Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole
Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole is a hearty and delicious make-ahead meal! Made with peppers, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, onions, and 2 kinds of cheese, this breakfast casserole recipe is simple and amazing. Hashbrown casserole is my go-to Christmas morning, (or any other busy morning), hearty and healthy breakfast!
Breakfast hashbrown casserole recipe can be made the night before you need it. Just pop this easy breakfast in the oven in the morning and wait to smell the incredible aroma! This breakfast recipe is an impressive and hearty and healthy breakfast to serve company. Or, serve to a crowd for brunch alongside Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls , Crunchy, Healthy, Quick and Easy Granola, Scones Recipe, or Apple Streusel Muffins! This is a perfect breakfast for a busy Christmas morning as well.
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make ahead and freezer instructions
- Hashbrown breakfast casserole can be made ahead! You can either cook it completely, then freeze it, so that all you have to do is warm it up when you need it. Or:
- My favorite make ahead method is to assemble the entire casserole the day or night before needing to serve it. Then, refrigerate it overnight and bake when needed.
- Another way to save time is to prep and saute the veggies and grate the cheese ahead of time. This will make assembling the hashbrown casserole a breeze!
breakfast hashbrown casserole is super easy and customizable!
Some Variations are:
- Use sausage or ham instead of bacon, or any leftover meat.
- Switch up the cheeses with your favorites!
- Leave the mushrooms and onions out...
- Leave the bell peppers out...
- If you like a bit of spice, add some jalapenos!
- Garlic is also a great addition.
History of premade hashbrowns
Hashbowns come from the lowly potatoes! They were said to be invented in Switzerland and called Rosti. This is grated potato which has been already cooked, or raw, and grated. This grated potato is then fried or baked. These hashbrown potatoes are usually eaten as an accompaniment to other foods for breakfast. The term hashbrown was first used by Maria Parloa in 1888. This is around the time that these tasty breakfast additions were found in fancy hotels in New York.
Hash brown potatoes are an American breakfast staple. The commercial production of hash browns began in the U.S. and now there are so many different versions and brands making this popular and delicious staple. Not only for breakfast, hash browns are so handy for any meal and used in so many different recipes!
why you will love breakfast hashbrown casserole!
- Can be made in advance, either make one day and cook the next or freeze it for later.
- Large recipe!
- Super easy to make.
- Customizable, make it with the ingredients that you love!
- Tasty and hearty meal that everyone loves.
- Can be breakfast, lunch, snacks, brunch, or supper.
- Very healthy breakfast, chock full of vitamins and minerals!!
This breakfast recipe will be a great time-saving, make-ahead, healthy breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. Actually, any time we have a house full of company, this hashbrown casserole is a must!
what kind of hashbrowns work best for hashbrown breakfast casserole?
There are SO many different variations of premade frozen hashbrown potatoes! There are the diced, which is what I prefer for this recipe. Then there are the julienned, or grated style, the patties, the tater tots...With so many different styles it may be hard to choose which type will work best for breakfast hashbrown casserole! I have used each of these styles for different recipes. The grated or julienned potatoes definitely work the best for eating hashbrowns alone, while the diced or tots work best for hashbrown casseroles.
Ingredients for Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole
- Hashbrowns, I use frozen hashbrowns, the diced kind.
- Bacon, fried, or cooked in the oven*
- Onion, I do use yellow onions for the most flavor, but green onions are great as well. Chop the onions by hand or use a food processor for all the vegetable chopping to save time.
- Green and red peppers, chopped
- Mushrooms, also chopped
- Eggs, this recipe uses a whole dozen.
- Half and Half cream, or heavy cream, or milk, just use whatever type of cream or milk you have.
- Cottage cheese and Cheddar Cheese.
- Bacon fat or butter
- Black pepper
How to Make Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole
1.Cook the bacon and crumble it. Set aside. *I bake it in the oven 350°F for 20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.
2.In a medium sized saucepan, saute the vegetables in the bacon grease or butter, until tender.
3.Whisk the eggs, cream, and pepper together in a large bowl.
4.Add hashbrowns, cottage cheese, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, sauteed vegetables, and 1/2 of the bacon. Stir together.
5.Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. At this point you can cover it and keep it in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to cook it. Before baking, sprinkle with the remaining half of the bacon and 2 cups of shredded cheddar. Then, bake, uncovered at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
How to cook bacon in the oven.
I used to always fry bacon until my friend Rachel cooked bacon in her oven for us! It was so handy to not have to be constantly watching the pan and getting the bacon grease splattered all over the place. I still do prefer fried bacon if we are eating bacon on its own, just because I can control the finished texture better. but when you need cooked bacon in a recipe, try cooking it in the oven, it really works great!
*Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the bacon slices on it. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, until crispy, flipping once. Remove to a plate covered with paper towel and chop when it's cool enough to handle.
other recipes using hashbrown potatoes
What to Serve With Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole
Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole is a hearty and delicious make ahead meal! Made with peppers, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, onions, 2 kinds of cheese, this breakfast casserole recipe can be a complete and full breakfast just as it is, or make it a part of a hearty brunch or breakfast. This casserole is my go-to robust and healthy Christmas morning breakfast!
- 1 lb frozen hash browns (diced kind)
- 1 lb bacon
- 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)
- 1/2 cup red pepper (chopped)
- 1/2 cup mushrooms (sliced)
- 1/4 cup bacon grease
- 12 eggs
- 1/2 cup half and half cream
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 3 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
Cook the bacon and crumble it. Set aside. *I bake it in the oven 350°F for 20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.
In a medium sized saucepan, saute the vegetables in the bacon grease or butter, until tender.
Whisk the eggs, cream, and pepper together in a large bowl.
Add hashbrowns, cottage cheese, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, sauteed vegetables, and 1/2 of the bacon. Stir together.
Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. At this point you can cover it and keep it in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to cook it. Before baking, sprinkle with the remaining half of the bacon and 2 cups of shredded cheddar. Then, bake, uncovered at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 542kcal
- Calories from Fat 354kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 40.6g63%
- Saturated Fat 13.4g67%
- Trans Fat 0.5g
- Cholesterol 293mg98%
- Sodium 1313mg55%
- Potassium 482mg14%
- Total Carbohydrate 18g6%
- Dietary Fiber 2.7g11%
- Sugars 1.9g
- Protein 29.5g59%
- Vitamin A 48 IU
- Vitamin C 23 mg
- Calcium 38 mg
- Iron 18 mg
- Vitamin D 11 IU
- Vitamin E 34 IU
- Thiamin 238 mg
- Riboflavin 79 mg
- Niacin 40 mg
- Vitamin B6 40 mg
- Folate 19 mcg
- Vitamin B12 47 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid 36 mg
- Phosphorus 66 mg
- Magnesium 14 mmol
- Zinc 36 mcg
- Selenium 73 mg
- Copper 25 mg
- Manganese 16 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
- You can defrost the hashbrowns if you like, the only reason to do this is that it makes mixing the ingredients together easier.
- Can easily be doubled and baked in 2 9x13 inch pans.
- Let the finished casserole sit for 5 minutes before cutting.
- Can be made ahead and frozen!
- Use any variety of veggies you like!
- Try switching up the cheese for a different flavor.
