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’m going to make this for an Easter brunch this weekend. I’m not sure if you will get to this question, but what are your thoughts about browning the hash browns first, before putting them in the mixture. Do you think that would work?
Hi James, we’re sorry we didn’t see your question before the holiday! Browning the hashbrowns should work. If you tried it out this weekend, we’d love to hear how it went!
I make this at the beginning of a work week and then we eat on it for breakfast all week long. It’s delicious!
Hi Tracy, we’re so happy to hear this recipe has become a breakfast go-to for you all! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback with us!
Can Italian sausage be used instead?
Definitely, Joanna! We hope you enjoy the casserole!
I made this…it turned out so good!! I didn’t use peppers added a little crushed garlic and substituted hash-browns for Sweet Potato Tots then cooked it 45 mins. It was delicious!
We’re so glad you loved the recipe, Marcia! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us!
I’m confused about the hash browns. Are we talking about the shredded potatoes that are shaped into a rectangular patty? Or home fries style that are just diced potatoes?
Hi Trose, thank you for your question! We recommend using frozen shredded hashbrowns, not the pre-formed patties. You can also use tater tots. Home fries should work too, we just haven’t tried them out in this recipe before. We hope you enjoy the casserole!
I make this multiple times a year for family and work gatherings. It’s always a crowd pleaser! I prepare it dairy free using almond milk and dairy free shredded cheddar.
I’m confused on how much of the 1 cup of cheese should be added to the breakfast casserole.
You say to add the remaining cheese on top.
Sorry if I l overlooked it and it is listed.
Hi Kathy, good question! All of the cheese gets sprinkled on top of the mixture before the casserole is baked (step 4). We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can you use the refrigerated hash browns and does that change the cooking time?
Hi Stephanie, that should work! The frozen hashbrowns can be added frozen or thawed so using refrigerated ones shouldn’t change things too much. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
I just made this casserole and added fresh mushrooms with it. My family loved it! It took about 40 minutes to cook, but it was worth the wait!
We’re so glad it was a hit with the whole family, Tonya! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
I made this for Thanksgiving morning and it was a big hit with my family! The only changes I made were I used carmelized onions that I had in the freezer & used half & half instead of milk. will be making this for Christmas morning!
Hi Kathy, we’re so happy to hear your whole family enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We hope it’s another big hit on Christmas morning!
Hi Erin. Do you think i could use frozen O’Brien potatoes? I have some, and wouldn’t need to run to the store. I’m planning to halve the recipe for 2 of us.
Thank you!
Hi Pattie, we haven’t tested it out, but it sounds like it’s worth a try. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
We love this recipe and make it over and over again. Only feedback is that it takes 45-60 minutes to bake no matter what pan I use.
Thank you for your feedback, Katie! We’re so glad it has become a go-to recipe for you all. Happy baking!
Recipe looks great. So happy it is gluten and dairy free! Do you think it can be made with unsweetened almond milk instead of coconut milk?
Hi Wendy, yes that will work! It might make the mixture a little less creamy since it’s thinner, but overall it will still work well in this recipe. We hope you enjoy the casserole!
This is my family’s favorite breakfast casserole. Sometimes I add other veggies, such as sautéed chopped asparagus or zucchini. It is always delicious!
Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us, Donna! We’re so happy to hear it has become such a go-to recipe for your family!
I did love this recipe! I used hot sausage, I want to make it spicier next time. Do you have a suggestion for what to add to make it hotter/spicier?
Hi Brittney, we’re so glad you loved it! Spicy sausage sounds good! To make it even spicier, you could try a few different option: add diced jalapeños, add a splash of hot sauce to the egg, use pepper jack cheese, or serve it with spicy salsa, a drizzle of hot sauce, or even a dollop of spicy aioli. We hope these ideas help!