The Cracker Barrel Casserole Worth Trying Even If Reviews Suggest You Should Avoid Ordering It

You've got to give credit to restaurant chains who are willing to try new things, especially when some of the tried-and-true operations aren't working as well as they used to. Look at Cracker Barrel, for example. The chain's CEO Julie Felss Masino admitted to CNN that "We're just not as relevant as we once were."

With that in mind, as part of a larger overall transformation including remodeled restaurant interiors, Cracker Barrel announced the largest menu test in the brand's history in 2024 with 20 new menu items. The test began at select Texas locations, but has since moved on to permanent menus nationwide. One of those new items, with a mixed range of reviews, is the Hashbrown Casserole Shepherd's Pie.

It makes sense in theory. One of Cracker Barrel's most famous sides is its hash brown casserole (spoiler: it's premade). It's a melted blend of potatoes, cheese, and onions. Mix that into a cast iron skillet with all the flavorful ingredients of a shepherd's pie — meat, potatoes, veggies, gravy — and it would seem like Cracker Barrel brought a U.K. classic close to home. It's a comfort food mashup of different cultures that sounds delicious.

Some reviews say that the Cracker Barrel dish's hash browns come out raw, and pictures tend to show an unappealing mess. Other reviews say the hash browns came out flat and burnt, on top of a soupy, meaty mess. On the other hand, fans cite the entree as inviting, warm, and delicious. After reading through the mixed reviews, we set out to try this Cracker Barrel dish for ourselves. How could it go wrong?

At the location we visited, the Hashbrown Casserole Shepherd's Pie was on point. The hash brown layer on top had the perfect amount of crispiness, while the gravy and mashed potato blend underneath provided a soft, savory, and creamy contrast. Our only complaint is the name of this dish. While the ingredients are reminiscent of a shepherd's pie, the texture isn't. The large chunks of beef make it more like a beef stew or pot roast, and we needed to slice them in half to eat the dish. These bits of beef tend to break up what should be a smooth eating experience that you would typically expect from a casserole. So, if you're up to try something new, we had no problem with the Hashbrown Casserole Shepherd's Pie and think it's worth a shot.