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Looking for an easy breakfast that can feed a crowd? This tater tot breakfast casserole recipe is packed with crispy tots, eggs, and melty cheese. Perfect for a weekend or holiday brunch!
Table of Contents
Less Egg, More Potato
This Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole isn’t your typical egg-heavy breakfast casserole (if that’s what you are looking for, look to our Easy Breakfast Casserole or our California Breakfast Casserole). Being from Idaho, I truly believe that more potatoes is never a bad thing. This casserole puts crispy, golden tater tots front and center, right where they should be. It’s incredibly easy to assemble and bake, making a hearty meal for the whole family. I love this as a casserole but I’ll be honest here, my favorite way to serve it is as a breakfast burrito filling. Just add a scoop of casserole, add some salsa, sour cream, and guac, and you’ve got the perfect California style burrito.
Ingredients
Thick Cut Bacon – Use bacon or your favorite breakfast meat in this casserole like cooked sausage or leftover ham.
Bag of Frozen Tater Tots – A 2 pound bag is all you need, nothing fancy.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Shred your own cheese for better melting.
Eggs – 10 eggs may seem like a lot, but it’s the perfect amount!
Milk – This adds a little moisture to your recipe.
Salt and Pepper – I like to use at least ½ teaspoon of salt, but you can add more or less depending on your taste. If you use seasoned tater tots, you may want to opt for a little less salt.
How to Make Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Preheat. Preheat oven to 375.
- Cook Bacon. Dice bacon and cook over medium-high heat. This may take up to 10 minutes. Drain off grease as needed while the bacon is cooking.Transfer cooked bacon to a plate covered with paper towels to drain and cool. Set aside.
- Prepare Dish and Add Tater Tots. Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with cooking spray or brush with leftover bacon grease. Add frozen tater tots and spread out evenly.
- Add Bacon and Cheese. Sprinkle bacon and cheese over the tater tots.
- Mix Up Eggs. Combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over the top of the tater tots.
- Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until eggs have become firm and completely cooked through.
- Final Steps. Add extra cheese (optional) and bake another 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Tips and Suggestions
- Customize Your Casserole: Feel like a bit less potato and more egg? No problem! Simply use half the amount of tater tots and whisk in an extra 4 to 6 eggs.
- Meat it Up (Optional!): Want to change up the flavor? Try adding cooked sausage or diced ham to the mix.
- Boost the Flavor: Sauté some diced onion along with your bacon for an extra dimension of deliciousness.
- Spice Things Up: Craving a little heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
- Top it Off Your Way: Get creative with toppings! Salsa and sour cream are always great, or if you are like my dad, slather it with a generous layer of ketchup (love you Dad! I wouldn’t change a thing about you!)
- Make it Ahead of Time: This casserole is perfect for busy mornings. You can assemble it ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. You can even prep it the night before for a super quick and easy breakfast (see more specific instructions in the recipe notes).
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon (or your favorite breakfast meat, see notes above)
- 1 (2 pound) bag frozen tater tots
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 10 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- extra cheese for topping (to taste, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.While oven is heating, dice bacon and cook in a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. This may take up to 10 minutes. Drain off grease as needed while the bacon is cooking. Transfer cooked bacon to a plate covered with paper towels to drain and cool. Set aside.
- Prepare a 9×13 glass baking dish by spraying with cooking spray or brushing with leftover bacon grease. Add frozen tater tots and spread evenly in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Sprinkle bacon and cheese over the top of the tater tots.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over the top of the tater tots.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until eggs have become firm and completely cooked through.
- Add extra cheese (optional) and bake another 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use fresh potatoes, but there are some things to consider! Fresh potatoes aren’t going to have that crispy texture that tater tots have. If fresh is all you have, try shredding the potatoes to make them cook faster, as well as squeezing out the moisture from them and parboiling them to help them along in the cooking process so you don’t get a big bite of raw potato. You may need to adjust cooking time to cook the fresh potatoes a little longer than you would tater tots.
The only iffy ingredient is the tater tots themselves. Most are GF but it is always worth double-checking.
How to Store and Re-Heat Leftovers
Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container to store. Reheat in the microwave easily, or pop in the oven at 350 just to heat through.
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Ham Egg and Cheese Croissant
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