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An easy breakfast casserole is the perfect morning meal, especially when feeding a crowd. You’ll love this dish full of eggs, hash browns, sausage, and cheese!
Table of Contents
- Start Your Day Right with an Easy Breakfast Bake
- Easy Breakfast Casserole Ingredients
- How to Make Easy Breakfast Casserole
- Tips and Variations for the Best Breakfast Casserole
- Feeding a Crowd
- Making Ahead Breakfast Casserole
- Rave Reviews
- Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe
- What to Serve with this Breakfast Casserole Recipe
- Questions About Our Breakfast Casserole
- More Breakfast Casseroles
Start Your Day Right with an Easy Breakfast Bake
Breakfast is definitely my favorite meal of the day, and this breakfast bake makes it even better! It starts with some basic ingredients like eggs, hash browns, and cheese, but the best part is that you can customize it in so many ways. You can add different meats, veggies, or even switch up the cheese—whatever your family loves! It’s kind of like a quiche, but way easier to make. Plus, it’s warm, filling, and packed with all the good stuff from the main food groups. Everyone from kids to adults enjoys this, and it’s great whether you serve it in the morning or for dinner. It’s a hearty and healthy meal that’s always a hit!
Easy Breakfast Casserole Ingredients
When all those ingredients come together and bake up, the flavor and texture are just amazing. It’s the kind of breakfast that fills you up and keeps you going all day long. It’s packed with nutrients, and the flavors all work together to make sure you’re set for a good day!
- Ground sausage – Sauté ground breakfast sausage over medium-high heat until it is browned in the skillet. Spoon excess grease out of the pan before adding the other ingredients. This is a meaty and delicious flavored sausage that we love to have in the egg mixture.
- Red pepper – Wash and chop the red bell peppers into small cube pieces. These give an extra soft crunch as you are enjoying your casserole for breakfast.
- Onion – Slice and chop the onion as little or big as you would like. This gives a delicious spice to the casserole.
- Hash brown potatoes – Either shredded or cubbed hash browns work great for this recipe. We use the frozen kind that is already freeze-dried. Freshly shredded or cubed potatoes will become soft and mushy in the oven with the egg mixture. We have even used tater tots with great results!
- Cheddar cheese – Shredded sharp cheddar cheese is sprinkled in the easy breakfast casserole.
- Eggs – This is one of the main ingredients that hold the other ingredients together while baking. Large or medium eggs work best.
- Milk – The creaminess from the milk fluffs up the eggs while baking.
How to Make Easy Breakfast Casserole
Trust me, once you try this breakfast casserole, it’s going to be your new favorite! It’s so simple to make, and you can have it ready in an hour. With protein, potatoes, veggies, and a savory egg mixture, it’s basically the breakfast of dreams!
- Saute – Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage, pepper, and onion until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off any excess fat.
- Combine – In a large bowl, combine the sausage mixture with hash browns and cheddar cheese. Pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Whisk – In a separate bowl, combine eggs and milk. Whisk until fully blended. Pour over the hash brown mixture.
- Bake – Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until eggs are set in the center and don’t jiggle.
Tips and Variations for the Best Breakfast Casserole
What I love about this casserole is how versatile it is! You can easily mix and match ingredients. Here are a few tips to make it your own or simplify prep.
- Cooking Spray: Always spray your baking dish to prevent the eggs from sticking.
- Overnight Prep: Make the casserole the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Just bake it the next morning—perfect for busy mornings or holiday breakfasts.
- Baking Tip: It usually takes 50-60 minutes in my oven. If the edges brown too fast, cover them with foil or lower the oven temperature and bake longer.
- Potatoes: I use frozen hash browns, but you can use fresh potatoes, thinly sliced, or even a Potatoes O’Brien mix.
- Veggies: I love red bell pepper and onion, but any veggies work—broccoli, zucchini, spinach, or mushrooms. Try swapping the cheese for mozzarella or pepper jack if using spinach.
- Meat: Maple sausage is my favorite, but bacon, ham, chorizo, or a vegetarian version work great too.
- Slow Cooker: Short on time? Make it in a slow cooker! Just add everything the night before and wake up to a fully-cooked breakfast. Try our Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole.
Feeding a Crowd
When I have guests over, this is my go-to breakfast casserole. It’s so simple to put together, and you can easily adjust it to suit even the pickiest eaters. This recipe makes 12 large servings or 15 regular servings, but I have a trick—since I can fit two 9×13 pans in my oven, I double the recipe and can feed up to 30 people! I just switch the pans halfway through (top and bottom) for even cooking. I also like to pre-cut slices in the pan, so everyone gets a piece.
Making Ahead Breakfast Casserole
Here’s another great tip: Turn this into a make-ahead breakfast casserole! You can prepare it the day before and keep it in the fridge, or even freeze it for later. If you have any leftovers, just store them in an airtight container in the fridge, and they heat up perfectly in the microwave.
Prep the Day Before
To save time in the morning, you can prep the casserole the day before you plan to bake it. Just follow the first few steps in the recipe, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, take it out about 30 minutes before you put it in the oven, then bake for an hour or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Freezing Instructions
If you want to freeze it, just follow the recipe up until the casserole is done, then let it cool. After it’s cooled, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then cover it with aluminum foil to keep it from freezer burn. You can even freeze individual portions, so you can heat up just one serving at a time. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to cook it from frozen, just thaw it in the fridge overnight, then bake at 350°F for about 30-40 minutes, or until it’s heated through. If you’re heating individual portions, just thaw and then microwave or bake until warm. It’s so comforting knowing there’s a delicious breakfast waiting in the freezer, ready to go whenever you need it!
Rave Reviews
“Yum! My husband loves this recipe! So delicious and tasty! Can’t wait to make this again!” – Beth
“Perfection! Tripled for a wedding shower brunch. Guests raved. The best egg casserole I’ve made by far. Thank you!” – Maureen
Easy Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground sausage
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 pound hash brown potatoes frozen, shredded
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 12 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage, pepper, and onion until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off any excess fat.
- In a large bowl, combine sausage mixture with hash browns and cheddar cheese. Pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, combine eggs and milk. Whisk until fully blended. Pour over hash brown mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until eggs are set in the center and don't jiggle.
Video
Notes
Freezing Instructions
To freeze, follow all the directions in the recipe below, and then cover the cooled casserole tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. You can also store the same way in individual portions so you can heat one serving at a time. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. To cook from frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through. If heating individual portions, thaw and microwave or oven bake until heated through. There’s something so comforting about knowing there’s a delicious breakfast option in the freezer, just waiting to be heated and served.Nutrition Information
What to Serve with this Breakfast Casserole Recipe
At home on a regular morning, we usually just eat it as is, or I’ll serve it with some fresh fruit on the side. My kids love to add ketchup on top, while my husband and I like to top ours with sour cream and salsa. But if I’m feeding a bigger or especially hungry crowd, I’ll add something sweet to balance out the meal.
- Fresh Fruit: Strawberries, melon, or citrus fruits are a great way to balance out the richness.
- Smoothies: A fruit smoothie is a great way to add some fiber and vitamins to your breakfast!
Questions About Our Breakfast Casserole
Breakfast casserole contains potaotes whereas a frittata does not have eggs and is usually baked in a pie pan rather than a 9×13 rectangular pan. Both have eggs, meat, and veggies baked together.
A casserole consists of a hot dish or baked food usually dinner in a 9×13 baking pan. A typical casserole has meat, cheese, and vegetables.
Because there are eggs in this breakfast casserole, you should never leave it out for more than an hour or if the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
More Breakfast Casseroles
If you’re a fan of breakfast casseroles like I am, you’re in for a treat! These hearty, delicious dishes are perfect for busy mornings, family gatherings, or anytime you want a filling breakfast with minimal fuss. Here are a few more of my favorite breakfast casseroles that are sure to impress and satisfy everyone at the table!
Haven’t baked it yet, but ready to go. I’m concerned about the salt. Since there is salt in the maple sausage, will it be to salty if I add 1 tsp? 420 sodium in 2 oz per serving x 4 = 1680 in 1/2 lb sausage.
If you are worried about the salt you can definitely cut back and serve it with salt shakers on the side!
could this be cooked in muffin tins for individual servings like for a brunch?
Yes, that would work great! Here is a recipe that might be easier to use for cooking in muffin tins: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/easy-breakfast-egg-muffins/
Hi. If I halve the recipe how long would I bake it?
I haven’t halved the recipe before but you definitely won’t cook it as long. Try cutting the time in half and then check every few minutes until it sets. Hope this helps!
I’ve made this recipe several times and love it, however, the last few times it still seems like the egg isn’t set after 60 minutes. What am I doing wrong?!
This could be fit to several factors, this could be because the hash browns have a lot of ice on them. You can try putting them in a colander and try shaking some of the ice off, or try pre-cooking the hashbrowns a little until they dry out some. It could also be the type or amount of milk. Try opting for whole milk or reducing the amount of milk to 1/2 cup. Give some of these a try and hopefully that will solve the problem! It’s weird that you didn’t have issues before but now you are– so that’s a head scratcher, but hopefully some of these changes will help!
Perfection! Tripled for a wedding shower brunch. Guests raved. The best egg casserole I’ve made by far. Thank you!
So glad you liked it and that it was a hit at your brunch!
I love this receipe we use it when we have our Womens meeting at our churc which is the Family of God. It is a big hit with all of us quick n easy to make. Love the easy receipes.
I want to make this for this weekend. Can I make it and put in pan in fridge overnight or do I have to bake right away? Thank you this looks delicious!
You can absolutely prep it the night before! We love to do that!
How long do you warm it up the next morning if I bake it the night before?
I would say about 30-45 minutes should do it, depending on your oven!
Looking forward to making this. I live in Tennessee and one of my sisters in Maine is coming in a couple of weeks. Will surprise them with this. Fingers 🤞
Excellent! Made for a work function for approximately 30 (3X the recipe) and everyone raved about it. Few minor tweaks on my part…cooked veg first then removed to brown sausage. Sausage wasn’t very greasy so just added potatoes and veg back to browned meat and mixed well. Moved mixer to baking dish and mixed in cheese before pouring egg mixture over and baking. Will use this recipe often in the future!
Did you make it in one pan or split and how long did it take to bake?
What brand of hash browns did you use?
Usually I just use the store brand! But Ore-Ida is a great brand as well!
The number of eggs isn’t included in ingredients…?
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you will see the recipe card with amounts! It is 12 eggs.
How much of each ingredient do you use for how many people?
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you will see the recipe card with the measurements and serving size!
I made this with beyond meat and it turned out okay, a bit bland to be honest but I wonder if it was because they beyond meat wasn’t pre-seasoned like a sausage would be.
One note for me is perhaps we’re big eaters but I really didn’t get the sense it was a 12-15 serving dish, maybe 8-10 servings rather, particularly if this is the main dish of your breakfast or brunch with a salad on the side.
My other note was that the cheese didn’t seem to come through at all. I’m thinking of adding another few cups of cheese on top of the dish in the last 5 minutes of baking and getting it nice and melty before serving.
I’m making it again for a large group and will use regular sausage this time, and I’m thinking it will go well with some salsa as a topping, almost like a breakfast taco casserole.
There is Beyond hot Italian sausage that goes great in this if you’re looking for vegetarian options.
Do you know if I can use precooked crumbled Sausage for this recipe?
I think that would work just fine!
Do the frozen hash browns make it watery?
Not at all, they work great!
They didn’t make the dish watery at all for me
Yum! My husband loves this recipe! So delicious and tasty! Can’t wait to make this again!
Breakfast casseroles are the best! Can’t wait to try this one.
Can I assemble this at night and then bake it in the morning??
Absolutely! We do that all the time!
I love breakfast casseroles! They are so easy and such a great way to feed a crowd. This one was a big hit!
This Easy Breakfast Casserole was off the chain GOOD! Let me tell you it flew off my breakfast table in no time. I will be sharing this recipe with my sisters because I know they would love this recipe!!!
Have a great day!!