Description
This Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole is a hearty, crowd-pleasing morning dish packed with sausage, onions, bell peppers, hashbrowns, eggs, cheese, and a flavorful blend of seasonings. Perfect for meal prep or serving at brunch gatherings, it’s baked until golden and sets perfectly for easy slicing.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat & Vegetables
- 1 pound ground breakfast sausage (such as Jimmy Dean)
- 1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
Hashbrowns & Dairy
- 28 oz. shredded hash browns, thawed and patted dry
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, divided in half
Egg Mixture
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
Seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Place your oven rack in the middle position and preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish to prevent sticking.
- Cook Sausage and Vegetables: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the breakfast sausage until fully browned. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté until the vegetables are slightly softened. Drain any excess grease from the mixture and set aside.
- Prepare Egg Mixture: Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl and beat until the yolks and whites are just combined. Add sour cream, milk, hot sauce, mustard powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, ground sage, salt, and pepper to the eggs. Stir or whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Assemble Casserole Layers: Add the thawed and patted-dry hashbrowns to the prepared casserole dish. Drizzle with melted butter and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the hashbrowns, then layer the cooked sausage, onions, and peppers on top.
- Add Egg Mixture & Cheese: Pour the prepared egg mixture evenly over the sausage and vegetable layer. Finish by topping with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese for a cheesy crust.
- Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, for approximately 50 minutes. Begin checking every 5 minutes after the 50-minute mark. The casserole is done when the edges are lightly browned and the center is nearly set—it will continue to set as it rests.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the casserole to finish setting and makes serving easier.
Notes
- Ham can be used instead of sausage—use 2 (8 oz.) ham steaks, diced and sautéed for about 5 minutes to release excess water before assembling the casserole.
- Ensure hashbrowns are fully thawed and patted dry for the best texture. Using frozen hashbrowns may overcook the eggs due to longer baking time.
- Lamb Weston Thick Cut Hash Browns are recommended for their sturdiness, but cubed hashbrowns can also be used.
- This casserole is ideal for meal prep or feeding a crowd. Leftovers reheat well.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/18th of casserole
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 185mg