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Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole with Sausage (Kid-Approved)

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A hearty, make-ahead breakfast casserole with crispy hash browns, savory sausage, melted cheese, and fluffy eggs. Perfect for busy mornings, holiday brunches, and lazy weekends—assemble it the night before and bake fresh in the morning.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound breakfast sausage
  • 1 (30-ounce) bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed slightly
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 12 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ cup diced onion (optional)
  • ½ cup diced bell pepper (optional)
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spatula, until no longer pink (6-8 minutes). If using onions or bell peppers, add them halfway through. Drain excess grease and set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
  3. Spread the thawed frozen shredded hash browns evenly across the bottom of the dish. Do not press down firmly.
  4. Sprinkle the cooked sausage evenly over the hash browns, then top with both cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Reserve about ½ cup of cheese for the top if desired.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until well combined and uniform in color (about 30 seconds).
  6. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the casserole, ensuring even coverage. Use a fork to gently poke through the layers so the eggs can reach the bottom.
  7. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours).
  8. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove casserole from fridge and let sit for 15 minutes while oven heats.
  9. Bake covered with foil for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until top is golden brown and center is set (a knife inserted in the middle should come out clean). If using reserved cheese, sprinkle it on during the last 10 minutes of uncovered baking.
  10. Let casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Notes

For best results, refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld and hash browns to absorb the egg mixture. Let casserole rest after baking for clean slices. Can be frozen before or after baking. For dairy-free, use unsweetened almond milk or oat milk and dairy-free cheese. For vegetarian, omit sausage and add extra veggies.

Nutrition

Keywords: breakfast casserole, make-ahead breakfast, sausage casserole, hash brown casserole, egg casserole, holiday brunch, easy breakfast

Find it online: https://sparklechew.com/easy-make-ahead-breakfast-casserole-with-sausage-kid-approved/