Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Creamy, crunchy savory goodness topped with melty cheese.
Taste: Sausage + veggies + egg = full of flavor.
Ease: Easy and a great make-ahead breakfast option!
Top Tips: Prep it the night before, refrigerate, then just pop it in the oven the next day for an easy breakfast on busy mornings!
Would I make these again? Definitely! I love make-ahead breakfast options and this one is perfect for Christmas morning or when I have company in town. It’s naturally gluten-free and easy to make dairy-free!
xoxo erin
This post was originally published in December 2018. It was updated with new photos and instructions in November 2024.
This sausage hashbrown breakfast casserole is a total crowd-pleaser! It’s full of flavorful sausage and veggies making it one of my favorite recipes for a holiday breakfast.
It’s so convenient to assemble everything the night before, keep it in the fridge, then bake it the next morning. Nobody wants to be cooking up sausage or creating dirty dishes on Christmas morning!
Featured Comment
From Maryanne: “Amazing recipe! Make it for every family function and random weekends. Always a hit.”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Breakfast Casserole
- Make it Dairy-Free
- Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- Can this sausage hashbrown breakfast casserole be made dairy-free?
- Do the frozen hashbrowns need to be thawed before adding them to the mixture?
- Can I use other breakfast meats besides sausage?
- More Favorite Breakfast Recipes
- Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this sausage hashbrown breakfast casserole. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements
- Hashbrowns: I like to use frozen shredded hash browns. You could also make this with frozen tater tots.
- Bell Peppers: You can use any color you like, except green bell peppers. I like to use red bell pepper so it contrasts with the green spinach in this breakfast bake!
- Cheese: You can make this with cheddar, Monterey jack, pepper jack, or dairy-free cheese. I usually make this with VioLife dairy-free cheese.
- Breakfast sausage: Use raw, uncooked ground sausage. I usually use Jimmy Dean Natural pork sausage. You could also use turkey sausage or Italian sausage!
How to Make Gluten-Free Breakfast Casserole
Here’s an overview of how to make this casserole. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- In a large skillet: Cook the sausage and vegetables over medium heat. The onions and peppers in this casserole won’t cook anymore once they are mixed into the the casserole so I like to get them nice and soft while I brown the sausage mixture.
- Add the spinach: Let it wilt for just a few minutes. I also love the pretty colors in this casserole with the the red pepper and spinach!
- In a separate bowl: Combine the remaining ingredients. Many breakfast casseroles use soaked bread for texture, but I keep this breakfast casserole gluten-free by adding frozen hashbrowns. They make it hearty and give it a great consistency.
- Add in sausage mixture: Mix everything together well and be sure to add a good teaspoon of salt and pepper so that this casserole is flavorful once it’s cooked.
- In a greased 9×13 pan: Pour the mixture in the pan, then top with the remaining cheese. You can either bake it right away or pop it in the fridge to bake the next day. Both options work well!
- Bake: With the oven on 350°F, bake uncovered until eggs are set (about 25-30 minutes). Let it cool a little bit before serving, then enjoy!
Make it Dairy-Free
This breakfast casserole is also really easy to make dairy-free. I actually almost always make it dairy-free when I prepare this for my family.
I use coconut milk in place of regular milk and vegan cheese in place of sharp cheddar to make this dairy-free. It tastes just as delicious and you’d never know it’s dairy-free with all the sausage and onions/peppers!
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
To Make-Ahead: After pouring the mixture into the prepared pan, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate the casserole overnight. The next morning, simply remove the plastic wrap and bake as instructed! Serve it with gluten-free donuts, gluten-free cinnamon rolls or gluten-free cranberry bread for a special breakfast!
To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: If you plan on freezing the baked casserole, I suggest baking it in a disposable aluminum pan! Let the casserole cool completely, wrap it in plastic wrap then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it for about 24 hours (covered) in the refrigerator, remove the covering, then reheat in a 350°F oven for 25–30 minutes.
Can this sausage hashbrown breakfast casserole be made dairy-free?
Definitely! And it’s delicious dairy-free too! You can use vegan cheese (I like Violife brand) in place of the cheddar. Use dairy-free milk (I use canned coconut milk) in place of the whole milk, just make sure it’s unsweetened!
Do the frozen hashbrowns need to be thawed before adding them to the mixture?
Nope! The hashbrowns can be added to the casserole mixture straight from the freezer, but thawed will work too.
Can I use other breakfast meats besides sausage?
Absolutely! Cooked and crumbled bacon or diced ham are great options too. For a non-pork option, turkey sausage works well!
More Favorite Breakfast Recipes
Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork breakfast sausage
- 3/4 cup red pepper diced
- 3/4 cup onion diced
- 10 oz (2 cups) frozen hashbrowns
- 1-2 cups spinach finely chopped
- 10 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup whole milk or unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or dairy-free cheese, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onion and red pepper. Break up sausage into small pieces and cook until the vegetables have softened and the sausage is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Add the sausage mixture and mix until totally combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese. At this point you can either bake the casserole or refrigerate the casserole and bake the next day.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, uncovered until the eggs are set. Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
I’ve made this twice now. I halved the recipe for just hubby and I in a 8×8 pan. I cubed russet potatoes to about 1/2” and boiled them for about 4-5 min then immediate put them in cold water so they would stop cooking instead of the hash browns. So good!! I’m wondering how this would freeze in freezer bags cut down to about 3×3 squares for a quick breakfast put on defrost on microwave?
Great to know the casserole worked with russet potatoes prepared that way! This casserole freezes so great! Just like you said – cut it into squares and store it individually wrapped. Then you can defrost in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. You might want to cover the slice with a wet paper towel when you microwave it.
Once baked, how long will this keep in the refrigerator? And how long to reheat a single serving in the microwave?
We love to make this in advance and reheat it throughout the week! It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You only have to microwave a single slice for 15-20 seconds.
I made this casserole for those who were gluten sensitive at our Church’s Mother’s Day brunch. There were three other casseroles for the rest of the congregation, but after everyone had been served I allowed anyone who wished to sample the gluten free casserole.
Four members asked me for the recipe…members who were not gluten sensitive…..they liked it that much.
It will now be one of the standard casseroles made at our church.
Aww – this comment brought a smile to my face. I’m so honored it will be your church’s new go-to recipe!
Would this work with freshly grated sweet potatoes (assuming i can’t find them frozen)?
I would saute freshly grated sweet potatoes a bit before adding them to this. I think that will work great!
What kind of Coconut Milk do you recommend for this dish?
I recommend using full-fat canned coconut milk. You can also use boxed coconut milk but just be sure it’s unsweetened!
Hi! Want to make this for a friend who is both gluten and dairy free. How do you think using goat cheese would taste? Thanks!
I love this casserole with goat cheese! That will work great 🙂
Did you end up doing this? How did it go? I am thinking of freshly grated potatoes instead of frozen hash browns because I don’t like all the extra stuff they put in frozen hash browns…
Can I substitute bacon or ham instead of sausage?
I am thinking of making this casserole dish for Easter brunch, serving approximately 12-14 adults, at around 1:30pm. My sis is making your fruit salad with yogurt recipe. Someone wanted to bring deviled eggs? Is this too many egg dishes? Also, what else can I serve? Another question: would I serve a GF dessert, even if I include muffins or scones with this meal? I guess I’m asking your opinion for other appropriate side dishes for this meal (or should I stick to the traditional ham, etc meal? Thank you for your input,
Cyndi
That sounds like a delicious menu so far! Here are some recipes I think would be delicious with that spread.
Gluten-Free French Breakfast Puffs: https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-cinnamon-brown-butter-breakfast-puffs/
Gluten-Free Muffins: https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-muffins-master-recipe/
Gluten-Free Scones: https://meaningfuleats.com/how-to-make-gluten-free-scones/
Gluten-Free Cheese Scones: https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-cheese-scones/
I hope this helps! 🙂
I’ve made this recipe twice. Once with tater tots and once with hash browns. Both times they were made ahead and placed in the fridge overnight. I omitted the spinach for preference. While I like the casserole itself, it does take at least an hour to cook and set. I took the casserole out of the fridge while preheating the oven.
I think it’s a a tasty recipe, I just recommend allowing for more cooking time. I made it with coconut milk and
dairy free cheese which I don’t normally cook with, so I don’t know if that affects the cooking time.
Thanks for the helpful comment! Good to know you needed to add more time with those substitutions 🙂
Hi I’m confused, I don’t see hashbrowns mentioned anywhere in the instructions, are they cooked or not cooked before they get baked?
You add the hashbrowns in step 4 with the rest of the ingredients. You can add them in frozen or thawed – it works either way. I usually add them in frozen!
Can I use bacon pieces or ham pieces instead of sausage?
Cooked and crumbled bacon and diced ham both work great!
For the 3/4 cup diced onion, is it best to use sweet onion or green onion? I’ve made this yummy recipe before using a sweet onion but haven’t tried green onions.
If green onion is used, should the amount be reduced since green onions are stronger in my opinion?
Either one will work great! I would probably use 1/2 cup of green onion. You won’t need to saute green onions as long. I hope this helps!
What casserole pan is the one in the pictures. Where did you buy it?
I got that pan a loooong time ago for our wedding! I think it was from Macys. Sorry I can’t provide a link!
Would half and half as a sub for the whole milk or coconut milk?
Yes that will work great!
Definitely need to bake for an extra 20-30 minutes. Eggs were NOT done. Total: maybe 50 minutes.
Thanks for the feedback! Did you bake it from the fridge?
Yeah 25-30 minutes at 350 is not nearly enough for this recipe. And no, I did not bake it from the fridge. Very yummy once it’s done though.
Do you use frozen hash browns or thaw them first?
You can do either way! I usually add them in frozen.
This recipe worked well. I used flat hash browns to line bottom of pan, layered the sausage on top and poured the eggs over that, substituted half n half, refrigerated overnight and cooked for 80 mins in a non convection oven on 350 in a glass dish. No sticking to the bottom of dish-yay!
That sounds delicious with flat hashbrowns! I’m glad it turned out for you.
I made this for Christmas Day brunch, and it was fantastic; everyone loved it and most went back for seconds. Loved the use of the frozen hash browns to keep it gluten free since we have a couple of celiac members in the family. A few modifications I made: I didn’t have spinach, so blanched one bunch of asparagus (cut into two-inch sections), then sautéed them in light oil with some garlic and ground pepper. I used a 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, 1/2 cup pepper jack. I also added 1 tsp cumin into the egg mixture. I prepped all of the ingredients (sautéing the sausage and asparagus, shredding cheese, chopping onions and peppers, etc.) the night before and assembled in the AM before popping into the oven. Even with 8 people and some seconds, there was enough left over to send some home with folks, plus breakfast the next day — a bonus! This would also be good to make ahead of busy work week for pack and reheat breakfasts.
Those additions sound delicious! I need to try this with asparagus myself. Thanks for the comment! Glad you all enjoyed it.
I made the recipe exactly as described and it was delicious! I do have a question though. The nutrition info says 477 calories. Is that for the entire pan or each serving?
The nutrition information is based on 1/6th of the recipe. I hope that helps!
How long would this keep in the refrigerator once already baked? 3 days??? 2 days? Thanks
I think it’s great for 3-4 days after it’s baked! You can reheat it one slice at a time 🙂
Do you think adding mushrooms would work in this casserole?
Yes that will work great!
If you are refrigerating over night, would it still bake for only 30 minutes? I was hoping to go to church and bake it while I’m gone. (Maybe an hour) thoughts?