the cream with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the cream all over the hashbrown mixture.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil after 30 minutes and bake an additional 5 - 10 minutes for the cheese to get golden, or alternatively, broil for a couple of minutes.
Garnish with remaining optional green onions.

Notes

I like to dice and freeze green onions. I find they go bad quicker than I can use them, so freezing them always ensures I have some on hand. You can also use fresh regular onion or shallot if you prefer, but I would fry these for a few minutes to get them tender, and to take the bite off the onion flavor.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1 cup
Amount Per Serving Calories 1118Total Fat 86gSaturated Fat 35gTrans Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 45gCholesterol 146mgSodium 1838mgCarbohydrates 70gFiber 6gSugar 4gProtein 21g

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands used, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.