The Only Seasonings You Need For Delectable Hash Brown Casserole

Do you make hash brown casserole? If so, you're already familiar with this comfort food all-rounder: a crunchy, cheesy, layered starch-and-protein bake that is the perfect brunch side or standalone meal. (If you aren't familiar with hash brown casseroles, or have yet to try making one at home, keep reading because we've got you covered.) Baking one of these things requires little more than the assembly of a few readily-available ingredients. Yet, doing so does present a couple of potential pitfalls with respect to under- or over-seasoning that can be avoided by going easy on the salt and hard on the flavor with onion, garlic powder, and black pepper.

It's difficult to make potatoes too flavorful, so start with the under-seasoning part. Potatoes not only absorb whatever herbs and spices you throw at them, they tend to be the perfect foil for your preferred blend of herbs and spices. In addition to being overly cautious in this regard, many hash brown casserole recipes call for unnecessary salting, making the dish nearly inedible. These quick tips will remedy those errors and really bring this casserole to life.

Our cheesy hash brown casserole recipe calls for frozen hash-browned potatoes, condensed cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onion, butter, cheese, and chives — a great start. Most canned cream soups already provide plenty of salt, so again be judicious when salting the mixture unless you're making your own béchamel or creamed soup. Even potatoes can become too salty! Beyond that, a quick and easy bit of seasoning will really make your casserole shine.

In addition to the onion, don't hesitate to add a good amount of garlic powder along with some ground black pepper to give your casserole depth and vibrancy. Both will add a savory complexity, bringing the starchy potatoes to life and complementing the dish's creamy sweetness. With just a few sprinkles, black pepper's mild but definitive bite will come through. Garlic powder will elevate the dish without requiring more prep time to mince fresh cloves. With this seasoning game on point, an everyday concoction like hash brown casserole will become a multilayered, satisfying standout.