California Breakfast Casserole

4.05 from 23 votes
91 Comments

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California Breakfast Casserole is loaded with sausage, avocados, and tomatoes. All your favorite California omelet flavors in one hearty casserole, perfect for sharing!

A slice of California Breakfast Casserole served with a bunch of green grapes and a glass of orange juice
Featured with this Recipe
  1. Ingredients in California Breakfast Casserole
  2. Tips for Making California Breakfast Casserole
  3. Frequently Asked Questions
  4. More Delicious Breakfast Dishes
  5. How to Make California Breakfast Casserole
  6. California Breakfast Casserole Recipe

This California Breakfast casserole layers all the yummy goodness of a California style omelet in a family baked style. It’s one of my favorite breakfast dishes, especially when we have a crowd over for breakfast. I love making this on a warm summer morning and serving out on the patio, but it’s just as scrumptious on Christmas morning! Fresh and light, this breakfast casserole comes together in just minutes. It’s the perfect recipe to together the night before, store overnight in the fridge, then bake it in the morning. And it’s ideal for company, because it makes 12 generous servings. Serve with a side of fruit or toast and you have a healthy, hearty breakfast that everyone will love!

Ingredients in California Breakfast Casserole

  • Frozen Sausage Patties
  • Tomatoes
  • Avocados
  • Eggs
  • Whole Milk
  • Frozen Hash Browns
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Optional Add-Ins: red bell pepper, spinach, bacon pieces, diced ham, mushrooms, or onions. If you add bacon, cook it first in a large skillet.

Tips for Making California Breakfast Casserole

  • Layering the right way will ensure the breakfast casserole bakes evenly and sets up perfectly. Start with an even layer of breakfast sausage patties at the bottom of the baking dish, and top that with tomatoes and avocados, and then pour egg mixture on top, and top off with melted cheddar cheese.
  • We like to smother our slices of breakfast casserole with sour cream and salsa or diced tomatoes.
  • If you are weirded out by the avocado being cooked– don’t! It tastes great! However, if you must leave it out of the casserole and just want to use it as a garnish, that is a tasty option too.
  • Using a cup of milk in the recipe makes the egg and hash brown mixture more light and fluffy. But we have made it without and it has turned out fine.
  • If your casserole is still runny after baking, it most likely means the hash browns weren’t thawed enough before cooking. If you make the mix the night before you can definitely use frozen hash browns, they will thaw out in the fridge overnight. But if you’re preparing it the day of, make sure to thaw your hash browns before assembling the casserole.
California Breakfast Casserole served on a white plate topped with chopped tomatoes and avocado with green grapes and orange juice on the side


Frequently Asked Questions

How long can you keep egg casserole in the refrigerator before cooking?

If you want to make this casserole up ahead of time, then add everything to a baking dish and wrap in saran wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours until baking. If you do this method, then you do not have to thaw the hash browns.

What goes with breakfast casserole?

Breakfast casserole is a great dish on its own, but if we want a breakfast spread then we serve it with fruit and breakfast pastries.

How do you know when egg casserole is done?

This California Breakfast Casserole is done when the top is set and slightly golden brown.

READ NEXT: 33+ Breakfast Ideas

More Delicious Breakfast Dishes

Sweet or savory, breakfast recipes are some of our very favorites! If you love this California Breakfast Casserole, then try our Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole and traditional Breakfast Casserole for savory options. But if you are in the mood for something sweet that will feed a group for breakfast you should try our Strawberry and Cream Cheese French Toast or Caramel Apple French Toast! During the fall one of my favorites is our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake, and if I have company over Christmas I like to make a batch of our Eggnog French Toast with Gingerbread Syrup.

How to Make California Breakfast Casserole

California Breakfast Casserole served on a white plate topped with chopped tomatoes and avocado with green grapes and orange juice on the side

California Breakfast Casserole

4.05 from 23 votes
California Breakfast Casserole is loaded with sausage, avocados, and tomatoes. All your favorite California omelet flavors in one hearty casserole, perfect for sharing!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Video

Ingredients

  • 12 frozen pre-cooked breakfast sausage patties, thawed
  • 2-3 tomatoes sliced
  • 2-3 avocados sliced
  • 12 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 pound frozen hash browns thawed
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese for topping

Instructions

  • Line the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan with sausage.  
  • Layer tomatoes and avocado slices over sausage.
  • In a bowl, beat eggs and milk. 
  • Stir in all other ingredients. 
  • Pour hash and egg mixture over the sausage, tomatoes, and avocados.
  • Bake at 350 for 45 min or until well set. 
  • Top with extra cheddar right after pulling out of the oven so it melts all over the top. 
  • Serve with salsa, diced tomatoes, and sour cream.

Notes

  • Layering the right way will ensure the breakfast casserole bakes evenly and sets up perfectly. Start with an even layer of breakfast sausage patties at the bottom of the baking dish, and top that with tomatoes and avocados, and then pour egg mixture on top, and top off with melted cheddar cheese.
  • We like to smother our slices of breakfast casserole with sour cream and salsa or diced tomatoes.
  • If you are weirded out by the avocado being cooked– don’t! It tastes great! However, if you must leave it out of the casserole and just want to use it as a garnish, that is a tasty option too.
  • Using a cup of milk in the recipe makes the egg and hash brown mixture more light and fluffy. But we have made it without and it has turned out fine.
  • If your casserole is still runny after baking, it most likely means the hash browns weren’t thawed enough before cooking. If you make the mix the night before you can definitely use frozen hash browns, they will thaw out in the fridge overnight. But if you’re preparing it the day of, make sure to thaw your hash browns before assembling the casserole.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 20gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 216mgSodium: 671mgPotassium: 622mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 710IUVitamin C: 12.2mgCalcium: 200mgIron: 2.3mg

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About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

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Comments

  1. 4 stars
    I made this for Mother’s Day brunch today and it was very good! I read many of the comments before making it and made a few adjustments to decrease the excess liquid many had challenges with. I thought I would share to possibly help others. I seasoned the thawed hash browns with salt and pepper and let them drain in a colander while I assembled all the other ingredients. Before adding the hash browns to the egg-cheese mixture I hand squeezed the liquid from all the hash browns. There was 3/4 cups liquid I disposed of! Also, I used cherry tomatoes because they have less liquid. After chopping the tomatoes I put them in some layers of paper towel and squeezed the excess liquid out which was a 1/8 cup. Lastly, I only used 1/4 cup of milk to the mixture [instead of 1 cup]. I used Turkey sausage patties too, which most likely resulted in less greasy liquid. It was perfect. Completely cooked in 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Everyone loved it.

  2. This is quite good! Just a couple tweaks though. I didn’t use milk at all; but added some cottage cheese to the egg mixture. I always put some cottage cheese in my scrambled eggs. Also, I fried up the hash browns until almost done, then put them in the bottom of a glass pan. The eggs did seep through to keep everything together nice for plating.

  3. 5 stars
    This was an easy make ahead casserole and delicious!
    I used frozen hash brown patties and substituted Morning Star sausage crumbles for the sausage patties.

  4. 4 stars
    The flavor is outstanding! I served this at a family brunch get-together and everyone loved it.

    However, like other reviewers, I also had some trouble with runny eggs not setting up. My hash browns were completely defrosted (they sat in the fridge for over 24 hours before I used them) so I don’t think that was the issue. After it baked for 45 minutes at 350, the top was still completely liquid. I turned the temp up to 400 degrees and baked for about 35 more minutes, it was mostly set up. I turned the oven up to 425 degrees and baked for about 10 more minutes. (At that point we were very hungry!) The eggs were still slightly soft but edible.

    I will definitely make this again, but next time I will leave out the milk and see if that helps the eggs cook without being so runny.

  5. 5 stars
    I love this recipe and make it for mornings where time is of the essence (like Christmas or Easter). One question – is there something you can substitute for the hash browns? We are trying to eat low carb. Or if the hash browns were omitted completely, would that cause a consistency issue? Thanks!

    1. You shouldn’t have any problems omitting the hash browns. They will still set up fine, they just won’t be as hearty. Hope this helps!

    1. We have never made this without dairy products so I am not sure how to advise you. Substitutes often don’t set up as well. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!

  6. Soooooo much liquid. I’ve had it in for over an hour trying to get the liquid to cook out. Fingers crossed. I wish I read the comments first. I would have left the milk out 🙁

  7. Looks so good! Looking for a casserole for Easter brunch. If using bacon, would you crumble it or lay in strips or small pieces on the bottom?

    1. Definitely crumble– it might get too soggy if it is in big strips, plus the crumbled would make it easier to eat. Hope this helps!

  8. Has any made this without meat? How did it turn out? Looking for breakfast receipes to make during Lent.

  9. When you use bacon, instead of sausage, do you cook the bacon first? Or use the uncooked bacon to line the bottom? So excited to try this for christmas morning 🙂

  10. I’ve read through all the comments and it doesn’t look like anyone has tried freezing this. I’m pregnant and due any day with baby #2 and I’m wanting to make this now and freeze it so I have some thing ready and don’t have to worry about making breakfast every day for me and my daughter. I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts on whether I should freeze it before baking it Or bake it first and then freeze? Not sure how the eggs will turn out either way…

    1. First of all, congratulations! Secondly– this probably isn’t one I would freeze… if you MUST freeze it, I would probably freeze it AFTER baking but I can’t promise it will taste quite as good. :/

  11. 5 stars
    I made this this weekend and it turned out fantastic and was a huge hit. After reading some of the comments where there were problems I thought I would share a couple of suggestions. I used a bag of Simply Potatoes Hashbrown, you don’t have to thaw them so no extra moisture like you might get from the frozen kind. Make sure you seed the tomatoes, again eliminating extra juice and finally extra large eggs. Mine baked to perfection in one hour. Definitely recommend this recipe and there are so many possibilities to tweak it to fit your personal preference. Hope this helps.

  12. My daughter fixed this last week and everyone loved it. My husband prefers this recipe to the ones that have english muffins or bread. I made it for our pot luck at Palm Sunday, and will make it again on Easter. Very good!

  13. I made this today for our Sunday School class. It was a HUGE hit! It turned out perfect and bursting with flavor! Love how colorful it is! I did take your advice and cook it in a ceramic dish. I also added 20 minutes to the cooking time. I am mixing up another as we speak to take to work tomorrow!

  14. The picture makes it look like there is a layer under the sausage. Is there on or is this the milk and other ingredients settling?

    1. The egg seeps under the sausage and makes it seem like there is another layer– but there isn’t. Hope this helps!

    1. Thanks for asking, Christian. When you pour on the egg/milk/hash brown mixture it surrounds the sausage and cooks on the bottom of the pan.

  15. I have made a recipe very similar to this one and I did not use the cup of milk, only the eggs without the milk and it was not liquidy after cooking it for the suggested time or a just a bit longer seeing I don’t like runny eggs. no need to have milk or any liquid in there. Recipe here is a real good one. thanks

  16. 4 stars
    I first had this at a baby shower & it was great! However, it took TWO hours to cook in a 9×13 metal pan when I baked it for a potluck today! Luckily I allowed extra time or I’d have gone dishless! Hoping the tomatoes & avocados held up!

  17. Something is not right. That photo looks like it has a crust of some kind under the sausage. And it’s not cooked eggs. You can tell from the photo the crust is separate and distinct from the sausage layer.

    1. It looks like there is a crust but there is not. It is egg that has seeped beneath the sausage layer. This is the same recipe as the one pictured. Hope this helps!

  18. A few adjustments are needed here in my opinion. First of all, adding an entire cup of milk is far too much. It causes the dish to have excess liquid which can make for an unpleasant texture. It makes it seem as if the eggs are still raw. Also I made a base layer of crushed up tortilla chips, using just sausage is a bit awkward when trying to plate. And speaking of sausage, precooked sausage isn’t the best for you. So I opted to use shredded chicken breast! It makes the dish heartier and not as fatty! As for produce, I used Roma tomatoes (for their AMAZING flavour), added white onions, red bell peppers, and jalapeños on one half. My hubby can’t get enough of those! All in all, good idea for a dish. Just needed some tweaking to make it truly fantastic!

    1. Maybe you should share your own recipes on your own blog? Yours sounds very good but so does the one Emily shared with us on her blog. 🙂

      1. 5 stars
        Agree! I do not care for chicken so that would not be a “truly fantastic” dish for me. I cannot wait to try this recipe , sausage, milk and all!

  19. One question ? The recipe start with sausage on the bottom and the picture is displaying a layer of something before the sausage is laid. What is the layer before the sausage. t Than

  20. I finally made this dish and it was DELICIOUS. I added a twist to it, I added spinach and I used Italian sausage and chorizo. I excluded the guacamole in the mixture but did add to the final product along with jalapeños, salsa and sour cream. Thanks for sharing

  21. I am getting ready to make this, this morning for Thanksgiving! Thank you for the recipe, hope it turns out as good as yours looks! 🙂

  22. I made this for friends this week when we were away on vacation and it was a hit. I made it in a glass 9×13 pan and it took an hour to cook. When I got home my husband was jealous that I made it for friends so I made it for us at home again today. He LOVED it. Keeper recipe, thank you! I’m glad to see in the comments here that it can be assembled the night before. Looking forward to hearing if anyone freezes it.

    1. So glad to hear you liked it! We have assembled it the night before as well and it is great– just haven’t done the freezing thing. Let us know if you try it and how it turns out!

    1. You would have to plug it in to a recipe calculator to find the nutritional info. But eggs have a high cholesterol content, so if you are watching that, I would sub the eggs for an egg substitute (the kind that comes in a carton). I have used those in an egg casserole before and it turned out great!

  23. In the picture it looks like there is another layer of something underneath the sausage. If so, what is in the layer?

    Thank you

    1. Some of the egg mixture seeps down underneath the sausage making it look like another layer.. but the first layer you put down is the sausage.

  24. Just made this and after cooking 40 minutes, it looked done. When I cut it there was liquid at the bottom. The eggs looked cooked. Could the liquid be from the tomatoes? Maybe if I assemble and let i sit overnite? Thanks.

  25. Making this tonight for tom morning..was wondering if you could use simply potatos hash browns that are not frozen? Thanks!

      1. Simply potatoes hash browns are already cooked. They just aren’t frozen I they are in the the refrigerator section of the store.

  26. Im cooking this recepie but is taking a while to cook, i already add two times 20 mis, i dont know if we need to use a especific type of pyrex, i used a round corning ware dish .

    1. It may have been the dish, I usually use a 9×13 glass pan. Hopefully after the extra cooking it was still good! 🙂

    2. I am using a 9×13 in. glass dish. It has already cooked for one hour and it is still liquid egg mixture all the way through! I am NOT happy!

      1. We usually use a ceramic 9×13 pan because it seems to heat better. It also depends on your elevation. Give it another 20 minutes or so. I am so sorry!

      1. This casserole is so easy and delish! However, although we love raw avocados and are not picky eaters, we really didn’t like the taste of the avocados. Are we the only ones??? I’ve already figured out how to replace them with other things though.

  27. When you say you prepare the night before does that mean that you just assemble and let sit overnight in the fridge or do you bake it the night before and reheat in the morning?

    1. You can assemble it and let sit overnight without baking. That way it tastes fresh when you bake it up the next morning.