Sausage, Egg, and Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

A crisp-edged hash brown base supports browned sausage, vegetables, sharp cheddar, scallions, and tender egg custard for a crowd-ready brunch casserole.

80 min

8 servings

Golden breakfast casserole with crisp hash brown edges, sausage, red pepper, cheddar, and scallions sits beside one plated portion.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 lb pork breakfast sausage

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

10 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Equipment

9-by-13-inch baking dish · Large skillet · Large mixing bowl · Clean kitchen towel · Whisk · Instant-read thermometer

Overnight brunch plan

Assemble through the custard, cover, and chill 8–12 hours. Add the final cheese after tempering the dish while the oven heats.

Keep the eggs tender

Pull the casserole at 160 F while the center still has a gentle wobble; carryover heat finishes the set during the 10-minute rest.

Prepare the potato base

01. Heat the oven to 425 F; butter a 9-by-13-inch dish and preheat it for 5 minutes to jump-start browning.

02. Squeeze thawed hash browns until they stop dripping, then toss with 1 tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp salt so trapped water cannot steam the crust.

03. Press potatoes across the hot dish and slightly up its sides, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, and bake 15 minutes until dry and lightly browned at the edges.

Cook the filling

04. Brown sausage over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles and cooking until no pink remains.

05. Add onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes, until tender and the skillet has no pooled moisture that could dilute the custard.

Mix and layer

06. Whisk eggs, half-and-half, 1 tsp salt, pepper, and garlic powder only until uniform; excess foam encourages a dry, puffy texture.

07. Lower the oven to 350 F and layer sausage, 6 oz cheddar, half the scallions, and custard over the precrisped potato base.

Bake now or overnight

08. For bake-now, add 2 oz cheddar and proceed; for overnight, cover and chill 8–12 hours, then add cheese and temper the dish for 20 minutes while the oven heats.

09. Bake warm 25–30 minutes or chilled 35–40 minutes, stopping at 160 F when the center has no liquid egg but still jiggles gently.

Rest and reheat

10. Rest 10 minutes, garnish with scallions, and cut 8 portions. Reheat covered at 325 F to 165 F so the eggs warm without drying at the edges.