There’s always one dish on the Christmas table that I go back for before I’ve even finished my plate, and this hashbrown casserole is that dish. The shredded potatoes are folded into a rich sauce with cream cheese, sharp white cheddar, and Gruyère, then covered with buttery panko and Parmesan. Once the casserole comes out from under the broiler, the top is golden and crisp and the edges are bubbling. I like to scoop from a corner first because that’s where you get those browned edges and a little extra crunch.
What I love about this casserole is that you can taste all three cheeses. The sharp white cheddar gives the filling a good bite, the Gruyère melts into the sauce and brings a little nuttiness, and the Parmesan makes the topping extra savory. Sautéing the yellow onion first gives it time to soften and sweeten, while the sliced green onions add a fresh bite throughout the casserole. With four cloves of garlic and a little Morton’s seasoned salt, the potatoes have plenty of flavor all the way through.
Use whichever shredded hash browns you have on hand and add them straight to the mixing bowl. Break up any big clumps before adding the cheese mixture so it’s easier to coat all the potatoes. Start with half a cup of heavy cream in the sauce, then add a splash more if you need it. You want the mixture loose enough to fold through the potatoes with a sturdy spoon.
This would be right at home next to a glazed ham at Christmas dinner. I’d add green beans or roasted carrots to the plate and call it good. It also works for a big Christmas morning breakfast with scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit. A 9 × 13 inch dish gives you plenty to pass around and enough room to spread that buttery topping all the way to the edges.
Ingredients
For the casserole
2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
½ to ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon Morton’s seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces sharp white cheddar, shredded
8 ounces Gruyère, shredded
3 to 4 green onions, sliced
40 ounces shredded hash browns
For the topping
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a broiler-safe 9 × 13 inch baking dish. Add the hash browns to a large mixing bowl and break up any big clumps.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the minced garlic.
Add the softened cream cheese, both cans of cream of chicken soup, and ½ cup of heavy whipping cream. Stir until the cream cheese is evenly mixed in. Add the Morton’s seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir in the white cheddar, Gruyère, and green onions. If the mixture is too thick to stir easily, add a little more cream, up to ⅔ cup total.
Pour the cheese mixture over the hash browns. Fold everything together, scooping from the bottom of the bowl until all the potatoes are coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly into the corners.
Stir the melted butter, panko, and Parmesan together in a small bowl. Use ½ cup of Parmesan for a lighter topping or the full cup if you want it extra cheesy. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the potatoes, all the way to the edges.
Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, until the casserole is hot in the center and bubbling around the edges. If the center needs more time, keep baking until it’s hot before switching to broil. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely, until the topping is golden brown. Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving so the filling has time to settle.
