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This is truly the BEST Breakfast Casserole! It has a thick and creamy egg base loaded with shredded potatoes, chunks of ham, and flavorful cheese blends that bake up in no time. Make this to enjoy Christmas morning or brunch any time of year.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This is so easy to throw together. It only takes about 5 minutes to get everything together. The hard part is waiting for it to be done cooking!
- Make Ahead: Make this ahead of time, and when ready to bake, simply take it out of the refrigerator and bake.
- Family Favorite: Your family will love this easy breakfast casserole this holiday season. I have our traditional Sticky buns on the menu for Christmas, along with this amazing casserole.
Family Tradition
Breakfast casserole reminds me of Christmas morning. The smells, the ooey gooey cheese, and the smokey chunks of ham are just so good! I always loved waking up to it on Christmas morning! It is perfect the way it is, but if you want to switch up the cheese, meat, or potatoes, you totally can! You can also add some veggies! Get creative and make this part of your family traditions!
Ingredients Needed
How to Make a Breakfast Casserole
This breakfast casserole recipe is the BEST because of how simple it comes together and is in the oven in just minutes. This tried and true breakfast casserole tastes amazing, and I know your whole family will love it!
- Prepare Frozen Hash Browns: Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add the frozen shredded hash browns to the bottom of the prepared pan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Whisk Eggs/ Add Remaining Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the half and half and seasoned salt, then whisk to combine. Stir in the shredded cheese and chopped ham.
- Pour Into Pan and Refrigerate: Pour over the top of the frozen hash browns, then cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Bake: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60-75 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Mix It Up!
Try some of these fun variations in this breakfast casserole and find what you enjoy best!
- Can I add vegetables? Add in some veggies like bell peppers, spinach or kale, tomato (fresh or canned), broccoli, mushrooms, or onions are great.
- Do I have to use ham? You can use bacon, variations of sausage, shredded chicken, ground beef, or leftover turkey.
- Do I have to use Half & Half? If you’re not a fan of half and half, you can use whipping cream for a thicker, richer breakfast, or you can simply use milk.
- Can I use any kind of cheese? Switch up which cheese you use. Try Swiss cheese, Colby jack, or mozzarella, which all work well and melt perfectly when baked.
- How can I make this spicy? Adding red pepper flakes, green chilies, or green onions is a fun way to add a little heat.
- Can I use different potatoes? Diced or flavorful frozen potatoes will work great in place of shredded potatoes.
Tips for Making Breakfast Casserole
Here are some tips for making this breakfast casserole even better and easier on you. These tips will help you better understand how to bake this breakfast for you to enjoy with your family.
- Do I Need to Thaw the Frozen Hash Browns? There is no need to thaw the potatoes because they will thaw as they sit in the refrigerator. However, they would cook up perfectly if they were to cook from frozen!
- How Do I Know When the Casserole is Done? Once the outside edges become golden brown and the egg mixture in the middle is firm. You can check by slightly shaking the pan to see if it jiggles. Use a toothpick or knife to check if it is completely cooked through the middle. You can also use a thermometer to see if the breakfast casserole has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Short on Time? Allowing your casserole to refrigerate ahead of time creates the best results, and I highly recommend it! But if you’re short on time, you can assemble the casserole and bake it right away without refrigerating.
- Drain Grease: If you use any other meat in the breakfast casserole, drain the meat before adding it to the dish.
Storing Breakfast Casserole
There are so many options and plans for this breakfast casserole to make your holiday mornings even easier and better.
- In the Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- To Reheat: To reheat the breakfast casserole, microwave individual servings until warmed through.
- In the Freezer: Yes, this is perfect for freezing. Make and bake your breakfast casserole. Once it has completely cooled down, place it in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Lay flat in your freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw from frozen in the refrigerator over night. Warm individual servings in the microwave until warmed through.
- Make Ahead Instructions: Simply follow the instructions until you are ready to bake. Cover it with aluminum foil or a lid and place it in your fridge. When you are ready to bake, simply take it out and bake it according to the instructions. This can sit in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.
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The Best Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 24 ounces frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 large eggs
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 2 cups chopped ham sausage, bacon, or preferred meat
Instructions
- Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add 24 ounces frozen shredded hash brown potatoes to the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 12 large eggs. Add 2 cups half and half and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt then whisk to combine. Stir in 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 ½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese, and 2 cups chopped ham.
- Pour the egg mixture over the frozen hash browns. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Bake uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60-75 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions, if desired!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t the frozen hash browns make the recipe watery? Wondering if I should cook frozen potatoes first and then layer. Thank you.
No, using the hashbrowns frozen won’t make it watery! No need to cook them beforehand!
hi,
do you need to do anything with the broccoli ~ does it need to be cooked first? or can you use frozen broccoli like in the bags that you microwave.
Hello! This recipe doesn’t use broccoli. Were you thinking of a different one perhaps?
I found that 90 minutes was way too long for cook time. 60 minutes was even a little too much. Luckily I checked it after an hour. Everyone loved it!
Do you have a favorite French Toast Recipe?
Yes! Try this one: Secret Ingredient French Toast Recipe
OMG yes! I’ve been looking for a good breakfast casserole recipe to mix it up and the mornings and have loved this every time I have made it so far. I am a huge fan of spice, so I add some of my garden jalapenos diced up and it adds that extra kick I look for, lol. Thanks for the tasty recipe Alyssa.
Thank you!! This is a favorite in our house for sure. The added jalapenos are a great idea!
Could I add red and green peppers to this?
Yes! That sounds delicious!
I prefer using hash brown cubes and not the shredded. For me it was just too much. I always cook up 1 onion and 1 green pepper to add to the potatoes. Seasoning includes, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
I am needing to make ahead for a camp. Could this be cooked, frozen, then reheated?
Yes, this is perfect for freezing. Make and bake your breakfast casserole. Once it has completely cooled down, place in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Lay flat in your freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to warm up, place on baking sheet frozen and bake until warmed through about 20 to 25 minutes.
Do you think that the Costco dehydrated hashbrowns would work for this?
I haven’t tried that but I would think they would work after you have hydrated them. That’s a great idea!
I’ve been using this for a while now and I love it but I want to say that in the upper part of this it says bake covered and then the real recipe says bake uncovered…
Thanks for a very delicious sounding, pretty casserole recipe! I haven’t made it yet ,but like you , I’ve made many breakfast casseroles in the past. My comment/question is I’ve tried frozen shredded hash browns in past casserole recipes with disappointing results. The potatoes ended up soggy, tasteless and colorless in the finished casserole. Is there anyway to prepare the hash browns (seasoning and developing color & texture) before building the recipe? Many thanks!
I haven’t tried that with this casserole so I’m not sure! Using frozen hashbrowns has worked great in this recipe!
I’m going to try this recipe out on Mother’s Day but from past experience with other recipes I recommend using the simply potatoes hash browns. They come in shredded or southern style hash browns and when I buy them they are in the fridge section not freezer so that would help eliminate the excess moisture. Me personally, I prefer the southern style to give it more flavor and a little kick.
Thx for the recipe. I am trying this. If I use sausage shall I cook it first before I layer it in w other ingredients? Thx. Jeanne I
Yes! I would cook it first!
Thx so much. I decided to use half turkey and half ham in the egg casserole. I added some spinach , onion , red peppers and cooked mushrooms . Excited to try it. Thx for all your replies . I Love cooking !!
CAN YOU MAKE IT RIGHT AWAY AND OMIT PUTTING IN THE REFRIGE OVERNIGHT OR 2 HOURS ?
It is best to refrigerate it so that the egg mixture can soak it. It’s not mandatory but helps for a richer taste and softer potatoes!
Made this today – excellent recipe! Everyone loved it!
I’m so happy to hear that! It’s a favorite of mine for sure!
Really delicious recipe. I love it yummy!!! It’s really awesome
I did half the recipe in a smaller casserole dish, does it cook for the same time?
I would reduce the cook time by about 5 minutes and then check it frequently.