This Smoked Sausage Hash Brown Casserole is a hearty, cheesy dinner made with refrigerated hash browns, smoked sausage, sour cream, onion, and cheddar cheese. Browning the sausage and onion first adds extra flavor, then everything bakes together into an easy comfort-food casserole the whole family will love.
Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot
- Method: The sausage and onion are cooked on the stovetop, then mixed with the remaining ingredients and baked until hot and bubbly.
- Key Ingredients: Refrigerated hash browns, smoked sausage, and plenty of cheese.
- Ease: Easy to assemble with just a few minutes of stovetop cooking before it goes into the oven.
- Top Tip: Brown the sausage along with the onion to maximize flavor.
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From Caroline: “Made this tonight. Everyone loved it! So good! Will definitely make it again. Thanks!”
This cheesy hash brown and sausage casserole was inspired by my Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole. The original is a classic meatless side dish, but adding smoky sausage turns it into a hearty main dish that works especially well for dinner.
We serve it with a vegetable like green beans or carrots for a complete meal the whole family loves.
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
- Hash Browns: We use Simply Potatoes, found in the refrigerated section—sometimes near the eggs.
- Rope Sausage: Fully cooked and available in beef or pork. Other options include kielbasa (milder with a hint of garlic), andouille (spicier with a bold, smoky flavor), or turkey sausage as a lighter alternative.
- Sour Cream: Helps bind everything together while adding a tangy flavor.
- Cheese: Sharp or mild cheddar both work well. Freshly grated cheese melts most smoothly, but pre-shredded cheese makes the recipe faster and easier.
- Onion: Adds great flavor—skip it if you prefer.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the hash brown mixture.
How to Make Smoked Sausage Hash Brown Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cut the sausage and chop the onion into small pieces. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, spray with cooking spray, add the sausage and onion and cook until the onion is translucent and the sausage begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of the cheese and all of the other ingredients to a large bowl and gently toss to combine. Pour into prepared casserole dish, then sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until heated through and just starting to brown. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Brown the sausage and onion before assembling the casserole. This softens the onion and gives the sausage more flavor.
- Gently toss the ingredients together in the bowl so the hash browns don’t break into small pieces.
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through. Larger portions can be covered and reheated in a 350°F oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Let frozen hash browns thaw first, then measure the same amount called for in the recipe. Thawing helps them mix evenly with the other ingredients and prevents excess moisture.
The smoked sausage and hash browns may contain fillers or additives that have gluten. To make this casserole gluten-free, be sure to choose certified gluten-free versions of these ingredients.
Yes. Assemble the casserole, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. It may need a few additional minutes in the oven when baked directly from the refrigerator.
No. This smoked sausage hash brown casserole is made without eggs, so it has a creamy, cheesy texture rather than the texture of a breakfast egg casserole.
Try These Casserole Recipes Next!
- Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole – A one-pan meal that is topped with melted cheese and smoky bacon!
- Chile Rellenos Casserole – Technically a breakfast casserole, but great for any meal.
- Bisquick Sausage Breakfast Casserole – Crowd-pleasing casserole features pork sausage, hash browns, eggs, milk and cheese.
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Smoked Sausage Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 package rope sausage 13 ounces
- ½ cup onion
- 1 package refrigerated hash browns 20 ounces
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese divided
- nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″ X 13″ casserole dish with cooking spray.nonstick cooking spray
- Cut sausage and chop onion into small pieces.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, spray with cooking spray, add the sausage and onion and cook until the onion is translucent and the sausage begins to brown, about 5 minutes. This step can be skipped if you cut the onion small enough it cooks in the time it takes the casserole to cook.1 package rope sausage , ½ cup onion
- In a large bowl, gently toss together 1 cup cheese, hash browns, sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, sausage and onion. Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with remaining ½ cup cheese. Bake for 45 minutes or until heated through and just starting to brown.1 package refrigerated hash browns, 1 cup sour cream, ¼ cup melted butter, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
- Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
We loved this! I made it as recipe directs, except I used Vidalia onions and added extra, because both my husband and I are fans of them.
Sounds delicious with the Vidialia onions! Thank you for commenting and reviewing!
In the description, you mention “crispy hash browns” as one of the ingredients, but it seems the hash browns aren’t browned first. They are put in raw. Are they supposed to crisp up when mixed into the ingredients and cooked in the casserole? They didn’t when I made the recipe. I also might try to season the hash browns first, The recipe was tasty,
Good catch! The hash browns do go in raw, so I’ve updated the wording to remove “crispy.” The top gets a little crisp from baking, but the inside stays soft. Thanks for the feedback — and I’m happy you liked it!
Followed exactly! Great dish! Thank you for sharing!!
You’re welcome, thanks for commenting and reviewing!
Made this tonight. Everyone loved it! So good! Will definitely make it again. Thanks!
Made this tonight. Everyone loved it! So good! Thanks!
Can you add some beaten eggs to this dish also?
I haven’t tried it yet but I bet that you could. Sounds delish!
I say triple this Cheesy Sausage Hash Brown Casserole up and make several of these at once.
Ooh! Hashbrown, sausage, cheese & sour cream… BOOM! All freakin’ delish by themselves but all together? Whaaat, whaaaat? Sounds sooo good. Best part though… One dish.
Yes, quick and easy, too! Thanks
Now this is really comforting and delicious!
Thanks, Angie!
This looks like a weekend breakfast recipe my boys would love! We are huge hash brown fans. 🙂
I bet the boys would really like it. Thanks!
Does this need to be covered while in the oven?
I do not cover it so it gets brown and a little crispy on the top.