Hash Brown Casserole

Potatoes are the superior food. They can be fried, they can be baked, they can be mashed. They are ~everything~. So yes, I baked them in a casserole dish filled with all kinds of cheesy gooeyness and then topped with crunchy potato chips because these are also inception potatoes. Potatoes on potatoes. Put them into a baked potato if you’re feeling crazy. You can use ANY KIND OF POTATO chip for the topping. This time, I went with jalapeno but you can use BBQ, salt and pepper, sour cream and onion, whatever you want! Don’t be a square and use plain potato chips.

Note: This makes enough for a small casserole dish, and feeds about 6-8. If you need more, just double everything, use a bigger dish, and adjust the cooking time as necessary.

what you need:

• 1- 1 lb bag frozen hash browns, thawed
• 8 oz velveeta or another sharp cheddar cheese of your choosing, cut into cubes or shredded
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup condensed cream of mushroom soup

Topping:

• 1 cup crushed potato chips I used jalapeno
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

what you need to do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your casserole dish (I used 11×8) and set aside.
• Remove your thawed hash browns from the bag and place them into a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a large nonstick pan, melt your butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook about 5 – 7 minutes, until they are softened and fragrant.
• Add in your salt, pepper, and garlic powder and stir to combine. Cook additional 1 – 2 minutes.
• Pour in the cream of mushroom soup and stir well to incorporate the soup into the onions. Lower the heat to low, and add in the cheese and mix well to combine, mixing frequently as the cheese begins to melt into the soup mix, creating a thick sauce.
• Continue to cook on the stove top until the cheese has completely melted, about 5 – 6 minutes. Pour this mixture directly onto the thawed hash browns and mix well. Add in the sour cream and mix until it is all completely mixed together. Scoop mixture into the casserole dish and smooth the top to make it even.
• In a small bowl, mix together your crushed potato chips and melted butter. You want to make sure that every piece of chip is coated in butter. If your chips are a bit dry, add in another tablespoon of melted butter. If they are not coated they will not get crispy!
• Sprinkle the potato chips over the top of the hash brown mixture in the casserole dish. Make sure to sprinkle over as evenly as possible.
• Place in the preheated oven and cook about 30 – 45 minutes. You will know they are done when the chips are golden brown and crispy.
• Serve warm!
• This can be made ahead and kept in the fridge. Do NOT add the potato chips until you are ready to bake it, or they will get soggy.