I’m in love with this Overnight Easy Sausage Breakfast Casserole! It is everything you love about breakfast wrapped up in one dish: cheesy eggs, sausage, hash browns, peppers and onions! You can make ahead or last minute. It’s a great overnight option for Christmas Eve! 

make ahead breakfast casserole with a cheesy topping

This morning I set a deadline to get my work done by a certain time, and sat down at the computer. Eric said encouragingly, “Karen, you can do it!” and I immediately responded, “Nicorette can help!”

sausage and egg breakfast casserole with parsley sprinkled on top

Who else remembers that old commercial? You know a marketing campaign was successful when you’re still chanting the line 20 years later.

easy breakfast casserole with peppers and onions on a plate

After I said it though, Eric was acting all pleased that I had picked up that line from him. And I was like, OH HECK NO, you got that from ME! I’ve been saying Nicorette can help since I was a kid!!

He’s not convinced. He still thinks I got it from him. “It’s been so long that now you think YOU came up with it! I incepted you!”

sausage egg breakfast casserole cross section in a pan

Welcome to being married a long time, my friends. Where you spend your day arguing about commercials from 20 years ago and who-said-what-when. I suppose if this is the worst thing we have to argue about we can’t complain too much!

Well, how is Christmas coming along at your house?? Are there as many Christmas cookies exploding out of your kitchen as there are in mine? Is all the shopping done? There is always so much to do, time flies so quickly in December.

breakfast casserole with sausage and hashbrowns

Have you planned your Christmas menu yet? Christmas breakfast is a big deal around here. It’s my favorite meal of the day, for sure! We ALWAYS make an egg casserole, and this year I’ll be making this Easy Sausage Breakfast Casserole. It’s a new favorite! It’s based on this Cheesy Overnight Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole, which is one of the top recipes on my blog! This is the sausage version.

sausage breakfast casserole overnight

It’s super easy to throw together, can be made ahead, and has all your favorite breakfast flavors: cheesy eggs, tender hashbrowns, and breakfast sausage! I also added in some peppers and onions, but those are optional. Nobody wants to fight with their kids on Christmas morning about eating vegetables, so just leave them out if that’s not a hill you want to die on. Here’s how to make it!

How to make Easy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Here are some of the main ingredients you’ll need. Melt the butter in the casserole dish you’re using while the oven preheats.

frozen hashbrowns, peppers, and sausage all ready to make into breakfast casserole

make sure you get santa to help with quality control

Add in some frozen hashbrowns! No need to thaw first. You can use diced hashbrowns or shredded hashbrowns, totally up to you. I wanted to try out the diced hashbrowns because I usually use shredded. And it turns out I actually prefer shredded, so I’ll be using them next time. Either one is great!

Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the hashbrowns and stir it all together to make sure the butter is distributed. Pop it in the oven and bake until the potatoes are almost tender and just starting to brown, about 30 minutes.

pouring hashbrowns into a baking dish for casserole

Meanwhile, in a skillet brown up some sausage, pepper, and onions. Chop up your onions and peppers nice and small. This is breakfast, not taco night. Be kind to your guests.

chopped onions, red peppers, and green peppers; sausage and peppers on top of hashbrowns

Look the veggies are even Christmas colors!

Like I mentioned before, you can leave out all the veggies if you want. Won’t change a thing.

Add the sausage and peppers and onions on top of the baked hashbrowns. You can either spread it out as a layer on top, or you can stir it in with the hashbrowns. I like to stir it in.

mixing together potatoes and sausage peppers and onions. layering cheese on top.

Top with a bunch of shredded cheese! The sky is the limit here basically. I used Monterey Jack and Cheddar. You could try pepper jack for a spicy twist, mozzarella, gouda, Colby jack, any sort of blended shredded cheese mix you find at the store. (Although parmesan will not melt as well).

pouring egg mixture over a cheesy casserole

Pour your egg mixture on top and make sure you pour it along the edges so that everything gets moistened.

At this point, you can cover and refrigerate overnight! Or pop it straight into the oven. Either way will work totally great. This is a wonderful recipe to make on Christmas Eve for the next morning! All you have to do it preheat the oven in the morning and stick it in the oven. It will probably take closer to 45-50 minutes to bake.

easy sausage breakfast casserole lifted on a serving spoon

And that’s it! I hope you have fun putting together all your Christmas menus and treats for the holidays! If you need inspiration, check out all my Christmas recipes! You will find everything from treats to main dishes for the big day. I know Christmas is a lot of work. You can do it, Nicorette can help! 😉

More breakfast casserole recipes you are going to love!

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Easy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Serves 10-12     adjust servings

I'm in love with this Overnight Easy Sausage Breakfast Casserole! It is everything you love about breakfast wrapped up in one dish: cheesy eggs, sausage, hash browns, peppers and onions! You can make ahead or last minute. It's a great overnight option for Christmas Eve! 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 (30 or 32 ounce) package (diced OR shredded) hash brown potatoes
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
  • 1/2 green pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (packed)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (packed)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 and 1/3 cups half and half, cream, evaporated milk, or whole milk*
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon if using table salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Make the potato layer. While it's heating up, add 1/2 cup butter to a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Place in the oven so that it melts. 
  3. When the butter is melted, take it out and tilt the pan around so that the edges of the pan are greased. Add a 30 ounce package of frozen (diced or shredded is fine) hash browns. You don't have to thaw them first. 
  4. Mix it together with the butter so everything is coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
  5. Place the pan back in the oven and bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes, until the potatoes are mostly cooked and some are starting to lightly brown. Remove from the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 350.
  6. Prepare the sausage layer. Meanwhile, chop up 1/2 a green pepper and 1/2 a red pepper. Chop half of a small onion (no more than 3/4 cup or less). Make sure all the veggies are chopped small. (If you want, you can skip all the vegetables entirely! No need to make any adjustments.)
  7. Add 1 pound breakfast sausage (I used Jimmy Dean Regular, the bulk kind) and all the veggies to a skillet set over medium high heat. Break up the sausage and saute for 5-7 minutes, until the sausage is browned and the onion is getting soft. Drain the grease if there is any. 
  8. Add the cooked sausage mixture on top of the baked hash browns. You can spread it out so that it is a layer on top of the potatoes, or you can stir it in so everything is evenly distributed. (I like to stir.) 
  9. Add cheese. Sprinkle 1 and 1/2 cups Monterey Jack and 1 and 1/2 cups cheddar cheese over the top.
  10. Make the egg mixture. In a large bowl or stand mixer (or you can use a blender!), use a whisk to stir together 8 eggs, 1 and 1/3 cups half and half,* 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard. 
  11. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole, making sure to distribute evenly. (See notes for overnight instructions!)
  12. Bake at 350 (remember to lower the oven temperature) for about 35-45 minutes, until the edges are browned and bubbly, and the center doesn't jiggle a lot when you shake the pan. 
  13. Take out of the oven and let set for 5 minutes before serving. 
  14. Store leftovers in the fridge. They will keep for about 5 days.
  15. This recipe is great for freezing! I like to freeze individual portions of the baked casserole so that I can pop them out one at a time and microwave for a lovely mid morning breakfast of casserole champions. 

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Recipe Notes

Overnight Instructions:

After you pour the egg mixture over the casserole in step 11, cover the casserole tightly and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, get the casserole out of the oven and let it hang out on the counter for a bit while you preheat the oven to 350. When the oven is nice and hot, bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes until the edges are browned and bubbly, and the center doesn't jiggle too much when you shake the pan. Let set for 5 minutes before serving. 

*You can use half and half, cream, evaporated milk, or milk. The higher the fat content, the richer your casserole will be.

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