Hash brown breakfast casserole has become a holiday morning favorite in our home. It’s an easy, hands-off way to feed a crowd so everyone can sit down together without the rush of cooking individual plates.
This casserole brings classic breakfast flavors together—potatoes, sausage, eggs, vegetables, and cheese—baked into one satisfying dish. It’s ideal for busy mornings, allowing you to spend oven time visiting with family instead of standing at the stove.
Ingredients For Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Frozen Hash Browns
Using pre-packaged frozen hash browns speeds this recipe considerably. The recipe calls for about 20 ounces of shredded potatoes. Many stores sell 26–30 ounce bags, so you can use a full 26-ounce bag or roughly two-thirds of a 30-ounce bag.
You can also use the diced “country style” frozen potatoes, which sometimes include peppers and onions for extra flavor.
Ground Sausage
Ground sausage provides the main protein. Use pork, chicken, or turkey sausage according to preference. For a shortcut, pre-cooked turkey sausage from the grocery saves time and works very well.
If you prefer, brown the sausage yourself or substitute cooked ham or bacon for a different flavor.
Vegetables
Diced bell peppers and onions are classic here, but you can add any omelet-style vegetables. Mushrooms, spinach, or small pieces of broccoli work nicely—just dice them small so they blend evenly with the other ingredients.
Cheese
Shredded cheese adds flavor and helps bind the casserole. Sharp cheddar gives a tangy bite, but other good melting cheeses like Monterey Jack, provolone, or Gruyère are also great choices.
For better melting, shred a block of cheese yourself rather than using pre-shredded varieties, which often contain anti-caking agents that affect texture.
Eggs & Milk
Whisk together eight large eggs with milk before pouring the mixture over the layered ingredients; this creates a custardy binder that holds the casserole together when baked.
How To Make Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
This casserole is straightforward to assemble and can be baked immediately or assembled the day before and baked in the morning. Follow these steps for a reliable result:
1. Spread thawed hash browns in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish to form the base.
2. Evenly sprinkle cooked, crumbled sausage over the potatoes. Add diced onions and peppers on top. If you have time, sautéing the vegetables first deepens their flavor, but it’s optional.
3. Scatter most of the shredded cheese over the meat and vegetables, reserving some cheese for the final topping.
4. Whisk eggs and milk together until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then pour the mixture over the layers; the eggs will settle between ingredients and bind the casserole as it bakes.
5. Finish with the remaining cheese on top.
Bake Time Required
Bake the casserole at 350°F until the eggs are set and the cheese has melted—typically about 60 minutes. If you assemble it overnight in the refrigerator, allow an additional 5–10 minutes of baking time because it will be colder going into the oven.
Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole Recipe
*Specific measurements and a printable recipe card are provided below. Read the tips and notes for useful variations.
Ingredients
- 20 ounces shredded hash browns, thawed
- 1 pound ground sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained
- ¼ cup onion, finely diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- 8 eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups milk
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
These ingredients are flexible—swap the sausage for bacon, ham, or another cooked breakfast meat, and adjust vegetables or cheeses to suit your family.
Instructions
Thaw the frozen hash browns until pliable. While they thaw, prepare the other ingredients: cook and drain the sausage and finely dice the vegetables if needed.
Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spread the thawed hash browns evenly across the bottom. Scatter the cooked sausage, then the diced peppers and onions.
Top with 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, reserving 1/2 cup for the final layer. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake or Refrigerate
To bake immediately, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake about 55–65 minutes, until cooked through and set in the center. For an overnight casserole, cover and refrigerate; in the morning let the pan sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes while the oven preheats and plan for an extra 5–10 minutes of baking time.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat individual portions as needed. Enjoy!
More Delicious Breakfast Casserole Recipes
- Biscuit Dough Breakfast Casserole
- Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole
- Overnight Eggs Benedict Casserole
- Cinnamon Roll Casserole
- French Toast Casserole
Enjoy! Mary
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The BEST Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Make this delicious breakfast casserole for your next holiday gathering. All of your favorite breakfast items wrapped up in an easy-to-make casserole. Can be made right away or as an overnight casserole.
15 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 20 ounces shredded hash browns, thawed
- 1 pound sausage cooked, crumbled and drained
- ¼ cup onion finely diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 8 eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups milk
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl combine eggs, milk, salt & pepper and whisk until smooth.
- Set aside ½ cup cheese for the topping.
- Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add the thawed hash browns and cooked sausage in the pan. Then sprinkle the top with onions, peppers and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.
- Pour egg mixture over the cheese and then top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Bake 55-65 minutes or until cooked through.
Notes
- If making this as an overnight breakfast casserole, assemble as directed, cover, and refrigerate prior to baking. In the morning, take the baking dish out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.
- Substitute other precooked breakfast meats and vegetables as desired.
Recipe provided by Make Your Meals
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 581
Total Fat: 43g
Saturated Fat: 14g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 24g
Cholesterol: 252mg
Sodium: 1182mg
Carbohydrates: 26g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 23g
Nutritional information is a general guideline. Values vary with ingredients and brands used.