Vegan Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
This vegan hash brown casserole dish is an easy recipe and great for a weekend breakfast or brunch. It’s also great served as a side for a holiday breakfast or dinner. Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, plant-based, and meatless, this glorious casserole may just be the perfect recipe. Our Cracker Barrel copycat recipe is easily made with our vegan condensed soup substitute. Shredded potatoes baked in a creamy cheesy sauce with crispy edges and a tender middle – what’s not to love?
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A few years ago, a reader commented saying they used our condensed cream of chicken to veganize a hashbrown casserole. Apparently, this is a popular side dish around the holidays (especially for holiday brunch!) and at Cracker Barrel restaurants. I had no idea! But after I looked it up, I knew I had to have it!
This recipe takes its inspiration from this recipe from Campbell’s and this copycat version of the famous Cracker Barrel casserole. The result is going to knock you off your feet with glee!
A creamy, cheesy tender potato middle with crispy outsides that *cruch* as your teeth sink into it. It’s revolutionary, I’m drooling just typing about it, and I’m so excited to share it with you!
Why We Love This Vegan Breakfast Casserole
- It’s a great copycat recipe of traditional versions made famous by Campbell’s Cream of…Soups and Cracker Barrel. Seriously, serve this to anyone who loves those classic casseroles, and watch their eyes light up with surprise!
- The hashbrown casserole recipe (also called funeral potatoes) is easy to make and a wonderful make ahead option. This makes it the perfect casserole for a holiday or big family breakfast!
- It’s true comfort food without animal products. I dare anyone to eat this and say vegan food is lacking in any way!
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What is Hashbrown Casserole made of?
The original hash brown casseroles are usually composed of shredded potatoes, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and a can of one of Campbell’s Condensed Cream of…Soups.
To make our hash brown casserole vegan, we are going to use:
- Frozen shredded hash browns – No need to defrost!
- Shredded vegan cheddar – We’ve used both Daiya and Violife in this recipe. Both work great! Violife’s Colby Jack would also be nice!
- Vegan sour cream – We used 1 (12-oz) container of Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream. Other vegan sour cream brands include Daiya, Follow Your Heart, Kite Hill, and Forager Project.
- Unsweetened plain non-dairy milk – Make sure you’re using a non-dairy milk that is both unsweetened and plain. A neutral-flavored milk is crucial for this hash brown casserole recipe! We like the No Sugar Oat Milk from Chobani, Califia’s unsweetened almond milk, or the unsweetened cashew milk from Elmhurst.
- Vegan Condensed Cream of Potato Soup – You’ll want to make this at least a few hours (or up to 2 days) ahead of time to give it time to thicken properly. If you can’t wait for the vegan condensed soup to thicken, you can use the soup out of the blender (about 2 cups for this recipe – not the whole thing) and omit the 1/2 cup non-dairy milk.
- Diced onion – Yellow onion and white onion both work
- Mellow white miso paste – This adds a fermented flavor to replace the parmesan cheese used in many hash brown casserole recipes. We highly recommend the mellow white miso paste from Miso Master.
- Salt and pepper
Note: See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts!
Notes on Vegan Hash Browns
There can be a bit of confusion when it comes to vegans and hash browns. Here are some answers to the most common questions we hear:
Why are hash browns not vegan? We tend to think of hash browns as nothing more than shredded potatoes. Truth is, many hash browns contain some form of dairy in them. Usually whey, casein(ate), or milk powder.
Are frozen hash browns vegan? Again, many (but not all) hash browns contain some form of dairy in them. Usually whey, casein(ate), or milk powder. Be sure to double-check ingredients before purchasing.
Do hash browns need to be thawed for a casserole? Some recipes do call for you to thaw your hash browns before assembling the casserole. This recipe isn’t one of them.
Substitution Options
If you don’t have or can’t tolerate one of the above ingredients, here are our best substitution tips. Remember: Substituting any of the ingredients may lead to a difference in the final product that is not always a positive one. Let us know in the comments if you try any subs and how they work out for you!
For the frozen shredded hash browns: You could use freshly shredded potato to make your own hash browns. Squeeze the extra liquid out so there isn’t too much excess water. Doing this with a mandoline can help reduce the water. You can also use shredded sweet potatoes, although the texture and cook times could potentially be different for both of these.
For the vegan shredded cheese: You can use a freshly shredded vegan cheese block (Daiya and Violife both make these) or cut up slices of vegan cheese.
For the vegan sour cream: Homemade vegan sour cream recipes abound on the internet if you can’t find any in stores. Most are either cashew or silken tofu based. You can also use 1/2 vegan cream cheese + 1/2 unsweetened plain non-dairy milk.
For the non-dairy milk: You can sub water for the non-dairy milk if needed.
For the vegan cream of potato: You can use any of our condensed soup substitutes for this recipe – especially our vegan condensed cheddar soup, vegan cream of chicken, or cream of mushroom soup. I can’t vouch for other cream of potato soup brands, but if you’re using something that’s not condensed, make sure you omit the non-dairy milk so there’s not too much liquid.
For the onion: Shallots will work. So will red onions (although, they may mess with the color a bit).
For the miso paste: Feel free to skip this or sub up to 1/4 cup more vegan cheese or vegan shredded parmesan (from brands like Follow Your Heart or Violife). Dijon mustard can also be used as a 1:1 sub!
How to Make Vegan Hash Brown Casserole
It’s so easy to make this vegan hash brown casserole recipe! The simple steps are just dump and bake!
Step 1: Prep for the recipe.
First, heat the oven to 400°F. Preheating your oven is an important step in any good casserole recipe, so take that part seriously! While the oven is heating, spray a 3-quart baking dish (usually a 13x9x2-inch) with vegetable oil spray to avoid sticking.
Step 2: Assemble the casserole.
Start by breaking up any clumps in your shredded potatoes by squeezing the unopened bag or carefully banging it against the counter. Then, add them to a large mixing bowl with half of the vegan shredded cheese and the rest of the ingredients.
Stir with a big wooden spoon until totally combined. It’s important you use a large sturdy utensil to mix everything together because the mixture is thick. If you’re short like me, standing on a stool while you mix it can give you a better leverage to stir everything. (Am I the only one who does this?!)
Tip: Also, don’t try to mix everything in the baking dish. I had wanted to make this a one-dish recipe, but I didn’t get too far before I realized this is a job for that extra large bowl I keep in the back of the cabinet. I would not recommend using a food processor for this.
Step 3: Bake the casserole (covered).
Next, spread the potato mixture in the baking dish, using the back of the wooden spoon to smooth out the top. Cover the dish tightly with either tin foil or an oven-safe cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Bake the casserole (uncovered).
Finally, remove the baking dish and its cover and sprinkle with the remaining vegan cheddar. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the top is lightly browned.
Individual Serving Option
You can totally make this hashbrown casserole in small ramekins for individual servings! The cooking time is the same, just mix up the ingredients and pack them into greased ramekins or custard dishes sprayed with a little cooking spray. Perfect for individual serving sizes.
Make Ahead Option
You can also make this casserole up to 24 hours before serving! To do this, assemble it as directed but do not bake (reserve the remaining vegan cheddar for topping). Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
To bake: Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the second half of the vegan cheese and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes more or until hot.
Why is my hash brown casserole soggy?
If your hashbrown casserole comes out soggy, I would omit the non-dairy milk next time and maybe cook it a little longer in the oven. Also, make sure you’re letting the casserole sit uncovered for at least 5-15 minutes before digging in. This will give it time to set and absorb more liquid.
How to Serve Vegetarian Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
I like to let the hash brown casserole cool for anywhere between 5-15 minutes before serving to give it a little more time to set. Serve this casserole as a side for a holiday dinner or family brunch alongside a big tofu scramble and vegan ham!
Serve with: vegan eggs like Just Egg or tofu scramble, vegan sausage or bacon, sliced seitan ham.
You can also add vegan sausage or leftover seitan ham right to the casserole itself as optional add-ins to make this more of a complete breakfast meal! Red bell pepper and green onions can also be a great addition to shake things up!
How to Store Dairy Free Hash Brown Casserole
This makes 6 bountiful servings or 8 modest servings. And just like any good casserole, leftovers store great!
In the Fridge: Store this casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave. If you are using the oven, preheat it to 350F and reheat, covered, in an oven-safe dish for about 10 minutes until warmed through. You can uncover for a bit at the end to brown potatoes further. If microwaving, reheat at about 70-80% power (med high) for 2 minutes until warmed through. In either case, add about a teaspoon of nondairy milk per slice to help keep it moist.
In the freezer: You can freeze this casserole in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 weeks. Make sure you let the casserole cool completely before moving it to the freezer. We like to freeze leftover casserole in 1/2 or 1-cup Souper Cubes for easy grab-and-go single portions.
To reheat from the freezer: Defrost in the microwave on a medium to medium low power setting. About 50-60% power for 3-4 minutes until mostly thawed through. Then you can reheat at 70-80% power for 2-3 minutes until warm. If using the oven, preheat to 350F and reheat the casserole covered in an oven-safe dish for about 30-40 minutes until warmed through.
More Vegan Casserole Recipes
- Vegan Pot Pie Casserole
- Vegan Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Creamy Vegan Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Jackfruit Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Creamy Dijon Squash Casserole
I hope you’ll try this vegan hashbrown casserole recipe and your family will enjoy it as much as ours has. This is some serious plant-based magic here!
When you make it, I would so appreciate it if you could leave a star rating and review below. It helps more people find our vegan recipes and supports our efforts to bring you more of them!
Happy cooking!
Vegan Copycat Hashbrown Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 30-oz bag frozen shredded hash browns
- 1 cup shredded vegan cheddar packed
- 1.5 cups vegan sour cream
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk
- 2 8-oz jars Vegan Condensed Cream of Potato Soup
- 1/2 heaping cup diced onion
- 2-3 Tbsp mellow white miso paste
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Prep for the recipe: Heat the oven to 400°F. While the oven is heating, spray a 3-quart baking dish (usually a 13x9x2-inch) with vegetable oil spray.
- Assemble the casserole: Break up any clumps in your shredded potatoes by squeezing the unopened bag or carefully banging it against the counter. Then, add them to a large mixing bowl with half of the vegan shredded cheese and the rest of the ingredients. Stir with a big wooden spoon until totally combined.
- Bake the casserole (covered): Spread the potato mixture in the baking dish, using the back of the wooden spoon to smooth out the top. Cover the dish tightly and bake for 30 minutes.
- Bake the casserole (uncovered): Then, remove the baking dish along with the cover and sprinkle with the remaining vegan cheddar. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the top is lightly browned.
- To serve: I like to let the hash brown casserole cool for anywhere between 5-15 minutes before serving to give it a little more time to set. Serve this casserole as a side for a holiday dinner or family brunch alongside a big tofu scramble and vegan ham!
- To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 weeks. We like to freeze our leftovers in our 1 or 2-cup Souper cubes for easy portioning!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Watch our Vegan Funeral Potatoes Recipe web story!
