Hashbrown kielbasa casserole is browned kielbasa coins, onion and bell pepper stirred into frozen hash browns and a creamy cheddar sauce, then baked in a 9×13 dish until hot, bubbly and golden. The hash browns go in frozen, so the only stovetop work is browning the sausage.
How to make hashbrown kielbasa casserole: brown sliced kielbasa in a skillet, add the onion and peppers until tender, stir in the frozen hash browns, sour cream, soup, cream cheese, 1 cup of cheddar, milk and seasoning, spread in a 9×13 dish, top with the rest of the cheese and bake at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- No thawing, no pre-cooking the potatoes: the hash browns go in straight from the freezer.
- One skillet and one dish.
- 10 minutes of prep, then the oven does the rest.
- Feeds 6 from a 9×13 pan.
Do You Cook the Hash Browns First?
No. Frozen hash browns are stirred straight into the sauce and go into the oven with everything else. The only part that cooks first is the kielbasa, browned in a skillet with the onion and peppers until they’re tender.
The bake does the rest: 40 to 50 minutes at 350°F, until the casserole is hot, bubbly and golden on top and the center reads 165°F on a food thermometer. Start checking at 40 minutes.
Three more ways to handle the potatoes:
- A 32-ounce bag of frozen diced hash browns folded into the sauce, the same no-thaw approach.
- A 32-ounce bag of hash browns, defrosted first.
- 30 ounces of shredded hash browns, refrigerated or frozen, baked 30 minutes covered and 10 uncovered, then broiled on low for 5 minutes to brown the cheese.
Ingredient Notes
Kielbasa. One package, sliced into coins. Smoked sausage or Polish sausage work the same way. Packages vary; slow cooker versions of this dish use 14 to 16 ounces or 18 ounces, so either size of package fits.
Hash browns. 28 ounces of frozen Southern-style O’Brien hash browns, which are diced potatoes with onions and peppers already mixed in. Keep them frozen until they go in.
The sauce. Sour cream, a can of cream of chicken soup, 4 ounces of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of milk make the creamy base. Cream of mushroom soup can stand in for cream of chicken.
Cheese. 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar: 1 cup goes into the mix and 1/2 cup goes on top.
Seasoning. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Taste the sauce before you add any salt.
Ingredients
- 1 package kielbasa, sliced into coins (smoked sausage or Polish sausage also work)
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/3 cup chopped colored bell peppers
- 28 ounces frozen Southern-style hash browns with onions and peppers (O’Brien), not thawed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup milk
- Tony Chachere’s seasoning, salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Hashbrown Kielbasa Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Brown the kielbasa. Slice the kielbasa into coins and brown them in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Cook the onions and peppers. When the kielbasa is lightly browned, add the onion and peppers and cook until tender.
4. Mix the casserole. Add the frozen hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar, the milk and the seasonings. Stir until combined and pour into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
5. Add the cheese. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of cheddar over the top.
6. Bake. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes, until hot, bubbly and golden brown and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
Variations
- Cheese: pepper jack, Monterey jack, sharp cheddar, or a Monterey jack and cheddar mix.
- Soup: cream of mushroom in place of cream of chicken.
- Seasoning: smoked paprika, garlic powder or onion powder in place of the Creole blend.
- Sauce: one version skips the soup and uses mayonnaise, sour cream, smoked paprika, garlic powder, green onions and pepper jack.
- Garnish: chopped parsley or sliced green onions.
Can You Make It in a Slow Cooker?
Yes. Slow cooker versions cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker; another cooks on high for 3 hours. Keep the lid on while it cooks, and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes before serving. Use the slow cooker only to cook it; reheat leftovers on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. You can freeze it for 3 to 4 months, but USDA FSIS lists cream sauces among foods that don’t freeze well; the sauce can separate and look curdled after thawing. Thaw in the refrigerator, or reheat straight from frozen in the oven, which takes about one and a half times as long. Reheat covered until it reaches 165°F, and keep it at 140°F or warmer for serving.
What to Serve With It
For more potato and sausage dinners, try slow cooker Amish kielbasa potatoes, crock pot pierogi casserole with kielbasa or sausage and potato casserole with spring veggies. If you love hash browns, there’s hashbrown hamburger casserole, Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole and sausage hashbrown bites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you cook hash browns before putting them in a casserole?
Not for this one. The frozen hash browns go straight into the sauce and bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 350°F.
What is the recipe for cheesy potatoes and kielbasa?
Brown a package of sliced kielbasa with onion and peppers, stir in 28 ounces of frozen hash browns with the soup, sour cream, cream cheese, milk and a cup of cheddar, top with more cheddar and bake.
What are the ingredients for hash brown casserole?
For this one: frozen O’Brien hash browns, kielbasa, onion, bell pepper, a can of condensed soup, sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar, milk and Creole seasoning.
Can I use brats instead of kielbasa?
Stick with fully cooked smoked sausage, Polish sausage or kielbasa. Raw bratwurst is fresh pork that has to reach 160°F, and this recipe doesn’t give a cooking time for it.
Final Notes
A bag of frozen hash browns and a package of kielbasa make a full 9×13 dinner with no peeling and no pre-cooking the potatoes. Tell me in the comments which cheese you used.
Hashbrown Kielbasa Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 package kielbasa sliced into coins; smoked sausage or Polish sausage also work
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/3 cup colored bell peppers chopped
- 28 ounces frozen Southern style hash browns with onions and peppers (O'Brien) frozen, not thawed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup stirred in, 1/2 cup reserved for the top
- 1/2 cup milk
- Tony Chachere's seasoning, salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350F.
- Slice the kielbasa into coins and brown them in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the kielbasa is lightly browned, add the onion and peppers and cook until tender.
- Add the frozen hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar, the milk and the seasonings. Stir until combined and pour into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup cheddar over the top.
- Bake at 350F for 40 to 50 minutes, until hot, bubbly and golden brown and the center reaches 165F on a food thermometer.
Notes
Nutrition
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