All of your favorite breakfast foods together in a casserole!
Most days of the week, we want something quick and simple to prepare for breakfast. However, on occasions when time isn’t a factor, it can be worthwhile to put together something special. This sausage hash brown casserole is one of my favorite special breakfast dishes to prepare. With sausage, hash browns, eggs, and cheese, it combines so many of my favorite breakfast foods together in one pan. What more could a person ask for to start their day?
Needless to say, this is a rich and hearty dish. The hash browns essentially act as the base layer or crust of the dish, with the sausage on top. Then, everything gets covered with the egg mixture that helps to meld everything together. Finally, the layer of melted cheese on top makes everything even better. Like any good casserole, this dish has a great blend of several flavors in every bite.
Is Sausage Hash Brown Casserole Healthy?
From a health standpoint, this casserole is a mixed bag, so it may not jive with every diet. For starters, it contains 34 grams of fat and 13 grams of saturated fat per serving. The sodium and cholesterol levels are also high, which is why this recipe is best enjoyed occasionally. The good news is that the sausage and eggs help provide a large dose of protein, and you’ll also get a decent amount of potassium, calcium, and iron from this dish. That helps to give this recipe a silver lining from a health standpoint despite some obvious drawbacks.
How do I make dry and crispy hash browns?
As the bottom layer of the casserole, the hash browns are perhaps the most important ingredient in this recipe. It’s important to give them a day to thaw in the fridge, and then pat them dry before using. You want to make sure there is no excess moisture in the hash browns, because that could make the rest of the casserole soggy. When you cook the hash browns before adding them to the bottom of the baking dish, make sure they are crispy so that the rest of the casserole has a solid foundation.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 pounds pork breakfast sausage
- 1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
- 30 ounces frozen hash browns, thawed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped green onions for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Preheat oven, prepare ingredients.
Assemble
Layer ingredients in baking dish.
Bake
Cover and bake, then finish uncovered.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
This casserole can be assembled as instructed, covered in plastic wrap or foil unbaked, and stored in the fridge overnight. Once cooked, leftovers should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge and will remain good for 3 or 4 days.
The recipe calls for cheddar cheese, although you can use other types of cheese based on your personal preferences. Feel free to experiment with Gruyère, Colby, mozzarella, pepper jack or Swiss.
In addition to pepper and onion, plenty of other vegetables work well in this casserole, including mushrooms, spinach, and even jalapeños.
Serving Suggestions
For a hearty casserole like this, I recommend serving fruit or yogurt as a side dish. You may want to try a Smoothie Bowl or perhaps Bionicos, which is a Mexican fruit bowl. Muffins can also be a nice complement for this casserole, especially health-conscious muffin recipes like Low-Carb Sugar-Free Keto Blueberry Muffins or Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins. Making a special casserole like this can also be a good occasion to make fruit smoothies. Personally, I like this recipe for a Strawberry Mango Smoothie, although you can also try a simple Blueberry Smoothie.
If you prefer bacon over sausage, I would recommend this Bacon and Egg Casserole. You can also consider replacing the hash browns with tater tots in this recipe to make a Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole. Finally, for those who have dietary restrictions, consider this recipe for an Easy Low-Carb Keto Breakfast Casserole With Sausage.
Sausage Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork breakfast sausage
- 1/2 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 medium onion finely diced
- 30 ounces frozen hash browns thawed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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In a skillet, cook peppers and onions until softened, then add sausage and heat until cooked through and crumbly. Remove from the pan and drain the grease. Cook the hashbrowns in the same skillet with oil until browned.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of cheese, salt, and pepper.
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Grease a 9×13 baking dish and load it with the hash browns, add cooked sausage, peppers, and onion on top, then pour the egg mixture evenly over. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top.
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Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is golden. Top with green onions when serving.
Nutrition
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