First up, on your pellet grill: this loaded Smoked Hashbrown Casserole is prepared on a Traeger-style pellet smoker and packed with homemade cheese sauce, ranch seasoning, bacon, and sour cream. It works equally well for a hearty breakfast or as a comforting side dish, and the casserole adapts easily to your favorite mix-ins.
Traeger Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
Hashbrown casserole is a crowd-pleaser any time of year. Whether served as a breakfast centerpiece with eggs and sausage or alongside a holiday ham, the combination of creamy cheese sauce and tender potatoes is always satisfying. For this version, we skip canned soup and make a smooth cheese sauce from scratch using a small amount of sodium citrate to stabilize the sauce for the best texture.
Making the sauce from scratch gives you control over flavor and texture, and using the smoker adds a gentle, smoky background note that elevates a simple potato casserole into something special.
More Easy Traeger Recipes here!
Recipe Shopping List
Here is a quick checklist of what you’ll need. Exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below.
- Milk
- Sodium citrate (optional but recommended for a smooth cheese sauce)
- Shredded potatoes (refrigerated)
- Cubed potatoes (refrigerated)
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Ranch dressing mix
- Bacon
- Butter
More great BREAKFAST RECIPES here!
How To Make This Recipe
Below is an overview of the cooking process so you know what to expect. Follow the full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe section for exact amounts and timing.
- Preheat your smoker: Set your pellet grill or smoker to 225°F. This low-and-slow temperature allows the potatoes to heat through gently while absorbing smoke flavor.
- Make the cheese sauce: Heat milk, dissolve sodium citrate if using, then slowly whisk in shredded cheese to create a smooth, pourable sauce. Sodium citrate helps the sauce stay emulsive and prevents separation.
- Combine the casserole: Stir together the cheese sauce, sour cream, ranch mix, and shredded and cubed potatoes until evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to a greased, grill-safe 9×13-inch dish, dot with cold butter, then top with the remaining cheese and crisp bacon.
- Smoke until done: Smoke the casserole for roughly 45–60 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender, the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the top is golden. If you need to speed things up, you can raise the temperature to 275°F, though you will trade off some smoke intensity.
- Serve warm: Remove from the smoker and let rest a few minutes before serving. This dish pairs beautifully with smoked ham, scrambled eggs, or a simple green salad.
Try a white chocolate bark for dessert!
What is sodium citrate and why is it useful?
Sodium citrate is a food-grade salt commonly used in cheese production and modern cooking as an emulsifier. In cheese sauces, it helps fats and proteins combine smoothly so the sauce stays glossy and stable rather than separating or becoming grainy. While optional, sodium citrate makes it much easier to achieve a silky, pourable cheese sauce with a wide variety of cheeses.
If you prefer not to use sodium citrate, you can use a commercial cheese soup or a prepared cheese sauce as a shortcut, but making the sauce from scratch gives the best flavor and texture.
More Potato Recipes here!
More Recipes
- Easy Fresh Hashbrowns
- Smoked Breakfast Fatty
- Traeger Bacon and Asparagus Frittata
- Traeger Bacon
- No-Flip Bacon Method
Recipe FAQ
You can use a prepared cheese sauce or canned “cream of cheddar” style soup as a shortcut. The texture will still be tasty, though a homemade sauce with sodium citrate yields the creamiest, most stable result.
Yes. This casserole reheats very well. You can assemble it a day ahead and smoke it later, or reheat portions in the oven, on the grill, or in a slow cooker. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
For a breakfast-style casserole, stir in cooked, chopped sausage and several beaten eggs. Chopped green chiles or diced roasted peppers add brightness, and sautéed onions or mushrooms deepen the savory profile.
Try our Smoked Scalloped Potatoes!
More Recipes
- Easy Fresh Hashbrowns
- Smoked Breakfast Fatty
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
- Easy Enchilada Casserole
- Roasted Broccoli Casserole
Pin For Later
Traeger Loaded Hashbrown Casserole
Homemade cheese sauce mixed with sour cream, ranch seasoning, bacon, and freshly shredded hashbrowns makes a rich, comforting casserole perfect for brunch or a holiday side.
20 minutes
1 hour 30 minutes
1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon sodium citrate (optional)
- 1 20-ounce bag shredded potatoes (refrigerated)
- 1 20-ounce bag cubed potatoes (refrigerated)
- 6 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing mix
- ¼ cup cold butter
- 2 cups chopped crispy bacon
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 225°F (about 107°C).
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium until it just begins to simmer. Stir in the sodium citrate until dissolved, then remove from heat.
- Gradually add 4 cups of shredded cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash more milk to reach a pourable consistency. The finished sauce should coat a chip lightly without being scoopable.
- Stir the cheese sauce together with the sour cream and ranch dressing mix until combined. Fold in the shredded and cubed potatoes so they are evenly coated.
- Grease a 9×13-inch grill-safe baking dish. Transfer the potato mixture to the pan and spread it evenly. Slice the butter into pieces and place on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese over the top, then scatter the chopped bacon.
- Place the pan in the pellet grill and smoke for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is bubbly. If the top begins to brown too quickly, tent the casserole with foil.
- Remove from the grill, allow to rest a few minutes, then serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 527
Total Fat: 37g
Saturated Fat: 16g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 17g
Cholesterol: 84mg
Sodium: 910mg
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 21g
Nutrition data provided here is an estimate.
/
Category: Traeger Recipes
Serving tips: let the casserole rest 5–10 minutes before cutting so the cheese sauce sets slightly. For a lighter version, reduce the cheese and bacon and add extra diced vegetables like bell pepper or zucchini. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, or reheat individual portions in the microwave.