A Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole is perfect when you need to feed a crowd first thing in the morning.
This breakfast casserole recipe is a full meal with eggs, sausage, peppers, and hashbrowns all topped with cheese and baked until perfect golden brown.
Best of all, prepare ahead of time and in the morning, just pop it into the oven. Serve with a fresh fruit salad, and keep the coffee coming (or mimosas)!
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Ingredients in Breakfast Casserole
Hashbrowns – I use shredded hashbrowns, but any style of hash browns work well in this recipe, or even leftover home fries or roasted potatoes!
Sausage – I prefer pork sausage (like Jimmy Dean’s breakfast sausage). Swap it out for turkey sausage, ham, or crispy bacon (or even leftover ground beef from last night’s tacos)!
Veggies – I add bell peppers to this casserole but add whatever veggies you have on hand. Mushrooms (cook them first so they don’t get watery), asparagus, or even steamed broccoli are great.
Cheese – Shredded sharp cheddar cheese is our favorite, but pepper jack cheese or other bold flavorful cheeses work well. Save a little for the top to get a nice golden layer of cheese.
This hash brown casserole recipe is very forgiving; you can change the add-ins according to your preferences or what you have on hand. Try leftover meats, veggies, and cheeses of all kinds. Just chop or shred and toss them into the mix.
How to Make Breakfast Casserole
Frozen hash browns make this breakfast casserole super easy to whip up.
- Spread thawed shredded hash browns in the bottom of a baking dish per the recipe below. Mix in cheese, sausage, and pepper/onions.
- Whisk eggs, milk, and seasonings in a large bowl.
- Pour over the hashbrown mixture.
Bake Now or Make Ahead
The great thing about this hash brown breakfast casserole recipe is that it can be baked right away or prepared ahead and baked before brunch. It’s perfect for holidays like Christmas morning or even Easter.
Cook it now or refrigerate overnight Once prepared, bake right away or you can cover, refrigerate overnight, and bake this breakfast casserole fresh in the morning.
To Bake Now Pour the egg mixture over top and bake. Unlike strata or french toast, you do not need to wait as there is no bread to soak up the mixture. So just make and bake.
To Bake Later Cover the mixture tightly and refrigerate for up to 48 hours (or 3 days if using pasteurized egg product). Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking (while preheating the oven).
This bakes at 350°F for 55-65 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If you’ve let it sit overnight, it may need a few extra minutes if it’s still quite chilled from the fridge.
To prepare in the Crock Pot, I recommend our slow cooker breakfast casserole.
Just like egg muffins, leftover breakfast casserole is perfect for busy weekday mornings. Keep leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven.
Yes, you sure can! This will last in the freezer for up to four months. Wrap individual pieces and store in freezer bags. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or the oven.
More Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casseroles
If you’re tired of the same old breakfast or want a meal to prep ahead, you’ll love these breakfast casserole recipes. They’re perfect for reheating throughout the week or for a special holiday breakfast and best of all, they’re all prepped ahead of time.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 20 ounces shredded hash browns thawed
- 1 pound ground pork sausage cooked, crumbled, and drained
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 8 eggs
- 12 ounces evaporated milk 1 can, or 1 ⅓ cups milk
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning or your favorite herbs and spices, optional
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (if baking immediately). Grease a 9×13 inch pan or a 3qt baking dish or spray with cooking spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Drain fat.
- In the prepared dish, add the hashbrowns, cooked sausage, onions, bell peppers, and 1 ½ cups of cheese. Gently mix the ingredients together and spread evenly in the pan.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, evaporated milk, salt & pepper, and Italian seasoning to a large bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the egg mixture over the hashbrown mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese over top.
- Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight if desired, or bake immediately.
- Bake uncovered for 55-65 minutes or until cooked through.
Video
Notes
- The casserole can be assembled and baked immediately or covered and refrigerated for up to two days before baking. If using pasteurized egg product, it can be prepared three days in advance.
- Sausage can be swapped for 1lb of bacon, cooked crisp. You can use any type of shredded cheese you have on hand.
- If the casserole is refrigerated overnight, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. It may require an extra 10-15 minutes of cooking time.
- Evaporated milk can be substituted with 1 1/3 cups of light cream, milk, or non-dairy milk of your choice.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Breakfast, Casserole
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I’ve made this with sausage & it was delicious! I want to try making it with bacon next time. Would you advise cooking the bacon in strips & then crumbling or dice it up & then fry it?
Either would work just fine. I generally cook and crumble.
Looks delicious. Could I use tater tots or us hashbrowns a better plan? Thank you
I haven’t tried this exact recipe with tater tots (although I do think it would work). I do have a Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole that is quite similar.
I’ve made this at least 4 times and settled on reducing the amount of liquid to 2/3 cup as more has made it too runny. I’ve used Half & Half, milk or evaporated milk. I also increase the Italian spice to 1 tsp, add a chopped seeded Jalepeno, add hot pepper flakes while browning the Italian sausage as we like spicy. I love this egg bake above all others as it’s easy to make modifications for individual taste. I only rated it 4 stars because the 1st time I made it with 12 ounce evaporated milk it was too runny. With my modifications, 5 stars from my family.
Thank you for sharing your alterations, Robin!
can I uses frozen peppers and onions in this?
Absolutely!
This was a hit with my grandkids. I had them overnight and was doing a ton a baking with them (ages 7, 5 & 2). I was pooped by the time the finally went to bed. I guess you could say they were great little chefs …😂
Saw this, had all the ingredients. Whipped it up before they woke up!!!
My granddaughter put maple syrup on her piece. I thought how gross, but it wasn’t too bad. She likes her condiments!!!
Thanks for the great recipe, I am glad I found it!!
I was so surprised how tasty this was! I added chives/green onions which gave it a pop. I completely agree that this is the perfect food for family roll ups, or catering events; however, for catering events, I would like to know how to put it in little pastries.
I haven’t tried putting it a pastry but that sure sounds delicious! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Beryl-Lynn!
These would actually make a great egg muffin which would work better for catering over a full casserole. Please post if you figure out the pastry route!
Great recipe though! My whole (extended) family very much enjoyed it and I have some picky eaters lol
My go to breakfast casserole! This year I will be serving Christmas morning breakfast for 18-20 and plan to do two casseroles scaled up to serve 10-12. QUESTION: will the scaled up recipe still fit in 9×13 pan or would you recommend something larger? Thanks!
I would suggest two 9×13 pans if you double the recipe so it cooks evenly.
Hi! Thanks for the great recipe. I’ll be making it for a family brunch. For 13 people would you double and if so what size pan would you use.
Thanks I’ll let you know how it turns out
If doubling the recipe I would recommend two pans so it cooks more evenly.
Can I make this recipe without any meat? If so, do I need to adjust anything else within the recipe? Thank you for what looks like an amazing breakfast option.
Yes, it can be made without meat. If you’re adding extra veggies, I’d recommend cooking and cooling them first so they don’t make the casserole watery.
This is a fantastic recipe and I have made it many times when our family gets together and it is always a big hit. I have suggested trying a different recipe to change things up but the family insists I stick with this one. Over time I have adjusted a couple of things to suit our tastes. I use bacon instead of sausage, plain milk instead of evaporated (less calories), 10 eggs, 1 whole onion and an extra 1/2 cup of cheese for the topping. Another thing that I found very helpful is to only add the egg mixture just
before baking. I find that if you leave it for a while, the egg mixture settles to the bottom over time.
Thank you for posting such a great and versatile recipe!
Thanks for sharing your tips, Lance! That sounds delicious.
I love Holly’s recipes!!
My go to breakfast casserole, so easy and always a hit!
I plan on making this Thanksgiving morning. Do you think I could use mild ground Italian sausage? I already have that in my freezer. I’m looking forward to this based on all the amazing comments.
Absolutely, Italian sausage is great in this recipe!
How should I adjust cooking time if I half the recipe in an 8×8 dish? thanks!
I would recommend checking it about 15 minutes before the end to ensure it isn’t overcooked.
can this be reheated in crockpot for camping pot luck? no oven.
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but we do have a slow cooker version which might work better!
Do the hashbrowns get crispy on the bottom or soggy? Thanks!
The edges get crispy as they bake but the bottom gets fluffy like the inside of a hashbrown patty. I hope that helps!
This has become my go-to breakfast when I am hosting company. So easy to put together and so delicious. I have made it both the night before and the day of and it turns out great. I have used both pork and turkey breakfast sausage and have used 2% milk instead of evaporated. It’s always a hit.
Was a hit at church breakfast potluck.
I am looking forward to making this! is there a reason you suggest evaporated milk? I’ve made other overnight casseroles and usually use regular milk, which I saw you listed as a substitute, but was also curious if there was a reason behind the evaporated milk?
Hi Tbudd, it does make the casserole slightly more creamy and rich, but will be just as delicious if you swap milk!
I’ve made this a ton of times and it’s always a hit. I use bacon and sauté my veggies in some of the bacon grease to soften. I also add chopped, sautéed mushrooms. You must always sweat out mushrooms if using, or they will make things watery. Also, I prepare it ahead and freeze. When it’s time to eat it, I defrost, add the cheese on top and bake according to directions. I always use foil pans as well, since I’m usually making for a vacation trip. Comes out delicious every time!
Hi – I was going through the reviews to see if anyone has frozen ahead! I wanted to make ahead and freeze for an event so I could just heat up that morning. Are the hashbrowns soggy? Any tips you could share would be appreciated!
I have baked it and then frozen it for later and it turns out great, Elizabeth. It can also be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 2 days. You will have to let us know how it turns out for you!
Hi!! I am meal prepping for post partum. If I bake and then freeze, how do you recommend reheating it? Should it thaw first or reheat from frozen?
I thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.
Hi Holly! I have made this recipe so many times and it is always so delicious!! thanks so much for sharing it.
I was wondering what you thought about leaving the peppers and onions out and maybe adding onion powder in its place? But let me know if you think this would ruin the flavor. Thanks so much again.!!
Hi Holly!
I have made this recipe so many times and it is always just as good as the first time I made it and always a huge hit! Thank you so much for sharing it!!! it’s so delicious. Was wondering what you thought about leaving the peppers out… My daughter loves this so much but always picks the peppers out so I’m wondering if it would ruin the flavor if we left them out…thanks again so much.!
Absolutely delicious!! Do I keep the foil over dish the entire time it cooks?
Jenny, no remove the foil before placing in the oven. It should be baked uncovered.