Breakfast Casserole

Name: Breakfast Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: Unsalted butter, for greasing; 1 pound frozen diced or shredded hash browns; Olive oil; 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage or Italian sausage, casings removed (or 12 ounces smoked bacon, cooked; see Tip); 12 large eggs; 2 cups whole milk; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups/8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar; Chopped fresh scallions or chives (optional), for serving

By Lidey Heuck

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Rating: 4(764)
Comments: Read comments

The breakfast casserole is a perennial favorite for good reason: It’s easy to make, crowd-pleasing and endlessly customizable. Frozen hash browns provide great texture in this simple version, but feel free to use leftover cooked potatoes, diced into ½-inch pieces, in their place. Fry up a pound of bacon or use ½ pound of cubed ham instead of the Italian sausage, and experiment with different shredded cheeses. Made as written, or with your own additions, this casserole is a dependable and delicious breakfast standby.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

Unsalted butter, for greasing
1pound frozen diced or shredded hash browns
Olive oil
1pound bulk breakfast sausage or Italian sausage, casings removed (or 12 ounces smoked bacon, cooked; see Tip)
12large eggs
2cups whole milk
1½teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1teaspoon Italian seasoning
½teaspoon black pepper
2cups/8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar
Chopped fresh scallions or chives (optional), for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or metal baking dish with butter. Set the hash browns out at room temperature to thaw slightly, breaking up any clumps.
Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and starting to crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.
Step 3
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, Italian seasoning and pepper.
Step 4
Place the hash browns in the prepared baking dish, along with the cooked sausage and the cheese. Toss until combined, then spread into an even layer. Pour in the egg mixture, making sure the hash browns are submerged.
Step 5
Bake, uncovered, until the eggs are set and the casserole is lightly browned at the edges, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then top with scallions, if using. Cut into squares and serve.

Tip

If using bacon, fry the bacon strips in a large skillet set over medium heat, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then cut into ½-inch pieces.

Ratings

4 out of 5

764 user ratings

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Comments

Wicko1 year ago

It might be a good idea to bake the hash browns for 10-13 minutes in the bottom of the casserole and then add the egg mixture and finish baking. This crisps up the potatoes a little, giving a more layered effect to the casserole.

TYS>ATL>TPA>ATL>LAX>ATL1 year ago

If there's water in the bottom of your pan after cooking this for 45 minutes at 350, there is a good chance that you have overcooked the casserole. When eggs are cooked perfectly, there is no water. Once they start overcooking the proteins constrict in the eggs and start releasing water. The best thing to do is take it out of the oven immediately and let it sit for a minute to reabsorb the water. Similar to cooking a steak.

Sharon1 year ago

I have done this without the meat. Additions have been onions, colored peppers, diced broccoli, and a dash of hot sauce. It repeats well, but freezing and reheating did not.

Paisley3 weeks ago

I’ve made this three times, I’ve slightly changed the proportions of potatoes and cheese, and added vegetables— it always comes out great! Today’s winner included red onion, chicken Italian sausage, and kale with a mix of cheddar and Gruyère. I don’t see the point of baking the frozen potatoes first, that sounds like a mess waiting to happen,

Hobby Tradwife1 month ago

Had my husband's college roommate, wife, and grown children over for brunch and made this with finely chopped frozen roasted broccoli, fresh onion, and duroc ham leftover from our holiday celebrations. And since I was so close to Lorraine territory, went with one cup guyere and one cup sharp cheddar. With mini-super-crispy tater tots as the base. Served with a side salad. Everyone LOVED! Big hit. Will do again, 100.

Mary McDowell1 month ago

Made basic recipe as directed but added spinach and sautéed shallots. Used just Oregano instead of Italian spices and used seasoned salt in place of regular.. I thought this was delicious. The potatoes made it lighter than many egg casseroles. Yum.

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