Sausage Breakfast Casserole (With Egg and Cheese)

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Breakfast Sausage Casserole is a family favorite breakfast casserole packed with all your morning favorites – shredded hash brown potatoes, fluffy eggs, two kinds of cheese, cottage cheese, and crumbled browned breakfast sausage.

My family loves to eat this sausage casserole as a filling for breakfast burritos – set out bowls of toppings such as salsa, sliced green onions, bacon bits, sour cream, etc for a hearty breakfast or dinner idea!

A white casserole dish with a breakfast casserole inside.

Breakfast Sausage Casserole Recipe

This sausage breakfast casserole is loaded with shredded hash browns, fluffy eggs, crumbled breakfast sausage, cottage cheese, shredded cheddar cheese and shredded swiss cheese. 

It’s the perfect breakfast for Christmas morning, a weekday morning, brinner (my family loves have breakfast for dinner), or a cozy weekend morning when you want something warm and comforting to start the day with. 

Side view of the breakfast casserole

My family’s favorite way to eat this breakfast casserole is as a filling for breakfast burritos! Simply set out additional burrito toppings such as diced tomatoes, bacon bits, salsa, and avocado for a deliciously hearty and filling breakfast idea. 

You can also eat the casserole as is topped with some sliced green onions and salsa. Either way, I know this will be an instant hit in your kitchens ❤︎

A piece of the breakfast casserole on a white plate with a fork next to it.

Simple Ingredients Needed

  1. Ground Breakfast Sausage : One pound of ground breakfast sausage is what you will need. Any kind will work such as sweet, maple, mild, regular, or a hot & spicy version. You will cook and crumble the ground sausage in a skillet pan, and then add the cooked breakfast sausage to the mixing bowl along with the other breakfast casserole ingredients. 
  2. Onion : One small onion such as a sweet onion or yellow onion is best. You could use a white onion if you want more of a zesty onion flavor. I prefer using a sweet onion when I make this breakfast recipe. 
  3. Kosher Salt
  4. Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes : There are several options for this ingredient. You can use frozen shredded hash browns that have been completely thawed, use the refrigerated hash browns (Simply Potatoes), or you can use the dehydrated hash brown potatoes that you add boiling water to. I have made this casserole using all three methods for hashbrowns and they’ve all been wonderful. I prefer using the refrigerated hash browns as they are already thawed and there is no extra prep work needed, besides measuring out the amount needed for the recipe. 
  5. Large Eggs
  6. Cottage Cheese : I have a few cottage cheese haters in my family and they never even know it’s in this casserole. If wanted, you can blend up the cottage cheese until it’s smooth before adding it into the mixing bowl. 
  7. Shredded Swiss Cheese
  8. Shredded Cheddar Cheese or Colby Jack Cheese : I use shredded Colby jack cheese as my family prefers the more mild taste of it compared to cheddar cheese. Either one works great!
Ingredients

How To Make This Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. 

In a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, add the breakfast sausage, diced onion, and salt. Cook and crumble until the sausage is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease from the pan and ground sausage. 

In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked and drained ground sausage, thawed shredded hash browns, beaten large eggs, cottage cheese, and shredded cheeses. Stir until everything is well combined. 

process images

Evenly spread the egg mixture into the prepared pan. 

Cook for 45-50 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the middle looks set and not “jiggly”.

Let the breakfast casserole cool for 5-10 minutes before serving it warm. Enjoy!

process images

How To Store Leftovers

Keep any leftovers stored inside an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3-4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave until heated through. 

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Serving Suggestions

  • Use the breakfast casserole as a filling for breakfast burritos, breakfast tacos, or breakfast quesadillas. I normally serve this casserole as a filling for breakfast burritos – I also set out bowls of additional toppings such as salsa, sour cream, avocado chunks, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, and bacon bits. 
  • Eat the casserole as is! It’s really yummy on it’s own eaten with a fork. 
  • Serve it alongside some fresh fruit – I like to make a simple fruit salad with fresh berries, canned mandarin oranges, fresh pineapple and cantaloupe. 
  • Try serving it with some apple slices and this Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Apple Dip
  • Serve the casserole along with some toast and butter. I like to make different toasts using white bread, whole grain bread, English muffins, etc – that way, everyone can choose their favorite. 
A pan of the breakfast casserole with a piece taken out of it

What Are Some Substitutions or Variations I Can Make?

  • Add a can of diced green chiles or chopped jalapeños into the casserole mixture for some added heat. You could also use shredded Pepper Jack cheese instead of the cheddar cheese, and/or add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the breakfast sausage, or try using a spicy or hot breakfast sausage. There are lots of options to spice it up if wanted. 
  • If you don’t like the texture of cottage cheese try blending it up smooth. You can use whole-fat cottage cheese, reduced-fat, fat-free, etc. 
  • Any cheese can be substituted for both kinds of cheese; although, the combination of Swiss cheese + Colby Jack or cheddar is really the best which is why the recipe calls for that. 
A piece of breakfast casserole on a white plate.

Can I Make Breakfast Casserole Ahead of Time?

Yes! This is a great make-ahead breakfast. Prepare the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and store it, covered, in the fridge until ready to bake.

I always recommend letting the casserole sit out at room temperature while the oven heats up, just so it can come closer to room temperature, and you’re not putting a really cold casserole dish into a hot oven. If needed, you may need to add a few additional minutes to the cook time when baking it chilled from the fridge. 

Ground breakfast sausage casserole in a white casserole dish.

More Breakfast Recipes

A white casserole dish with a breakfast casserole inside.
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Breakfast Sausage Casserole


Author Jessica
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8
Breakfast Sausage Casserole is a family favorite breakfast casserole packed with all your morning favorites – shredded hash brown potatoes, fluffy eggs, two kinds of cheese, cottage cheese, and crumbled browned breakfast sausage.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 cups shredded hash browns completely thawed
  • 6 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 container (16 oz) cottage cheese
  • 2 cups shredded swiss cheese
  • 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese OR cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. 
  • In a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, add the breakfast sausage, diced onion, and salt. Cook and crumble until the sausage is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease from the pan and ground sausage. 
    1 lb ground breakfast sausage, 1 small onion, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked and drained ground sausage, thawed shredded hash browns, beaten large eggs, cottage cheese, and shredded cheeses. Stir until everything is well combined. 
    4 cups shredded hash browns, 6 large eggs, 1 container (16 oz) cottage cheese, 2 cups shredded swiss cheese, 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese OR cheddar cheese
  • Evenly spread the egg mixture into the prepared pan. 
  • Cook for 45-50 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the middle looks set and not "jiggly".
  • Let the breakfast casserole cool for 5-10 minutes before serving it warm. Enjoy!

Notes

Onion : I use a sweet onion, but you could use a white onion, yellow onion, or even a red onion if you prefer. 
Shredded Hash Browns : I use a 20 ounce bag of Simply Potatoes which are refrigerated, ready-to-use, already thawed shredded hashbrowns. The bag contains the 4 cups needed that the recipe calls for. Other options include, using the dehydrated shredded potatoes that you add boiling water to. Or you can measure out 4 cups from a bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (make sure they are completely thawed before using!). 
Salt : If using finer table salt or sea salt, I would recommend starting with 1/2 teaspoon and adding more as needed. Kosher salt is a larger texture so you need more of it to help flavor the casserole. 
Breakfast Sausage : I use a roll of 1 pound of mild breakfast country sausage. You could also use hot or spicy sausage, regular, or the sweeter maple sausage. 
Cheese : For best results, shred your own cheese. Buy an 8 ounce block of Swiss cheese and shred it yourself, same with the cheddar or Colby Jack cheese. Any cheese combination can be used, although I think the Swiss + cheddar is the best. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 231mg | Sodium: 1056mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 713IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 439mg | Iron: 3mg

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4.72 from 7 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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19 Comments

  1. Congratulations!! Excited to hear about your pregnancy! This looks good and lots of protein for you and the baby. I’m not a sausage fan- do you think bacon would work instead?

    1. Together As Family says:

      Hi Anne. Thanks so much 🙂 Yes of course bacon would work. I would use 1 lb and cut it into chunks and then cook it up with the diced onion. Hope that helps & that you love this.

  2. I love breakfast for dinner too! It’s not my husband’s favorite but I can get away with it a couple times a month without too many complaints. I am going to have to give this a try!

    1. Together As Family says:

      Breakfast for dinner is the best. As long as there is bacon or sausage, my husband and son won’t complain 🙂 It’s the meatless ones I’ll hear about.

  3. Hi! This looks amazing ?? I was wondering how much this serves? I want to make it for Easter tomorrow, but I have lots of family coming over. Will it serve 10?

    1. Together As Family says:

      It makes a 9×13 pan so I would say yes to it serving 10 people. If it’s 10 adults you may need 2 pans depending on portion size. Have a great Easter and I hope you enjoy this!

  4. Can this be made the night before & baked the next morning?

    1. Together As Family says:

      I think that should work just fine. I’ve never done it but I see no reason why it would not work making the night before.

  5. If I make ahead and freeze this, would temp and cooking time still be the same when ready to put in oven?

    1. Together As Family says:

      I have no experience freezing this. If you do, I would pull it out of the freezer like an hour before baking it. The temperature will be the same but it may need to cook for longer depending on how cold it is when you put it in the oven.

  6. Hi this looks delicious but we don’t like cottage cheese, is there something else we can use or can I just omit it? Thanks for any help you can give me. Have a wonderful and blessed day.

    1. Together As Family says:

      I have never made it without the cottage cheese. I think if you just omitted it, then the casserole would be too dry. Maybe try sour cream possibly? I am not entirely sure as I have never tried it.

  7. This sounds delicious but I don’t like Swiss cheese. Any suggestions for a substitute?

    1. Together As Family says:

      You could use any cheese you like in place of the swiss 🙂

  8. You’re not going to believe this BUT, instead of potatoes I used used oven roasted cauliflower with a small dice. It was an amazing swap for my low carb lifestyle. Other than that I didn’t change a thing. Yum-O as Rachel would say!

    1. Together As Family says:

      Oh yummy! That’s awesome the cauliflower worked. Thanks for letting me know and for your rating of the recipe.

  9. Priscilla says:

    5 stars
    So easy and so yummy! I made this and cut the rest up into squares and froze it for an easy breakfast😊

  10. 5 stars
    Just love this. A work favorite request