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Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole with Hash Browns
With only 5 main ingredients, this gluten-free casserole is a cinch to throw together. You can prep it ahead of time and store in the fridge, or turn it into a freezer breakfast casserole using our instructions.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 pound all-natural ground pork sausage or turkey sausage (Sub: uncured bacon, see Cooking Notes)
- 3 cups refrigerated or thawed* frozen shredded hash browns
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (DF option: Omit the cheese.)
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk (DF option: Use unsweetened, plain almond milk or oat milk.)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- Optional toppings: hot sauce, salsa, ketchup, freshly chopped tomatoes, and avocado
*You’ll need to mostly thaw your frozen hash browns before putting together this casserole. Do this overnight in fridge or using your microwave’s defrost setting. Dab off any excess moisture paper towel.
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmery, add the sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel–lined plate to drain and set aside.
- Generously spray an 8×8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Layer 1 1/2 cups of the hash browns, half the sausage, and 3/4 cup of the cheese in the dish, then repeat with the remaining hash browns, sausage, and cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over the ingredients in the dish. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Bake, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes or until edges are bubbly, the middle is set, and top is golden. Tent with foil if the top starts to get too brown before it’s done. (Note: If the casserole was still cold when you put it in or if it was previously frozen, it will likely take longer. Our tests showed that it will take about 60 minutes to bake after being frozen and thawed. This is because of the extra liquid that’s released during that process.)
- Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, topped with hot sauce, salsa, or ketchup, if desired. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired.
Freeze For Later: Skip Step 1. Follow Steps 2-4, tightly wrap the casserole in plastic wrap or foil, and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Note: You may want to have hot sauce, salsa, or ketchup on hand for serving. Thaw completely. Follow Steps 5-6, except bake for about 60 minutes or until set in the middle.
Notes/Tips
- You can use bacon in place of the sausage. It’s a delicious replacement! We suggest baking it using this recipe and then chopping it up to avoid the stovetop mess.
- You’ll need to mostly thaw your frozen hash browns before putting together this casserole. Do this overnight in fridge or using your microwave’s defrost setting. Dab off any excess moisture paper towel.
- If the casserole is still cold when you put it in or if it was previously frozen, it will likely take longer to bake. Our tests showed that it will take about 60 minutes to bake after being frozen and thawed. This is because of the extra liquid that’s released during that process.
