Description
A hearty and delicious Cheesy Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast Bake perfect for feeding a crowd or preparing ahead for busy mornings. This savory casserole layers golden hashbrowns, flavorful ground pork sausage, sweet bell peppers, onions, and plenty of melted cheddar cheese all bound together with eggs and creamy evaporated milk. Easy to prepare, make ahead, and bake for a comforting breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Hashbrown Mixture
- 20 ounces shredded hash browns, thawed
- 1 pound ground pork sausage, cooked, crumbled, and drained
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Egg Mixture
- 8 eggs
- 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can) or 1 â…“ cups milk
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning or preferred herbs/spices (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or a 3-quart baking dish to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Cook Sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground pork sausage until it is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat to keep the casserole from being greasy.
- Assemble Hashbrown Mixture: In the prepared baking dish, combine the thawed shredded hash browns, cooked and drained sausage, diced onion, diced red and green bell peppers, and 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Mix gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Mix Egg Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, evaporated milk (or regular milk if preferred), Kosher salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning until well combined and slightly frothy.
- Combine and Top: Pour the egg mixture evenly over the hashbrown mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly on top.
- Bake: You may cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight for convenience, or bake immediately. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, until the eggs are set and the top is golden and bubbly. Let it stand a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of cooked garlic or smoked paprika to the hashbrown mixture.
- You can substitute the pork sausage with turkey or chicken sausage for a leaner option.
- Use sharp cheddar cheese for a stronger cheese flavor.
- This dish can be prepared the night before by assembling and refrigerating covered, then baked in the morning.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
