Cheesy Instant Pot Hash Brown Casserole

Spoonful of Instant Pot cheesy potatoes above the remaining casserole.

5 from 10 votes

Cheesy Instant Pot Hash Brown Casserole

For cheesy potatoes made in a flash, this Instant Pot hash brown casserole will be your go-to recipe! A great side for breakfast or dinner.

Prep Time5

Cook Time35

to pressurize and release10

Total Time50

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 231kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

Instant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker)
medium mixing bowl
7-inch springform pan or cake pan
Instant Pot sling (see notes for how to make a foil sling)
Instant Pot air frying lid to brown the top of the cheesy potato casserole (optional)
non-stick cooking spray

Ingredients

20 ounces shredded hash brown potatoes refrigerated (like Simply Potatoes) is recommended, or frozen hash browns, if thawed
10 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup (see Notes below for canned soup substitution)
1 cup sour cream light sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
1 small onion yellow or white, diced small
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided in half
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup water

Instructions

Lightly grease 7" - 7.5" cake pan or springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together shredded potatoes, condensed soup, sour cream, onion, 1 cup of cheese, and garlic powder.
Add to prepared pan and use a spatula or knife to smooth the top. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the top.
Tear off a long piece (about 18 inches) of aluminum foil. Spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Wrap the hash brown casserole pan tightly in foil, over the top and under the bottom of the pan. This prevents water from getting into the pan during the pressure cooking cycle.
Place trivet inside the inner pot of your Instant Pot, then pour 1 cup of water into the bottom.
Place foil-wrapped pan with cheesy potatoes into a silicone sling or foil sling (see notes below for making a foil sling).
Lower the sling with the pan of hash browns into the Instant Pot and set it on the trivet.
Secure lid on the IP and set the pressure valve to 'seal' (if needed). Manually set the IP to cook at high pressure for 35 minutes.
When cook cycle is over, allow a 5 minute natural release of pressure, then perform a quick release of remaining pressure.
Using pot holders, lift sling from the Instant Pot and transfer to a cooling rack or other heat-safe surface. Carefully remove the foil from the pan.
If serving without browning (see below), let casserole cool for at least 10 minutes before removing springform pan. This ensures that the casserole stays together when the ring is removed.

Browning Top of Casserole (optional)

To brown the top of the hash brown casserole, you can use an Instant Pot air frying lid, a regular air fryer, or an oven broiler.
Using pot holders, carefully drain water from Instant Pot inner pot, then place the empty pot back inside of the IP.
Place the casserole back on the sling. Lower the sling back into the Instant Pot or place in your air fryer.
Set air fryer lid (or air fryer) to cook at 350º for 5-10 minutes, until top of cheesy potato casserole is golden and bubbly.
If using an oven broiler, set casserole under oven broiler for 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent cheese from burning.
If using a springform pan, let cheesy hash brown casserole cool for at least 10 minutes to ensure that the casserole stays together when the ring is removed.

Notes

How to make a foil sling:

Tear two 30″ strips of heavy-duty aluminum foil and fold the strip into thirds, lengthwise. You can use the ends of the foil to make handles for lowering and raising the pan. Place them in the bottom of the pot in separate directions, so they form a cross in the middle.

To make this recipe without canned soup:

You will need: 1 tablespoon flour, 3 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and 1/2 cup milk.

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. When melted, use a whisk to stir in the flour and continue whisking until smooth and bubbly.
Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and milk, about 1/2 cup at a time. Turn heat to medium and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly, until the soup thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Veggies have a lot of moisture that can water down your side dish, so it's best to slice and sauté them first.

How to Store and Reheat:

Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Instant Pot hash brown casserole dries out as the days pass, so reheat in the oven or air fryer sooner rather than later.

Hash brown dishes freeze well, and can be kept frozen for up to one month. You can also prep and freeze Instant Pot hash brown casserole before baking and it can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition