This crockpot breakfast casserole is perfect for busy mornings! The crispy hash browns, savory sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh green onions create a hearty base, while the softly cooked eggs, seasoned with just the right amount of salt and pepper, pour a creamy layer over the top.
This breakfast casserole dish is more than just a breakfast recipe. It is a convenient way to start your day. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, giving you a few extra minutes to enjoy your morning coffee or catch up on the news. Plus, with the crockpot’s generous size, there’s plenty for everyone or enough to keep for leftovers.
What’s more is that it is both simple and versatile! You can easily swap out ingredients based on your preferences or what you have in your fridge. Want to add some bell peppers or spinach? Go for it! Prefer bacon over sausage? No problem! This recipe is all about making breakfast your way, right at home. I love using leftovers to make freezer-friendly breakfast burritos!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: This crockpot breakfast casserole recipe is incredibly easy to whip up with basic ingredients like eggs, cheese, and hash browns. The prep time is minimal – simply cook the sausage, layer the ingredients in your slow cooker, and let it do the cooking for you.
- Family-favorite: This delicious breakfast recipe is a hit with the whole family. The combination of hearty sausage, cheesy goodness, and fluffy eggs is hard to resist, especially on a cozy Christmas morning.
- Adaptable: This crockpot breakfast casserole recipe is also highly adaptable. Feel free to add in vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms, or switch up the cheese to Monterey Jack or shredded cheddar cheese to suit your family’s tastes.
- Crowd pleaser: Whether it is for a laid-back brunch or a busy morning, this slow cooker breakfast casserole is a crowd-pleaser. And the best part? You can use the leftovers for breakfast burritos – just wrap the cooked egg mixture in flour tortillas for a quick and satisfying meal.
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Key Ingredients
- Shredded Hash Browns: These give the casserole a hearty, potato base. The hash browns will cook down in the slow cooker and meld together with the other ingredients to create a delicious, comforting dish.
- Sausage: This adds a savory, meaty flavor to the breakfast casserole. You can use any type of breakfast sausage you prefer, from spicy to sweet.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: The cheese will melt into the casserole and give it a creamy, rich flavor. Sharp cheddar is great for adding a bit of tang to the dish.
- Green Onions: Diced green onions provide a bit of crunch and a fresh flavor that balances out the hearty ingredients in the casserole.
- Eggs: These are the main ingredient in any breakfast casserole. They hold everything together and provide a fluffy, light texture to the dish.
- Milk: This will help to thin out the egg mixture and add a bit of creaminess to the casserole.
- Salt: A little bit of salt enhances all the other flavors in the casserole. It is a small but important ingredient.
- Black Pepper: Adding a bit of black pepper gives the casserole a slight heat and helps to balance out the richness of the other ingredients.
Equipment
- Large Skillet – You’ll need this to cook the sausage before adding it to the crockpot. It helps guarantee that your sausage is fully cooked and adds an extra layer of flavor to your crockpot breakfast casserole. Not to mention you want to drain the grease!
- Crockpot – This is the main equipment for this breakfast recipe. You’ll use it to layer your hash browns, sausage, cheese, and onions, and then to cook your casserole. The slow cooking time allows all the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- Cheese Grater – While you can buy pre-shredded cheese, grating your own cheese can enhance the flavor of your casserole. A cheese grater is a must-have for this.
- Mixing Bowl – You’ll need this to whisk together your eggs, milk, salt, and pepper before you pour the egg mixture over your layered ingredients in the crockpot.
How to Make Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
Preparation
Begin by cooking your choice of breakfast sausage in a large skillet until thoroughly cooked. Once cooked, be sure to drain any excess grease.
Step 1 – Spray and Layer the Crockpot
Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Then, layer half of your hash browns at the bottom of the crockpot, creating a nice, even layer of potatoes.
Step 2 – Add Sausage, Cheese, and Onions
Next, add half of your cooked sausage over the hash browns. Follow this with a layer of cheese and onions. This recipe works well with shredded cheddar cheese and diced green onions, but feel free to use your favorites.
Step 3 – Repeat the Layers
Repeat the process of layering hash browns, sausage, cheese, and onions. This will help make sure that these delicious ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the casserole.
Step 4 – Prepare and Pour Egg Mixture
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Once well combined, pour this egg mixture over the layered ingredients in the crockpot. This will bind everything together during the cooking process.
Step 5 – Set the Cooking Time
Cook your casserole on a low setting for 8 hours, or if you’re in a bit of a rush, you can cook it on high for 3 – 4 hours. You’ll know your crockpot breakfast casserole is ready when the eggs are set and fully cooked. Enjoy this delightful brunch dish on a relaxing weekend or even on Christmas morning!
Expert Tips
- Repurpose the Leftovers: Don’t let leftovers go to waste! Use any remaining casserole to make breakfast burritos. Just wrap the egg mixture in flour tortillas for an easy, handheld breakfast option. Freeze them individually wrapped and microwave wrapped in a paper towel for 1-2 minutes on busy mornings for a hot breakfast!
Recipe Variations
- More Vegetables: Try adding bell peppers, spinach, or mushrooms to the egg mixture. Not only will this enhance the flavor and texture of your casserole, but it will also add some extra nutrients to start your day right.
- Mexican Style: Give your crockpot breakfast casserole a Mexican twist by adding some salsa and green chiles. You can even replace the sharp cheddar cheese with Monterey Jack for a more authentic flavor. This variation will take your breakfast to a whole new level.
- Swap the Sausage: If you’re not a fan of sausage, you can easily swap it out for some diced ham or bacon. This will still provide the protein you need to start your day, but with a different flavor profile. You can also try using breakfast sausage for a more traditional breakfast flavor.
- Make it Festive: For a special occasion like Christmas morning, try adding some red and green bell peppers to the egg mixture for a festive touch. You can also sprinkle some dry mustard into the egg mixture for a unique, tangy flavor. It is a fun and festive way to start your holiday morning.
What to Serve With
- For a delicious breakfast experience, serve a portion of this crockpot breakfast casserole with a side of crispy bacon and fresh avocado slices. The creaminess of the avocado and the crunch of the bacon makes a great contrast to the soft and cheesy casserole.
- The leftovers from this crockpot breakfast casserole make a fantastic filling for breakfast burritos. Simply spoon the egg mixture onto a flour tortilla, add some shredded cheddar cheese, and roll it up.
- Why not turn this breakfast recipe into a dinner one? Serve a portion of this casserole with a side of roasted bell peppers and a glass of white wine for a cozy and comforting breakfast for dinner.
Recipe FAQs
Leftovers from this breakfast casserole can make a great filling for breakfast burritos. Simply take the cooked egg mixture and wrap it in flour tortillas for an easy and delicious breakfast on the go.
You’ll know your Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is fully cooked when the eggs are set. This will usually take around 8 hours on a low setting, or 3 – 4 hours on a high setting.
Absolutely! Feel free to add vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach to your layers. You can also switch up the cheese – try using Monterey Jack or shredded cheddar cheese. And if you like it spicy, add some green chilies or salsa. This recipe is versatile and adaptable to your taste.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate: If you have leftovers from your delicious crockpot breakfast casserole, simply store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They should stay good for up to 3 days.
- Reheat Instructions: To reheat, simply microwave individual portions until warmed through, or place the entire casserole (if safe for your dish) in the oven at 350 degrees until heated.
- Freeze: If you want to freeze it, I recommend making freezer-friendly breakfast burritos to repurpose the casserole! Simply fill and roll some tortillas, cover them with plastic wrap, and freeze them for up to one month.
More Breakfast Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This crockpot breakfast casserole recipe makes enough for about 12 servings, using a standard slow cooker.
- How to Scale: If you’re hosting a larger gathering or want to have plenty of leftovers, you can easily double this recipe. To do so, simply double the amount of each ingredient and follow the rest of the instructions as directed.
Crockpot Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 30 oz shredded hash browns
- 1 lb sausage
- 2 Cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 green onions diced
- 12 large eggs
- 1/2 Cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the sausage and drain.
- Spray the crock pot with cooking spray. Layer half of the hash browns on the bottom. Top with half the sausage, cheese and onions. Repeat layers.
- In a bowl, mix the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over entire casserole mixture.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3 – 4 hours. You’ll know it’s fully cooked when the eggs are set.
Comments & Reviews
Carole L. says
Such a great, highly customizable recipe!! I made this on Thanksgiving morning and it was such a hit. Just for personal preference, I changed meats to (pre-cooked) bacon and diced ham, and added some diced green pepper. It took my casserole about 5 hrs on high, but that is likely just the differences in slow cookers.
And the leftovers?? They really do make awesome freezer breakfast burritos!! I added more shredded cheese before rolling them. Delicious!! (3 minutes on high in the microwave, wrapped in a paper towel makes them perfect straight from the freezer.) I will be making this recipe again, just to make burritos!
Thank you!
Lynette Rice says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Alie says
What size crockpot do you use?
Lynette says
I use a 6 quart or 7-quart crockpot for this recipe.
Stephanie says
Love the idea of using this for breakfast burritos! Just wondering, how did you reheat them after you froze them?
Lynette says
I wrap each frozen burrito in a paper towel and heat them for about 90 seconds in the microwave. The timing does depend on the strength of your microwave and how big you make your burritos are, so you may have to adjust the timing to what works best for you.
Clarence says
Very good. My family loved it. Next time I think I’ll add a can of Rotel that’s been drained.
Lacey noble says
Hi !! This sounds delish just wondering. Can u bake this in the oven instead of in the crockpot and if so what degree and how long ??
Rhonda says
I just think cooking this overnight was too long. Overcooked potatoes are gross. I kind of think that if this cooked 2-3 hours I would have liked it and it would have been perfect. But overnight it was not tasty and really bland.
Deborah Lee says
Can you please me what shredded hash browns are? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that in Australia and I tend to cook from scratch so not sure what is available. Is it just grated potato? Thank you
Rose62jo says
Hash browns are shredded potatoes cooked. I like using baked potatoes that I have pealed the skin off, then shred.
Diane says
How big is the crockpot you used? Love the recipe! Just what I was looking for 🙂
Lynette says
Hi Diane, it’s a 5 or 6 quart, I believe.
Shaz says
This was delicious. I did stir it about half way thru the cooking as the potatoes were getting too brown and this made sure the eggs cooked through. Like you we had dinner and then I made about 8 burritos to freeze for company coming next week.
Lynette says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Sandy says
So, how do you cook the frozen burritos?
Lynette says
Hi! I wrap them in a paper towel and heat them for about 90 seconds in the microwave. Of course it depends on the strength of your microwave and how big you make your burritos, so you may need to adjust the time to your liking.