Gluten Free Hash Brown Casserole
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The Story Behind Our Easy Gluten Free Hash Brown Casserole
My mother-in-law passed away a few years ago, but she and I shared a love of cooking and cookbooks. She told me a few weeks before she went to be with the Lord that she was really excited about the cookbook I was writing at the time and hoped to be able to see it. Sadly, she did not. However, before she died, she gave me something I will always treasure–all of her recipes in one hand-typed cookbook.
One of those treasured recipes is her Hash Brown Casserole. My husband and I always looked forward to Easter and Thanksgiving meals at his parents’ house, which had to include that decadent side dish from the 50s era. Man, is it good!
How to Make Gluten Free Hash Brown Casserole
Before we dive into the details, take a look at this short video on how to make our easy, gluten free Hash Brown Casserole!
I decided to bring the spirit of my MIL’s recipe into the
By making this hash brown casserole from scratch, I was able to leave out the canned cream of chicken soup, which contains icky additives and ingredients I can’t pronounce. I also made the casserole gluten-free for those guests avoiding gluten (hi, that’s me). Let me assure you, this homemade Hash Brown Casserole still screams “creamy, cheesy comfort food”.
Here’s the rundown of how this hash brown casserole recipe comes together:
- Saute onions and garlic in a little butter to build flavor.
- Stir in a mixture of chicken broth, half and half (or milk), cornstarch, and seasonings to create a thick sauce. Then, stir in a little more butter…because why not?!
- Combine the hash browns, bacon bits, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and the cream of chicken sauce. Place in a casserole dish.
- Sprinkle a little more cheese on top…because why not?!…and bake until golden and bubbly.
A Perfect Make-Ahead Side Dish
Since this hash brown casserole is often made for a holiday meal or group of people, it can be helpful to assemble it ahead of time. Thankfully, this dish lends itself to prepping ahead without compromising the taste or texture at all! Simply follow the recipe instructions below but do not bake it. Once your hash brown casserole is assembled, you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, until you’re ready to stick it in the oven.
What to Serve with Hash Brown Casserole
Looking for some ideas for what to serve with a hash brown casserole? Here are some pairing suggestions:
- Serve it alongside a big, flavorful salad like our Strawberry Fields Salad or Autumn Chopped Salad. The fresh greens and light dressing pair perfectly with a creamy, cheesy potato dish.
- If it’s a holiday meal, our hash brown casserole goes perfectly with a baked ham.
- Lastly, some dinner rolls finish off the menu for a super simple holiday meal or special occasion.
Your family and friends will enjoy this decadent holiday side dish. They’ll never know you made it days in advance and only spent minutes prepping it. Happy Easy Hash Brown Casserole making!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Gluten Free Hash Brown Casserole
This creamy, comforting Hash Brown Casserole is made from scratch, requires no canned cream soup, and is gluten-free. Perfect side for a holiday table!
Ingredients
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley, crushed in hand
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (use an addition 1/2 teaspoon, if not using bacon)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (30 ounce) bag of shredded hash browns, thawed
- 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream (recommended: full-fat Daisy brand)
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby Jack cheese (or your favorite shredded cheese)
- 1 pound bacon (try baking your bacon for easy clean up)
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 9×13 casserole dish with butter or cooking spray.
- In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth, half and half, cornstarch, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the onions and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic at the end for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Whisk in the creamy cornstarch mixture to the onions. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thick and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, and let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the thawed hash browns, sour cream, cheese, bacon, and the cooled cream sauce. Place in the casserole dish, smoothing it out evenly. (Note: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until edges are bubbly and top is golden.
Hello! Would it work if I cook this ahead and reheat the next day? I’m trying to save room in my oven.
I think it would. I would cover with foil and warm in the oven (maybe at 350°?) just until warmed through. Or microwaving it might even work well, if the dish is microwave safe and fits in there.
My family won’t let me come to Thanksgiving if I don’t bring this dish! 😂 Kidding, but it’s almost true! It was a huge hit last year for the first time, and was immediately requested for this year. We leave out the bacon (I know, sacre bleu!) for holiday dinners, but it is a must-have as a side dish!
★★★★★
I love that! Thanks for sharing a review and feedback!
Can this be made ahead and frozen before cooking?
Yes it can. Be sure to thaw the hash browns and squeeze moisture out of them, if you can. That will help the casserole to be less liquidy.
I will definitely plan to make this. I had a question, though, about the creamy chicken mixture. Can you substitute this for when a recipe calls for cream of chicken soup? I usually have all those ingredients on hand and if it’s healthier than using the soup, it seems like a win/win.
It is a good substitute for the canned version, although it will be thinner than a condensed soup. We also have a Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe in our first cookbook, From Freezer to Table, that you could use. You can find our book at http://www.FromFreezerToTable.com or anywhere books are sold online.
Growing up, my mom made a similar hash brown casserole that was my holiday FAVORITE. This recipe caught my eye because it reminded me of that nostalgic recipe, and I could eat it with my gluten allergy. It did not disappoint! I skipped the bacon, because we were having with ham, but I’m sure it would be delicious with it as well. I cut the recipe in half since we had so many sides, and there was still plenty for my extended family of 6 adults and 2 kids.
★★★★★
Thanks for letting us know how it turned out for you, Theresa! Yes, it definitely makes a lot. 🙂
Made this again using an 8oz bag of swiss gruyere cheese. We were snowed in and I didn’t have any bacon or onion. Left out any butter other than greasing casserole dish. Again, no pre-thickening. It was fantastic! So thankful for this recipe. My daughter has been very negative about going gluten free and she loves hashbrown casserole. Recipes like this really help!
★★★★★
We enjoyed this recipe. I did not pre-thicken the broth mixture on the stovetop and it thickened up nicely as it baked. I did find it a bit too cheesy for my tastes and will probably halve the cheese next time. I used sharp cheddar and it also came out too oily, so I will also leave out the extra butter. I only had 3 pieces bacon, so I sauteed it with the veg, but the cheese covered up the other flavors. I will definitely try again with modifications, and now I have a liquid to corn starch ratio to use in other casseroles as well.
★★★★★
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions!
Can I use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth?
Absolutely!
Thank you! Also wondering if I could sub plain Greek yogurt for sour cream?
Hi, this looks so good – but is it possible to make the hash browns from scratch? I don’t live in the US and ready made hash browns is not available…..thanks for any suggestions!
Hi Emily! Yes, you can make them from scratch but it’s a lot of work. There are many tutorials online for it, though. Good luck!
Emily. I use the frozen cooked potato cubes (home fries). Try cutting potatoes into cubes and cooking and freezing them.
Can this be cooked and then frozen for later?
Love your site and your cookbook as well!
Hi Maegan. I’ve never tried fully cooking and freezing the whole casserole, so I’m not sure how it would do. Sorry! Thanks for leaving a comment. I’m so glad you like our book.