Breakfast Casserole with Hash Browns
by Sommer Collier — on Mar 18, 2026 My hash brown breakfast casserole is an easy make-ahead breakfast loaded with shredded potatoes, fluffy eggs, bacon, sausage, peppers, onions, and melty cheddar cheese. I assemble it in just 15 minutes, then bake it in the morning for a hearty family breakfast or holiday brunch.
I have a confession, friends. While I am a big fan of starting the day off right, I am not exactly what you would call a morning person. But I do love having family and friends over for casual breakfasts and holiday brunches…Which is why I am absolutely obsessed with make ahead breakfast casseroles! Today’s cozy breakfast casserole recipe with hash browns is a full southern breakfast in one baking dish, loaded with shredded potatoes, tender eggs, onions, peppers, sausage, crispy bacon, and of course, cheese. Lots of cheese. Similar to my breakfast casserole with tater tots, it’s a fabulous dish to prep in the evening, then pop in the oven first thing when I stumble out of bed and patiently wait (my husband is laughing as I type this) for my morning coffee.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
One Pan Meal – This hashbrown breakfast casserole is packed with southern-style breakfast comfort foods, including eggs, potatoes, veggies, and meat, all in one dump-and-bake casserole recipe. So each square serving has everything you need for well, one square meal. How handy is that?
Made to Share – My recipe is perfect for when you want to feed a group of people on Christmas morning or for any holiday breakfast or brunch, without using a million pans or crowding the table with a bunch of dishes. It bakes in a 9 x 13-inch pan and has 12 generous servings, so I promise, no one is going hungry in this house. (But yes, you can totally halve the recipe…I have notes below!)
Make it Ahead – As I might have mentioned, not only does it taste amazing, like my reader-favorite egg strata casserole, this hot dish is easy to assemble, cover it with plastic wrap, and keep it in the fridge overnight. Then just add an extra 5 minutes to the cook time in the morning, and you’re good to go!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Frozen hash browns – I usually thaw the shredded potatoes in the fridge the night before making. However, you can also just dump them in the baking dish at the beginning of the prep time, then pour the hot meat mixture over the top to speed things up.
- Meats – That’s right, I said meats. I use both crumbled breakfast sausage (pork sausage or turkey sausage) and thick-cut bacon in this protein-powerhouse breakfast casserole. You can use up leftover bacon, or buy a bag of ready-to-use soft bacon bits to throw into this recipe.
- Veggies – Any color bell pepper you want is fine, along with diced white or yellow onion. White onions have a sharper, almost spicy-like bite, while yellow onions are milder and sweeter.
- Eggs – I use large eggs, and let them come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before cooking. Why? Cold eggs slow down the cooking process.
- Dairy – Full fat sour cream, whole milk, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese make the breakfast casserole rich and hearty. But you can use low-fat versions for a slightly lighter dish.
- Seasonings – Dried thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper… AKA my ultimate all-purpose seasoning.
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep – I start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, getting out a large 9 x 13-inch baking dish and a large skillet. Grease the inside of the casserole dish well with butter to keep the casserole from sticking, or you can use a quick shot of nonstick spray. Then I seed and chop the bell peppers and dice the onion, and set them aside.
If you haven’t already, cook the bacon in the oven or skillet until it’s nice and crispy. Set the pieces aside on some paper towels to drain off any grease before chopping.
Sauté – While the oven continues to preheat, I set the sauté pan over medium heat on the stove. Once it’s hot, I add the ground breakfast sausage and cook it, stirring frequently to break it up into little crumbles, until it’s browned and no longer pink. Then I add the diced veggies and continue cooking and stirring for a few more minutes until they’re soft. Lastly, toss the chopped bacon pieces into the skillet and stir for one more minute.
Start Your Layers – Now the fun begins! I add the shredded potatoes to the dish, either totally thawed or at least, like, 90% of the way thawed, and spread them out into an even layer.
Then I add the cooked meat and veggie mixture on top of the hash browns, and spread them out evenly.
Whisk Egg and Cream Mixture – Next I add the eggs, sour cream, milk, and seasonings to a large mixing bowl or measuring pitcher. I bring out my handy handheld egg beater, shown in the picture below, to beat together the mixture until it’s smooth and frothy. You can also combine everything with a wire whisk, it just takes a bit more muscle.
Sprinkle with Cheese and Toss – I sprinkle handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese over the meat layer in the casserole, then use my hands to gently toss it all together in the dish.
Why my hands and not a spoon? Well, I want everything to mingle together but not necessarily be completely and evenly combined…The cheese doesn’t need to make its way to the very bottom of the pan, and there doesn’t need to be a ton of hashbrowns on top.
Add Eggs – Next, I pour the creamy egg mixture evenly over the entire casserole so it works its way into all of the little nooks and crannies. The liquid won’t completely cover the top of the casserole, but you want to saturate the shreds of potato.
Make Ahead – If I’m assembling the breakfast casserole with hash browns the night before, now is when I wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.
Bake – Into the oven it goes for 45-50 minutes. I leave the casserole uncovered so the cheese melts all gooey and slightly browns on top as it bakes.
Quick note: I add 5 minutes to the cook time when I bake it cold from the fridge after assembling the night before.
I know it’s done when the little bits of sausage poking out are crispy, the cheese is melted, and the egg filling feels set. I’ll stick a knife into the center to be sure it’s not runny, and if the filling is still a bit loose, back into the oven the casserole goes for another 5 minutes.
Once it comes out of the oven, I’ll let the pan sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing, so the eggs and potatoes firm up a bit and the casserole is easier to cut.
Recipe Variations
- Potatoes – Although I like shredded hash brown potatoes for this recipe because they hold the pieces together so nicely, you can certainly swap O’Brien-style hashbrowns if that’s what you have in the freezer.
- Meats – If you’re not a bacon fan, you can add extra sausage, or vice versa. Or feel free to sub one or the other with leftover pieces of ham – no need to brown first!
- Cheese – You can also swap the shredded cheddar for smoked Gouda, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or provolone.
- Spicy – Use spicy sausage and/or shredded pepper jack cheese for a breakfast casserole with some bite! Or of course, I always like a dash of crushed red pepper to heat things up!
Serving Suggestions
I sprinkle some fresh chopped green onions on top and usually serve the casserole with a few condiments on the side, like hot sauce and extra sour cream.
One of the many reasons I love making casseroles like this is that they are super efficient…It’s a well-rounded meal by itself with meat, potatoes, eggs, and veggies in every slice. But a bowl of berries, melon chunks, or any seasonal fruit is always a nice touch to balance the more heavy savory, meaty-cheesy flavors.
Speaking of savory, this is a fabulous brunch dish to enjoy with a bold and spicy bloody Mary. Or go the other direction and sweeten things up with fruity mimosas.
Storing and Reheating
This leftover breakfast casserole is delish, since all of the flavors and textures sort of meld together as they sit. Once cooled, I transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
The casserole also freezes well! You can bake the whole pan, cool, wrap it in foil and plastic wrap, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Or freeze individual sections by wrapping them in plastic wrap before placing them all together in a ziploc bag. Then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
You can reheat leftovers in the microwave in 20-second bursts at 50% power. But to get the top crispy and melty-cheesy again, I usually bake slices in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. A full pan will require about 30 minutes in the oven to heat through.
Frequently Asked Questions
I usually just keep them in the bag and thaw them in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for an hour or so. To thaw frozen shredded potatoes faster, I pour them out onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 175 degree preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to drain off any excess water..
Honestly, I’ve never had a sogginess problem with my hashbrown breakfast casserole. The way I layer the shredded potatoes, precooked meat, cheese, and then egg mixture all helps the ingredients to cook evenly, without creating extra moisture. After many trials, I am confident that if you follow my recipe, your casserole will bake perfectly!
If you’re up for peeling and shredding potatoes by hand, go for it. But as mentioned, you really need to get rid of as much water as possible…So I suggest placing the shreds in clean cheesecloth or several paper towels and gently squeezing out any excess moisture.
Sure, you can! As-is, my breakfast casserole with hash browns recipe makes 12 servings in a large 9 x 13-inch pan. Halve the ingredients and assemble in an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch pan for roughly 6 servings.
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More Breakfast Recipes
Breakfast Casserole with Hash Browns
Video
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen hashbrown potatoes thawed
- 16 ounce ground breakfast sausage pork or turkey
- 1 bell pepper seeded and diced (any color)
- ½ cup diced onion
- 10 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cooked bacon pieces or soft bacon bits
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13-inch (3 quart) baking dish. Butter the inside of the dish well and set aside. Set a sauté pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the ground sausage to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break the sausage into small pieces as you stir and brown the meat. Once the sausage is mostly brown, add in the diced peppers and onions. Continue to stir and cook for another 3-5 minutes until the onions and peppers have softened. Turn off the heat.
- Place thawed (or mostly thawed) hashbrown potatoes in the baking dish. Place the hot sausage mixture over the top along with the chopped bacon. *This will help bring up the temperature of the hashbrowns and bring down the temperature of the sausage.
- Set out a mixing bowl. Combine the eggs, sour cream, milk, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk until frothy.
- Now sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the meat in the baking dish. Gently toss the ingredients by hand until well combined and spread out into an even layer.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the top of the hashbrown mixture. Place in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the center is puffed, and the edges are golden brown.
- Allow the hashbrown casserole to cool for at least 5 minutes, then cut and serve.
