Breakfast Casserole is the ultimate make-ahead comfort dish, perfect for feeding a crowd, meal prepping, or weekend brunch. Did you know, 65% of home cooks prefer casseroles for easy feeding, making this recipe a Pinterest favorite? This guide puts the keyword Breakfast Casserole front and center, with clear smoker and oven options, timing, and troubleshooting so you spend less time guessing.
This guide is better because it combines smoker tips, oven swaps, and exact timing with serving suggestions that reduce waste. If you want more savory inspiration, try our savory breakfast recipes. In this guide, you’ll learn how to build, smoke, bake, store, and repurpose a hearty Breakfast Casserole that holds up through reheats.
What Is Breakfast Casserole?
A Breakfast Casserole is a layered egg-bread-potato dish that bakes into a rich, sliceable entrée. It typically includes potatoes, sausage, cheese, and eggs, with textures ranging from creamy to crisp depending on toppings.
This dish is versatile, serving crowds or portioning for meals. Nutritional value varies by ingredients, but you can balance protein, carbs, and fat by choosing lean sausage and swapping full-fat cheese for a lighter option. For related protein-rich breakfast ideas, see our feature on banana oatmeal protein breakfast cookies.
Quick Facts about Breakfast Casserole
- Serving size, typical: 1 slice, about 250 g.
- Calories, estimate: 350 to 550 kcal per serving, depending on cheese and sausage.
- Protein highlight: eggs and sausage supply 18 to 30 g protein per serving.
- Did you know? Using day-old bread or frozen hash browns reduces excess moisture, improving texture.
Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb breakfast sausage browned and crumbled
- 450 g frozen hash browns or day-old bread to reduce moisture
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus an additional cup for topping
- 8-10 large eggs whisked
- 2 cups corn flakes crushed, mixed with melted butter
- 60 g butter melted
Seasonings
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste garlic powder
Instructions
Preparation
- Brown the breakfast sausage in a skillet and drain the grease when fully cooked.
- Spray a 9×13 smoker-safe dish with cooking spray.
- Combine the diced hash browns, browned sausage, country sausage gravy, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese in the dish.
- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and stir well.
- Whisk the eggs and pour over the ingredients in the pan.
- Top with the remaining cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Crush the corn flakes and mix with melted butter; pour over the casserole.
Cooking
- Smoke at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or bake at 350 degrees for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and tender.
- Serve with ketchup or hot sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these exact steps for a reliably delicious Breakfast Casserole, with both smoker and oven options included.
- Brown the breakfast sausage in a skillet and drain the grease when fully cooked.
- Action, cook sausage until no pink remains, about 6 to 8 min.
- Expected result, browned, crumbled sausage with rendered fat removed.
- Spray a 9×13 smoker-safe dish with cooking spray.
- Action, coat dish evenly to prevent sticking.
- Expected result, casserole releases cleanly after baking.
- Combine the diced hash browns, browned sausage, country sausage gravy, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese in the dish.
- Action, mix ingredients until evenly distributed.
- Expected result, uniform base layer of starch, meat, and cheese.
- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and stir well.
- Action, evenly sprinkle and incorporate seasonings.
- Expected result, balanced savory flavor throughout.
- Whisk the eggs and pour over the ingredients in the pan.
- Action, beat 8 to 10 large eggs and pour to cover.
- Expected result, eggs soak between potato pieces and bind the casserole.
- Top with the remaining cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Action, evenly distribute cheese over the egg layer.
- Expected result, golden, melty top after cooking.
- Crush the corn flakes and mix with melted butter; pour over the casserole.
- Action, combine 2 cups crushed corn flakes with 60 g melted butter and sprinkle.
- Expected result, crunchy, buttery topping after bake or smoke.
- Smoke at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or bake at 350 degrees for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and tender.
- Action, maintain 350 degrees F and test center with knife.
- Expected result, set center, internal temp about 165 degrees F, edges bubbling.
- Serve with ketchup or hot sauce.
- Action, slice and plate, offer condiments.
- Expected result, ready-to-eat portions with customizable heat or tang.
Variations & Substitutes
Modifying the casserole tailors it to diet, region, or pantry items without losing the core appeal.
Try these variations:
- Vegetarian, swap sausage for crumbled tempeh or mushrooms, and use vegetable gravy.
- Low-carb, replace hash browns with 300 g riced cauliflower or 200 g diced zucchini.
- Tex-Mex, add 1 cup diced green chilies and swap cheddar for pepper jack.
Pros and Cons
- Pros, feeds many, reheats well, and is forgiving for swaps.
- Cons, can be high in sodium and calories if using full-fat sausage and cheese.
- Alternative, use lean turkey sausage and 20% less cheese to cut calories and sodium.
Chef tip, for a crispier top, broil the last 2 min, watching closely to prevent burning.
Mistakes to Avoid
Common beginner errors and fixes, in checklist format for fast review.
- Overloading with wet ingredients, fix: drain hash browns or use day-old bread.
- Undercooking eggs, fix: check for 165 degrees F internal temp.
- Skipping the crust, fix: add crushed cereal or panko with butter for texture.
- Not seasoning properly, fix: taste components before assembling.
- Using too-large dish, fix: use 9×13 pan for thickness that cooks evenly.
Storage, Reuse
Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze individual slices for 2 to 3 months. Reheat covered at 325 degrees F, 20 to 25 min for single slices.
Reuse ideas:
- Repurpose leftovers as breakfast burrito filling with 2 egg whites and salsa.
- Mix cold slices into a breakfast hash, adding fresh herbs and 1 tbsp oil.
If you want sweeter morning options while planning batch breakfasts, check our sweet breakfast recipes for ideas.
Related Recipes / See Also
If you love this, try these complementary recipes from the site, all ideal for crowd feeding or meal prep.
- For high protein breakfast ideas, see best high-protein breakfast foods.
- For pancake lovers seeking protein, try best high-protein pancakes.
- Breakfast rounds and sweets combine well with casseroles, view sweet breakfast recipes.
Conclusion
A well-made Breakfast Casserole saves time, feeds many, and adapts easily to taste and diet. Follow the steps, avoid the common pitfalls, and use the storage tips to stretch leftovers. Enjoy a hands-off, crowd-pleasing dish that reheats like a charm.
