Recipe Background
This hash brown breakfast casserole is perfect for moving-day mornings, blending creamy cheese and crisp bacon for warmth and ease.
One crisp autumn morning a few years ago, I found myself surrounded by a whirlwind of boxes and mismatched furniture pieces. It was moving day into our cozy new place, and the excitement was palpable. My partner and I wanted a hearty, simple breakfast that wouldn’t take up precious unpacking time. I opened the fridge to find butter, eggs, and a half-full container of sour cream nestled in the door. A bag of cremini mushrooms sat forlornly in the crisper, next to a trusty pack of sharp cheddar cheese. Inspiration struck, and thus began the tradition of our moving-day casserole.
We fired up the stovetop, tossing diced onions into a skillet with a good swirl of melted butter. The earthy smell of mushrooms quickly filled the air. I love the umami depth these add, and they're perfect with a hint of thyme and some fresh garlic. One pro tip we discovered: slowly whisking the flour into the mix helps form a smooth, creamy base without any lumps. A touch of Dijon mustard later, and our makeshift sauce was ready to meet the shreddy goodness of hash browns.
The final flourish was folding in the cheese until it turned indulgently gooey. A quick stint under the broiler and our casserole emerged golden and bubbling, topped with some crispy bacon and fresh chives for brightness. Each bite reminded us of homely comforts and new beginnings—a dish that tastes like settling in, one cozy forkful at a time.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup yellow onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup cremini mushrooms finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- fine sea salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 (20-ounce) packages refrigerated hash browns shredded
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 7 slices bacon cooked and chopped, for garnish
- fresh chives to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Coat a large slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the onions and the mushrooms to the melted butter and sauté, stirring frequently, until they are tender, about 5-7 minutes. If needed, reduce the heat to prevent burning.
- Add the minced garlic, the garlic powder, the onion powder, chicken bouillon powder, the parsley, the thyme, the salt, and the black pepper to the onion-mushroom mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook, while whisking, until a thick dough forms and the raw flour taste is gone, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add the milk to the sauce, while whisking, and cook until it has thickened.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Gradually add the chicken broth to the sauce, while whisking, and cook until it has thickened.
- Add the Dijon mustard to the sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until it is heated through, about 30 seconds-1 minute.
- Transfer the skillet from the heat. Add the sour cream to the sauce and stir to combine.
- Pour the sauce into the prepared slow cooker.
- Add the hash browns and the sharp cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir to combine.
- Spread the hash brown casserole into an even layer and wipe the sides of the slow cooker clean to prevent burning.
- Place a few sheets of paper towels between the lid and the slow cooker, then cover and cook the hash brown casserole on high heat, about 2-3 hours. Be sure the paper towels are not touching the hash brown casserole.
- About 15 minutes before the hash brown casserole is finished cooking, turn the oven on the broil setting.
- Taste the hash brown casserole and season with the salt and the black pepper, as needed. Stir to combine.
- Carefully lift the ceramic pot out of the slow cooker and place it in the oven to broil until the top and the edges of the hash brown casserole are crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve the hash brown casserole garnished with the bacon and the chives.
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