This loaded Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole Recipe is made with frozen hash brown potatoes, pork sausage, sweet onion, red bell pepper, eggs, and plenty of cheddar cheese. Make this fit for a crowd, savory casserole ahead of time, and be ready for your brunch or breakfast guests.
Start your day right with this easy and tasty hashbrown breakfast casserole recipe. Made with crispy potatoes, savory sausage, and gooey cheese, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Get ready to impress your guests with this make-ahead, easily customizable breakfast casserole.
It features all your favorites baked with plenty of cheddar and hash brown potatoes in every bite. This easily freezable casserole is perfect for Christmas morning or those busy weekends with out-of-town guests. If you like this make-ahead casserole, try tater tot breakfast casserole, French toast casserole, and chile relleno casserole.
Ingredient Notes
- Frozen shredded hashbrowns: thawed. I like to use Ore-Ida
- Ground pork sausage: like Jimmy Dean’s All-Natural
- Vegetables: onions, red bell pepper, and green onions (scallions)
- Dairy: butter, milk, and cheddar cheese
- Eggs: large ones are best, but you make up the difference with smaller ones
- Seasonings – dried marjoram, dried thyme, seasoned salt, and black pepper
How to make Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
Start by letting the frozen hash browns thaw. This will take about 1 hour, so go ahead and take them out of the freezer before starting this recipe. Then, place them in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and let them sit for a bit.
Now start browning the pork sausage in a large pan over medium heat. When it is about halfway browned, add the onions and red bell pepper, cooking until the sausage is browned and the onions are soft. Then, remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup butter. Pour the melted butter over the hash brown potatoes, stirring to coat. Then top with half the shredded cheddar and spoon the cooled sausage vegetable mixture over the potatoes. Now, whisk the eggs, milk, marjoram, thyme, seasoned salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the casserole and top with the remaining cheese and half of the green onions. Bake for about 45 minutes or until no longer wiggly in the middle. Then top with the remaining green onions. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with green onions, thyme leaves, or chopped parsley.
Preparation Tips
- Frozen hash browns take about 1 hour to thaw, so plan accordingly.
- You can use shredded or diced hash browns. Shredded potatoes work just a bit better because the cheese and eggs seem to melt between the layers of the potatoes.
- Any colored pepper will work for this recipe – red, orange, yellow, or green. I prefer red because of the sweetness it lends to the dish.
- Use pork, chicken, or turkey sausage as long as it breaks up and browns.
- Try adding diced smoked ham or chopped crispy bacon.
- Experiment with cheeses like Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Gouda, Muenster, Provolone, Mozzarella, or Pepper Jack.
- Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before slicing.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can also be reheated in the microwave at reduced power.
Can I prepare this casserole in advance?
Prepare the casserole up to a day in advance, but do not bake. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place on a flat-level surface in the refrigerator. Remove the casserole from the fridge 40 minutes before baking to come to room temperature.
Then, remove the plastic wrap and bake according to the recipe instructions. The sausage vegetable mixture can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, cooled, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze this casserole?
Prepare the casserole per the instructions, but do not bake. Then, cover it with several layers of plastic wrap and place it in the freezer on a flat surface. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 12 hours. Remove from the fridge 40 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Bake according to recipe instructions.
More Breakfast Recipes
Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 30 ounces shredded hash brown potatoes thawed
- 1 lb ground pork sausage I love Jimmy Deans All Natural
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup butter
- 10 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 green onions thinly sliced divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick baking spray.
- Place the thawed hash browns in the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Brown the pork sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. When it is about halfway browned, add the onions and red bell pepper, cooking until the sausage is browned and the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and let it cool.
- Melt 1/2 cup butter and pour over the hash brown potatoes stirring to coat. Top with half the shredded cheddar. Spoon the cooled sausage vegetable mixture over the potatoes.
- Beat the eggs, milk, marjoram, thyme, seasoned salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Pour it into the casserole and top with the remaining cheese and half of the green onions.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until set and no longer wiggly in the middle. Sprinkle with remaining green onions. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Frozen hash browns take about 1 hour to thaw, so plan accordingly.
- You can use shredded or diced hash browns. I think the shredded works just a little bit better because the cheese and eggs seem to melt down between the layers of the shredded potatoes.
- Any colored pepper will work for this recipe – red, orange, yellow, or green. I prefer the red because of the sweetness it lends to the dish.
- Use pork, chicken, or turkey sausage as long as it breaks up and browns.
- Try adding diced smoked ham or chopped crispy bacon.
- Experiment with different cheeses like Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Gouda, Muenster, Provolone, Mozzarella, or Pepper Jack.
- Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before slicing.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
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Dana Neehouse
This is so hearty and tasty! Great way to feed a crowd at breakfast and leftovers are good, too!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Dana! So glad that you like the hashbrown casserole!
Jenny
I made this for Christmas Eve brunch. Used sausage, cheddar cheese and Monterrey jack because that’s what I had. Red bell pepper, half of a large one. Will use more next time. No onion as per a family member’s request. Then I forgot to put the green onion on top. I cut back on the hash browns because my pan was filling up. Didn’t really need to do that. This is a great recipe that I will make again. I ate some this morning with some Cholula hot sauce.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Jenny! So happy that you liked the casserole!
Bernadette
You can substitute O’Brien potatoes for the hash browns to save time and prep work. Onions and peppers are already in it.
Judy
I will be making this one again. This time, for Easter, I added some sliced asparagus to the middle layer. I even made some quick hollandaise too make the dish extra special. The top layer of sausage and cheese got slightly overcooked so next time I’ll lightly cover the top with foil for a bit.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips, Judy! Happy Easter!
Kimberly Vestal
This can also be made in muffin tins. Spray muffin cups with cooking spray. Then place a layer of hash brown potatoes, cheese, then egg mixture. Bake accordingly. These are great for breakfast on the run. You can also place them on a biscuit with sausage, ham, bacon, etc.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips, Kimberly!
Jasmine Martin
This looks so tasty. I absolutely love eating breakfast casseroles and I am going to have to make this for my family soon.
Elizabeth Williams
This looks very tasty, filling and a wholesome meal to start the day. I’ve never thought of a breakfast casserole before but going to give this a try as an alternative to traditional breakfast options.
Luna S
My step-dad makes one similar to this and ooh it is so good! I need to try and make this on my own so I know how to make it too.
Tammy
Oooh this was absolutely delicious and comforting! So easy to make, too…yum!
Lisa
We just love this hearty casserole. Hash browns are so good and we just love casserole with them in there.
Melanie E
That’s such a great breakfast recipe. It’s handy that it freezes too.
Melsisa Cuhsing
This is my kind of breakfast! It looks so good and I have already pinned it to make on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning! Thank you!
Yeah Lifestyle
My kids love hash browns, so I thought I would give this a try. It was a big hit and made a nice change and I would make it again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, so glad that the kids enjoyed it!
Indu Indra
Healthy breakfast is the best way to start a day. Different recipes bring variety to choose from and try.
Whitney Stewart
Yum, do luv me some hash brown casserole! It’s super easy to put together and leftovers prefect for mornings I’m too lazy to cook! Thank you for this! I’ll definitely be trying it out very soon!
Corrinne Sessions
Can I prep this and make it the next morning? Will it sit overnight okay? Anyone try that?
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delayed response. I have been a little under the weather. Yes, you can prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to bake. Remove about 40 minutes prior to baking to come to room temperature.