This cheesy Hash Brown Casserole with Corn Flakes has all the good stuff: tender hash browns, a creamy sauce, lots of cheese, breakfast sausage, and corn flakes on top for crunch!
Now this is an all-in-one breakfast! This easy Hash Brown Casserole with Corn Flakes is loaded with breakfast favorites, all baked into one casserole.
It’s also known as Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole or Funeral Potatoes, because it’s a popular dish at funerals in the South.
Personally, I love serving it for a make-ahead brunch (alongside my Overnight French Toast Casserole)—just prepare the night before and bake it in the morning.
It’s a real crowd pleaser, because it has something for everyone! Hash browns, cheese, tender sautéed bell peppers and onions, and a creamy sauce made with sour cream and cream of mushroom soup are all loaded into this casserole, and it’s topped with buttery corn flakes.
It’s an explosion of breakfast flavors and textures, in the best possible way. And it’s seriously CHEESY!
Along with Cherry Coffee Cake and some Praline Candied Bacon, it’ll be the star of your next brunch.
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Top tips
- Make this the night before to save time in the morning. More on that in the “Make it ahead” section below!
- Use a BIG bowl to mix everything up—the largest bowl in your kitchen—trust me!
- Change up the ingredients as you like: use your favorite shredded cheese in place of cheddar, try chicken or ground beef in place of the breakfast sausage, etc.
- This is best served soon after baking so the corn flakes stay crunchy.
Ingredients
- Hash browns make up the base of this casserole—you’ll use a whole 2-lb bag.
- I used Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage (use any kind that you like).
- We’ll sauté bell peppers and onion for lots of flavor.
- The “sauce” is made up of sour cream and cream of chicken soup (you can use any “cream of…” soup you like).
- You’ll need a full 2 cups of shredded cheddar.
- We’ll toss corn flakes with butter to create the crunchy topping.
How to make hash brown casserole with corn flakes
Start by sautéing breakfast sausage until browned and cooked through. Crumble it as it cooks.
Remove the sausage but keep any drippings in the pan. Use the drippings to sauté the bell peppers and onion.
I used half of a red pepper and half of a green pepper. You can use any color bell pepper that you like.
While the veggies cook, whisk together the sour cream and the cream of chicken soup in a very large bowl (use the largest bowl in your kitchen!).
Add the defrosted hash browns, cooked sausage, sautéed veggies, salt, and cheese. Mix thoroughly to combine.
Place the mixture into a greased 13×9 inch pan.
Toss the corn flakes with the melted butter.
Top the casserole with the corn flake mixture, and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the corn flakes are beginning to turn brown on top.
Let the hash brown casserole cool for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Can I make hash brown casserole in advance?
You can easily make hash brown casserole in advance. Assemble the casserole but leave off the corn flake topping, and do not bake it. Refrigerate the casserole, covered, for up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to bake it, let the casserole set at room temperature for 30 minutes, then top with the corn flake topping. Bake as directed.
Variations
- Use ground beef or cooked chicken (such as rotisserie chicken) in place of the breakfast sausage. You can also add ½ lb of cooked and crumbled bacon.
- Use whichever color bell pepper that you like.
- Swap the cheddar cheese for your favorite shredded cheese, such as swiss, colby jack, etc.
- Use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in place of the cream of chicken soup.
- Substitute Ritz crackers crumbs (1–2 cups) for the corn flakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftover hash brown casserole in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. Reheat it in the oven to keep the corn flakes crunchy!
Hash brown casserole is best frozen without the corn flakes on top. Assemble the casserole as directed, but do not add the corn flakes, and do not bake it. Cover with two layers of foil, then freeze for up to one month. Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then add the corn flake topping and bake as directed.
What to serve with hash brown casserole
Alongside any savory brunch dish should be a sweet one! Here are a few ideas:
- Overnight French Toast Casserole (which you can also make ahead)
- Praline Candied Bacon
- Cherry Coffee Cake
- Zucchini Banana Bread
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Hash Brown Casserole with Corn Flakes
Ingredients
- 1 lb breakfast sausage (such as Jimmy Dean)
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 small red or green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom soup)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 lbs frozen hash browns, thawed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar
- 3 cups corn flakes
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook and crumble sausage in a large skillet. Remove the sausage but leave the drippings, then cook the onion and pepper in the skillet until soft, about 4–5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Add the sausage, onions, pepper, hash browns, salt, and shredded cheddar. Stir to combine.
- Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
- In a medium bowl, mix the corn flakes and melted butter together. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
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