This easy Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole will be the highlight of your Father’s Day breakfast or for any brunch gathering. It’s a make-ahead friendly recipe that’s prepped a day ahead and baked the next morning. The recipe is adaptable for vegetarians too!
Home-style breakfast casserole recipe is loaded with bits of savoury sausage (meat or plant based), diced hash brown potatoes, onions, red peppers, eggs, herbs and lots of cheese. It’s a complete all-in-one breakfast dish that definitely fits into the comfort food category. It’s hot, spicy and hearty and I guarantee no one will leave with an empty belly.
Take this mouthwatering cheesy hashed browns and sausage casserole along to the cottage or a camping trip, make it your contribution for a pot luck or serve it at home on Christmas morning or Easter brunch. It tastes amazing and your family and friends will love it at any time and anywhere!
Why This is the Best Breakfast Casserole
- Can be made ahead. Prep-ahead breakfast casserole is the best way to simplify your life since it’s easy to assemble ahead of time and store in the refrigerator or freeze it for 2 months. When you need it just bake it up. Baked casserole also reheats well and makes great leftovers.
- Crowd pleaser. Feed a hungry crowd for breakfast, brunch or dinner with this cheesy breakfast casserole that’s packed with flavour. It’s perfect for Father’s Day, a stress free holiday brunch or a just a fun weekend with family.
- Make it vegetarian. A versatile casserole that vegetarians can enjoy as well; all you have to do is substitute meat based sausages with plant based sausages.
- Make it as spicy as you like. Some like it hot and some not. You have full control of the spice level so use spicy or mild sausages and add as much or little crushed red chili pepper as you like.
Ingredients Needed for Breakfast Casserole with Sausages and Hash Browns
(Ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post)
- Olive Oil – To brown the sausages and onions.
- Sausages – Many types of mild or spicy meat or plant based sausages are suitable. Choose your favourite: Italian, turkey, chicken, breakfast or plant based. The sausages need to be de-cased by slitting open the casings and scraping out the sausage meat.
- Garlic Powder, Oregano and Paprika – To season the sausages giving them the optimum flavour.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – Adjust the spice level with as much or little as desired.
- Onion and Garlic and Red Peppers – The onions, garlic and red peppers are sautéed to create the flavour base.
- Frozen Diced Hash Brown Potatoes – Use a bag of diced frozen hashbrowns. My favourite brand is McCain frozen (diced) hash browns that conveniently come in an 800g package (see ingredients photo) usually found in either the frozen breakfast section or with the frozen fries. For this recipe do not use frozen home fries, hash brown patties or tater tots.
- Chedder Cheese – Use a block of old cheddar cheese, preferably orange, and grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Grated cheddar is used both inside the casserole and for the topping
- Green Onions – Sliced green onions are cooked inside the casserole and more are used for garnish.
- Eggs and Milk – Whisked together and poured over the casserole ingredients to help it bind as it bakes.
How to Make Savoury Breakfast Casserole
(Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.)
- Brown the de-cased sausage meat in a large skillet then transfer it to a large bowl and season it.
- Sauté the onion, garlic and red bell pepper in the same large skillet.
- Add the sautéed onion, garlic and red peppers to the sausage in the large bowl and toss to combine.
- Add frozen diced hash brown potatoes, 2 cups cheddar and green onions to the large bowl and toss to combine.
- Whisk the eggs, milk and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Pour the whisked egg mixture into the large bowl with all the ingredients and toss to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish, pack the mixture down and sprinkle with cheddar and cover with foil wrap.
- Bake for 40 minutes covered, then uncover and bake for 5 – 10 minutes more until golden and bubbly.
Tips for Making Breakfast Casserole Ahead
- Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 24 hours - Assemble casserole a day ahead, cover tightly with foil wrap, store unbaked casserole in refrigerator and bake the next morning. You don’t want to bake it from cold – so pop it in the oven while the oven preheats so the dish can warm up gradually while the oven warms.
- Make ahead and freeze for up to 2 months – Freeze the unbaked casserole for up to 2 months. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and foil and store in the freezer. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Again, you don’t want to bake it from cold – so pop the thawed casserole in oven while it preheats so the dish can warm up gradually while the oven warms.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Not at all! Just open the bag and add the frozen diced hash browns to the bowl with the sausages and other ingredients.
This recipe is customizable for both meat eaters or vegetarians. I made this breakfast egg bake casserole with spicy Italian sausages, but you could also use any of: turkey, chicken, breakfast or plant based sausages. Whichever type you use, take them out of casings so you can crumble the meat as it cooks.
Follow the recommended temperature and baking time and check if the center looks set and firm and the edges are golden brown. Keep an eye on the casserole during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking to prevent over browning.
How to Serve and Store Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Serve: Sausage and egg casserole can be served hot, at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator. For a complete brunch meal, serve it with ketchup, sriracha sauce, toast, bagels, biscuits, muffins, or yogurt bowls.
- Store Leftovers: If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container or wrapped in foil and keep in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a low oven.
More breakfast and brunch recipes:
Recipe
Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Make-ahead Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole is loaded with bits of savoury sausage (meat or plant based), diced hash brown potatoes, onions, red peppers, eggs, herbs and lots of cheese. It’s a hearty all-in-one breakfast casserole.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil divided
- 450 g sausages de-cased, choose any of Italian, turkey chicken, breakfast or plant based
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 medium onion diced, about 1 ½ cups
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 medium red bell peppers diced
- 800 g bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes do not thaw
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided 1 teaspoon each
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided ½ teaspoon each
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided 2 cups and 1 cup
- ½ cup sliced green onions plus more for garnish
- 10 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes as desired
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease a large and deep 10” x 15” casserole dish.
-
In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Working in two batches, cook the de-cased sausage meat, breaking it up as it cooks until browned and caramelized. With a slotted spoon, transfer cooked sausage to an extra large 8 quart mixing bowl and repeat process with remaining sausage meat. Season cooked sausage with garlic powder, oregano and paprika.
-
Add remaining ½ tablespoon oil to the skillet and the onions. Sauté onions for 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant for 1 minute. Add red pepper and sauté for 3 minutes. Transfer onions and peppers to the bowl with the sausages and toss to combine.
-
To the large bowl with the sausage mixture add frozen diced hash brown potatoes, 2 cups of the shredded cheese, green onions, 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. Toss to combine.
-
In another bowl whisk the eggs, milk, crushed red pepper flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and remaining ½ teaspoon of pepper. Pour egg mixture into the large bowl with the sausage mixture and toss well to combine.
-
Turn the mixed ingredients into the prepared baking dish, pack it down, and sprinkle top with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese. Cover tightly with foil. Bake immediately or store in refrigerator overnight and bake the next morning. If refrigerated - follow directions in Recipe Note 7 below.
-
Bake for 40 minutes, remove foil and continue baking for an additional 5 - 10 minutes until golden and bubbly. Garnish with more sliced green onions.
Recipe Notes
- You will need an extra large 8 qt mixing bowl to mix the casserole ingredients.
- You will need a large 10” x 15” deep baking dish to bake the casserole. Alternatively, bake it in two 9” x 9” baking dishes.
- To make this a vegetarian casserole, choose plant based sausages.
- To de-case the sausages simply slit open the casings and scrape out the sausage meat.
- Use frozen hash browns that are diced such as McCain frozen (diced) hash browns that conveniently come in an 800g package (see ingredients photo in blog post) usually found in either the frozen breakfast section or with the frozen fries. Do not use frozen home fries, hash brown patties or tater tots.
- Keep an eye on the casserole while baking to prevent over browning; the centre should look set and firm and the edges golden brown.
- Assemble casserole a day ahead, cover and store in refrigerator for 24 hours and bake it the next morning. Pop the cold dish in the oven while the oven preheats so the dish can warm up gradually while the oven warms.
- You can freeze the unbaked casserole for up to two months covered tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then follow baking directions.
Leave a Reply