Brunch Casserole – Great Make-Ahead Breakfast Option

This substantial Brunch Casserole is belly-filling and a breeze to make. Made from all your favorites, potatoes, sausage, bacon, pepper, onion, cheese, and more, your mouth will be watering while you’re waiting for it to finish in the oven. We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and this hearty casserole will start your day off on the right foot.

This is a great option for a hearty breakfast without all the work in the morning. I make it while I’m making dinner, so it doesn’t even take much extra time the night before. It’s easy to whip up the night before. Just pop it in the oven the next morning for an easy breakfast option.

This brunch is not only great for holiday breakfasts but also for any time you’re hosting overnight guests or have a busy day and need a go-to easy breakfast.

In my family, we’ve been having this brunch casserole for holiday breakfasts for several years. It’s great for Christmas, Easter, or any time you want to have a hearty breakfast without a lot of fuss. It’s easy to whip up the night before. Pop it in the oven just the next morning for an easy breakfast option.

This substantial Brunch Casserole is belly-filling and a breeze to make. Made from all your favorites, potatoes, sausage, bacon, pepper, onion, cheese, and more, your mouth will be watering while you’re waiting for it to finish in the oven. We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and this hearty casserole will start your day off on the right foot.

This is a great option for a hearty breakfast without all the work in the morning. I make it while I’m making dinner, so it doesn’t even take much extra time the night before. It’s easy to whip up the night before. Just pop it in the oven the next morning for an easy breakfast option.

This brunch is not only great for holiday breakfasts but also for any time you’re hosting overnight guests or have a busy day and need a go-to easy breakfast.

How to Make the Best Brunch Casserole, Step-by-Step

This brunch is not only great for holiday breakfasts but also for any time you’re hosting overnight guests or have a busy day and need a go-to easy breakfast. There’s a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients for Brunch

4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 lb. bulk pork sausage, cooked and drained (I like Tennessee Pride Mild)
1/2 lb. bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
4 eggs
3 cups 2% milk (use Soy milk for dairy free)
1 cup reduced-fat biscuit/baking mix (Bisquick Gluten Free for gluten-free)
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions for Brunch Casserole

The night before:

1. Thaw hash brown potatoes. Cook and crumble bacon. Cook and drain sausage.
2. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, sausage, bacon, green pepper and green onion; stir in 1 cup cheddar cheese.
3. Transfer to a greased 9×13-in. baking dish.
4. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, baking mix and salt until blended; pour over top.
5. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

In the morning:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven heats.
2. Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
3. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Storage

Any leftovers of this fantastic casserole should be transferred to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

You can reheat the casserole in the oven on warm until reheated all the way through, or you can microwave individual servings.

Additionally, you can freeze this casserole once it’s cooled to room temperature. Transfer it to a freezer safe container or bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thaw the casserole overnight before reheating and enjoying.

Tips and Variations

• My family really likes cheese so this photo has about 2 cups of extra cheese on top. Feel free to adjust this to your liking.
• Try other cheese options on top if you prefer something different than shredded cheddar cheese.
• You can use breakfast tater tots in place of the shredded hash browns if needed.
• In place of pork sausage, you can use chicken sausage or turkey sausage. The same goes for bacon options.
• Green peppers are a classic for my family, but you can use any of the sweet peppers. Red, orange, or yellow bell peppers would all be great swaps or additions to use in this breakfast casserole.
• Don’t skimp on the eggs, that’s what helps hold this casserole together. If you don’t use enough eggs, your casserole will deflate.

What other ingredients can I add?

The options are endless. Add your favorite breakfast or brunch ingredients to the casserole. Some great ideas are:

• Mushrooms
• Green onions
• Diced tomatoes
• Spinach or kale
• Zucchini
• Breakfast ham
• Any pepper options shared above

What to serve with this casserole?

This is a filling stand-alone dish, but you can absolutely add a few other sides with it. Try homemade biscuits, a side of fresh fruit or oatmeal or grits.

Brunch casserole is also a great dish to make when you want to serve breakfast for dinner during the week. Sometimes when you don’t feel like classic dinner options, breakfast for dinner is the perfect thing to make!

So if you plan to use this casserole as a breakfast for dinner option, you can serve this with a small salad or your favorite side of vegetables, like grilled zucchini, asparagus, or something else filling and delicious.

Brimming with hash browns, sausage, cheese and bacon, this Brunch Casserole is food cheer any morning without all of the morning work. I just love make-ahead recipes and this sausage breakfast casserole is a great filling option. This make-ahead casserole takes the chaos out of busy mornings.

Next time you’re feeling crafty, you might want to try out one of the following projects:

Let me know what you think if you try this casserole. Do you have other holiday breakfast traditions? I’d love to know. Add a comment below or email me at janet@alifeofbalance.com.