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This four-ingredient hash brown pie is creamy in the middle, crisp around the edges, and topped with browned sharp cheddar. Frozen hash browns, sour cream, cheddar, and butter come together in a glass pie plate with very little fuss. You’re going to love how simple it is and how golden and substantial it looks on the table.
Why You’ll Love It
- Just four ingredients — frozen hash browns, sour cream, sharp cheddar, and butter.
- Crisp-edged and creamy — tender Potatoes inside with a golden cheddar top and browned edges.
- Easy side dish — minimal prep and no cream-of-whatever soup or elaborate seasoning blend.
- Goes with nearly anything — ham, roast turkey, pork loin, or leftover Chicken all work beautifully.
Ingredient Notes
Frozen shredded hash browns are the whole foundation here, so buy the plain kind—not the diced potatoes with peppers and onions mixed in. Those have their place, just not in this particular pie. Thaw them completely and squeeze out the moisture. It sounds fussy for a four-ingredient recipe, but this is the difference between crisp-edged potato pie and a pale, wet disappointment.
For sour cream, use regular full-fat sour cream if possible. Reduced-fat will work, technically, but it is a little less luxurious. With a wedge of potatoes held together by butter and cheddar, reduced-fat sour cream is not where the line needs to be drawn. Life is short, and all that.
Sharp cheddar matters. Mild cheddar melts fine, sure, but sharp cheddar gives this its little bit of tang. Grate it from a block if available; pre-shredded is perfectly fine when needed. The anti-caking powder isn’t going to ruin the pie. Let’s all relax.
Use unsalted butter, since that’s what the recipe calls for, plus a little extra to grease the glass pie dish. A 9-inch glass dish is just right. A metal pie pan works, but not quite the same. The glass gives you those visible brown edges, which is half the charm. Maybe that’s silly. It doesn’t matter.
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns, thawed completely and very well drained
- 1 cup sour cream, regular full-fat is my preference
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided—1 cup in the potatoes and 1/2 cup for that lovely top
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus a little extra for greasing the 9-inch glass pie dish
Instructions
Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch glass pie dish lightly but thoroughly, including the sides. Don’t just swipe the bottom; those browned edges are the goal.
Thaw the shredded hash browns completely. Do this safely in the refrigerator or microwave, not on the counter all afternoon. Spread the thawed potatoes over a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels, then press firmly to remove as much moisture as possible. There’s no need to wring them like laundry, but really press. Watery potatoes make a soggy pie, and no amount of extra cheese on top can fully rescue that situation.
Put the drained hash browns in a large bowl. Add the sour cream, 1 cup of the shredded sharp cheddar, and the melted butter. Stir it together until the potato shreds are coated evenly. Don’t beat it to death. The shreds should stay fairly distinct, because that’s what gives the finished pie that soft, layered texture instead of turning it into potato paste.
Spoon the mixture into the buttered pie dish. Press it gently into an even layer, all the way out to the edges and just a bit up the sides. The back of a spoon works well, though clean hands work too.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar evenly over the top. Try not to pile it in the center. It’ll melt no matter what, but an even layer gives you that proper golden crust across the whole pie.
Bake on the center rack for 35 to 45 minutes. Start looking at it around 30 minutes, because ovens are liars. Look for a deeply golden top, browned edges, and little bubbles showing around the sides of the glass dish. Bake time may vary by oven.
Take it out and let it sit on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before cutting. This resting time helps it set so the pie cuts into actual wedges instead of becoming a delicious but slightly chaotic heap.
Loosen the edges with a thin spatula if needed, then cut into 6 to 8 wedges and serve warm. The first piece is always the trickiest to lift out.
Variations
The original version is perfect as it is, and I do mean that. Still, for a slightly smokier taste, use smoked cheddar instead of sharp cheddar. It is frozen potatoes in a pie plate—not a Parisian soufflé—but smoked cheddar is very good here.
You can also replace half the sour cream with full-fat plain Greek yogurt for a little extra tang and a bit more protein. It works nicely, though all sour cream is still preferable for this pie.
Dividing the mixture into two smaller glass dishes creates more crisp edges, but they will bake faster. If going that route, start checking them about 5 to 10 minutes earlier.
Storage & Reheating
Cover leftovers and get them into the refrigerator within two hours of baking. They keep well for a few days.
For reheating, the skillet works well. Put a wedge in a lightly buttered skillet over medium-low heat and let the bottom crisp again while the center warms through. The pie can also be reheated in a 350°F oven until hot and steaming in the middle. The microwave works, but it softens the edges—and those edges are the whole darn point.
A reheated wedge with a fried egg on top and a spoonful of salsa is especially good.
Final Notes
There’s a funny comfort in recipes like this. They are uncomplicated, warm, browned, and full of butter and cheese.
The crispy corner piece is especially good.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredients Hash Brown Pie
Ingredients Â
- 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns thawed completely and very well drained
- 1 cup sour cream regular full-fat preferred
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided, 1 cup for the potatoes and 1/2 cup for the top
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, plus a little extra for greasing a 9-inch glass pie dish
InstructionsÂ
- Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly but thoroughly butter a 9-inch glass pie dish, including the sides.
- Thaw the shredded hash browns completely in the refrigerator or microwave, then spread them over a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and press firmly to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Put the drained hash browns in a large bowl, then add the sour cream, 1 cup of the shredded sharp cheddar, and the melted butter.
- Stir until the potato shreds are evenly coated, being careful not to overmix so the shreds stay fairly distinct.
- Spoon the mixture into the buttered pie dish and press it gently into an even layer, all the way to the edges and just a bit up the sides.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar evenly over the top without piling it in the center.
- Bake on the center rack for 35 to 45 minutes, starting to check around 30 minutes, until the top is deeply golden, the edges are browned, and little bubbles show around the sides of the glass dish.
- Let the pie sit on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before loosening the edges with a thin spatula, then cut into 6 to 8 wedges and serve warm.