Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole Shepherd's Pie
A mashup of shepherd's pie and Cracker Barrel's famous hashbrown casserole: a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with a creamy cheesy hashbrown layer and a crunchy cornflake crust.
⏱️ Prep: 25 min🍳 Cook: 50 min
Nutritionper 100 g›
230
Calories
11g
Protein
12g
Carbs
15g
Fat
Ingredients
| 900 g (2 lbs) | ground beef (80/20) |
| 1 | medium onion, diced |
| 3 | garlic cloves, minced |
| 2 cups (300 g) | mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn) |
| 2 tablespoons (30 g) | tomato paste |
| 2 tablespoons (30 ml) | Worcestershire sauce |
| 1 cup (240 ml) | beef broth |
| 2 tablespoons (16 g) | all-purpose flour |
| 1 teaspoon | dried thyme |
| 1 teaspoon | salt |
| 1/2 teaspoon | black pepper |
| 1 package, 850 g (30 oz) | frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed |
| 1 can, 300 g (10.5 oz) | cream of chicken soup |
| 2 cups (480 g) | sour cream |
| 2 cups (225 g) | sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (divided) |
| 1/2 cup (115 g) | butter, melted |
| 1/2 cup | onion, finely diced |
| 1 teaspoon | salt (for topping) |
| 1/2 teaspoon | black pepper (for topping) |
| 1/2 teaspoon | garlic powder |
| 1 cup (30 g) | cornflakes, crushed |
| 2 tablespoons (30 g) | butter, melted (for cornflake topping) |
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease a 23x33 cm (9x13-inch) baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with diced onion until the meat is browned and the onion is softened, about 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat, then add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and flour, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth, mixed vegetables, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. The filling should be rich and savory, not soupy. Spread this evenly in the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
- For the hashbrown topping, combine the thawed hashbrowns in a large bowl with cream of chicken soup, sour cream, 1½ cups of the shredded cheddar cheese, melted butter, diced onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly until everything is well incorporated and creamy.
- Spread the hashbrown mixture evenly over the meat filling, smoothing the top with a spatula. The hashbrown layer should completely cover the meat mixture. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese over the top.
- In a small bowl, combine the crushed cornflakes with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the cheese layer for a crunchy, golden topping.
- Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until the casserole is bubbling around the edges, the hashbrowns are golden brown, and the cornflake topping is crispy. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the layers to set. Serve hot, scooping through all the layers to get the crispy hashbrown topping, creamy middle, and savory meat filling in each serving.