Hash Brown Casserole

This is the casserole that shows up at every potluck, church breakfast and holiday brunch, and for good reason. Butter, sour cream, cheese and potatoes. It's not complicated, and nobody has ever complained about it.

Five minutes of work

The prep really is about five minutes. Dump the frozen hash browns into a colander so they can thaw a little while you melt the butter and chop the onion. They don't need to be fully defrosted, just loose enough to mix without breaking up into mush.

Then it's one big bowl: everything goes in except a handful of cheese. That reserved quarter goes over the top so you get a browned, bubbly crust instead of all the cheese disappearing into the middle.

Heads up

Start checking at 50 minutes. You're looking for golden brown on top and bubbling at the edges. Some ovens need the full hour.

The real reason to make it

Leftovers. The next morning, scoop some onto a hot griddle, press it flat and leave it alone until the bottom gets a deep brown crust, the same way you'd do Crispy Hash Browns. It's honestly better the second day.

Tip

It feeds about ten on its own, so it's a good anchor for a crowd. Put a pan of Pepper or Candy Bacon next to it and you've got brunch.