This hearty hashbrown and sausage breakfast casserole is an easy make-ahead option that's perfect for feeding a crowd on Christmas morning!
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Why this recipe works
Feeding a crowd at breakfast can be tough. Especially at holidays like Christmas, when no one wants to wake up and spend an hour in the kitchen. This make-ahead breakfast casserole is perfect for those occasions!
It only takes about 20 minutes to prepare, and you can do it all in advance and refrigerate overnight until you're ready to cook. It's a delicious hearty breakfast and a total crowd-pleaser!
For another tasty option that's perfect for a make-ahead breakfast, check out my Quiche Florentine recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- Hashbrowns - I use shredded hashbrowns, but other types will work too. You can even use diced potatoes or sweet potatoes if you prefer. Be sure to thaw frozen hashbrowns before using.
- Sausage - I use a mild ground breakfast sausage, sausage links will work too but be sure to slice them into bite sized pieces.
- Veggies - I use a classic blend of peppers and onions, but you can easily add almost any other vegetables you want. Make sure to cook down and watery veggies like mushrooms or zucchini to avoid a soggy casserole.
- Cheese - I use cheddar cheese in the breakfast casserole, but you can sub any variety you prefer.
How to make Hashbrown and Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Brown your sausage and break it up into small bits. Drain most of the fat reserving around 1 Tbsp of fat in the pan.
- In the reserved fat, cook your diced onion and peppers for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
- Add eggs, cream, and milk to a bowl and whisk to combine, then season with salt and pepper.
- Add the thawed hashbrowns to a baking dish along with 1 cup of cheese and the cooked sausage, onion, and peppers. Stir to combine.
- Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and top with the remaining cheese.
From here you have the option to go ahead and bake it immediately or cover and refrigerate the casserole overnight, up to 2 days.
Baking your casserole
- To bake immediately - Bake at 375°F for around 45 minutes until the eggs are mostly set with just a slight jiggle in the middle. Keep an eye on the casserole during cooking and if the top begins to brown too much, cover with foil and continue baking.
- For make-ahead - When ready to bake, remove the dish from the fridge around 15-20 minutes before baking. You can do this while the oven preheats, then bake as above. It may need an extra 10 minutes or so of baking time.
After baking allow the casserole to cool for around 10 minutes. This will allow the eggs to set up.
Breakfast Casserole Variations
This casserole is really flexible and easy to customize to your taste. Just make sure to cut everything you use into bite sized pieces.
- Meats - try substituting the sausage with turkey sausage, cubed ham, or crumbled bacon.
- Veggies - you can add just about any veggies you like here. Some good ones are diced zucchini, chopped broccoli, or spinach for more greens. Try adding black beans and chorizo sausage for a southwestern twist.
- Cheese - I think the cheddar goes great with the sausage but gruyere or swiss go well too for a nuttier flavor, especially if you substitute ham for the sausage.
What to serve with breakfast casserole
This dish is super hearty and savory so you don't need a lot on the side. It goes great with a simple fruit salad. If you want something sweet, without a lot of effort, a make ahead french toast casserole is a great option.
This casserole even makes a great lunch or dinner option served with a simple side salad!
Other Breakfast Ideas
- Spinach and Mushroom Breakfast Casserole
- Lemon Blueberry Greek Yogurt Pancakes
- Fluffy Homemade Pancakes
- French Toast Sticks
- Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
📖 Recipe
Hashbrown and Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb breakfast sausage, cooked and drained
- 1 cup onion, diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- 6 cups shredded hash browns
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Brown the sausage in a large skillet and crumble into small pieces. Remove from the pan and drain reserving around 1 tbsp of fat in the pan. Set sausage aside.
- Add the diced peppers and onion to the pan and cook in the reserved fat (or in 1 Tbsp of olive oil or butter) over medium high heat for around 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent.
- Add the eggs, milk, and cream to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add hashbrowns to a baking dish along with the sausage, peppers, and onions and one cup of cheese then stir to combine and spread to an even layer.
- Pour egg mixture into the baking dish, distributing it evenly over top of the potatoes and vegetables, then top with the remaining cheese.
- To bake immediately - Bake at 375°F for 45-55 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and the eggs are set, with a just slight jiggle in the middle. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- To make ahead - Cover the uncooked casserole and refrigerate overnight, up to 2 days. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before baking.Bake at 375°F for around 55-65 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and the eggs are set, with a just slight jiggle in the middle. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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