The Ultimate Guide to Our Easy Hash Brown Egg Casserole Recipe

If you’re on the hunt for a truly effortless dish to grace your table for a weekend brunch, a special festive morning, or even a comforting ‘breakfast for dinner’ night, you have come to the right place. We’re talking about a meal that not only fills your home with the most welcoming aroma but also has everyone eagerly anticipating a second helping. Allow us to introduce our tried-and-tested recipe for a hearty, scrumptious, and wonderfully simple hash brown egg casserole, destined to be a new family staple.

This dish is the pinnacle of morning comfort food. It masterfully brings together a crisp, golden-brown layer of hash browns with light, fluffy eggs, flavourful sausage, and a generous blanket of melted cheese. It’s an entire satisfying meal in a single dish, which translates to less time at the cooker and more precious time enjoying the moment with family and friends. We’ve fine-tuned this recipe to be as straightforward as it is delicious, making it perfect for cooks of all skill levels.

Why We Adore This Recipe

• Ideal for Preparing in Advance: We know mornings can be a rush. That’s why we adore this recipe’s make-ahead potential. You can assemble the whole casserole the evening before, cover it, and pop it into the oven the next day for a completely relaxed and delicious start.
• Wonderfully Adaptable: Think of this recipe as your perfect starting point. It’s easy to substitute the sausage with bacon or ham, toss in your favourite vegetables like mushrooms and spinach, or explore different cheeses to truly make it your own.
• Guaranteed to Please Everyone: From the pickiest little eaters to hungry teens and grown-ups, this breakfast casserole is a universal hit. Its comforting flavours and hearty texture ensure it’s a winning choice for any occasion.
• Simple, Everyday Ingredients: You won’t need to search for any obscure items. This dish uses simple, wholesome staples that are readily available at your local supermarket, making it a brilliant, budget-friendly option.

Ingredients

• 900g frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
• 500g pork sausage meat (or sausages with skins removed)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 10 large free-range eggs
• 240ml whole milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 250g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter (for the baking dish)

Step-by-Step Guide to Your Casserole

Creating this superb brunch egg bake is much easier than you might imagine. We’ve laid out the process in a few simple stages to guide you towards a perfect bake every single time. Let’s begin!

Step 1: Get Your Pan and Ingredients Ready

First things first, let’s get organised. Start by preheating your oven to 190°C (170°C Fan / Gas Mark 5). Generously grease a 9×13 inch (or a similarly sized) baking dish with a little butter or olive oil. This is an essential step to ensure nothing sticks.

Next, make sure your frozen hash browns are fully thawed. You can achieve this by leaving them in the fridge overnight or on the worktop for a few hours. Once they’re thawed, press them firmly between sheets of kitchen roll or a clean tea towel. The goal is to remove as much moisture as possible—this is our secret to a crispy, never soggy, hash brown base!

Step 2: Cook the Sausage and Veggies

Take a large frying pan and place it over a medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat and cook it, using a spoon to break it into smaller pieces, until it’s browned all over. You won’t need any extra oil, as the sausage will provide its own fat. When it’s cooked through, lift the sausage out with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving a little of the fat behind in the pan.

Now, add the chopped onion and red pepper to that same pan. Sauté them for around 5-7 minutes until they’ve softened and the onion looks translucent. If your pan looks a bit dry, feel free to add a little splash of oil.

Step 3: Lay the Hash Brown Foundation

It’s time to build the base of our casserole. Tip the thawed, dry hash browns into your prepared baking dish and spread them out in an even layer. Pat them down gently to create a firm, compact base. We highly recommend pre-baking this base for 15-20 minutes. This extra step is key to achieving the wonderfully crisp and golden texture that makes this cheesy hash brown bake so special.

Step 4: Whisk Up the Egg Mixture

While the hash brown base is having its initial bake, we can get on with the egg filling. In a large mixing bowl, crack the 10 eggs and whisk them until the yolks and whites are fully incorporated. Next, pour in the milk, and season with the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and has a slightly frothy appearance.

Gently stir in the browned sausage, the softened onion and pepper, and roughly half of your grated cheddar cheese. This combination creates a rich, flavour-packed filling that is ready for the oven.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake to Perfection

Once the hash brown base has been pre-baked, carefully take it out of the oven. Pour your egg and sausage mixture evenly over the top. Finish by sprinkling the rest of the grated cheese all over the casserole.

Return the dish to your preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the centre feels firm to the touch (a knife inserted into the middle should emerge clean) and the top is a beautiful golden-brown and bubbling. It’s vital that the eggs are thoroughly cooked. As advised by the British Egg Information Service, eggs should always be cooked until both the white and yolk are firm for safety.

Step 6: Let It Rest, Then Serve

Patience is a virtue, and this might be the most challenging step! After taking the casserole out of the oven, allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before you slice into it. This resting period lets it set properly, which makes for much cleaner, neater portions. Garnish with the finely sliced spring onions for a touch of freshness and colour, and serve warm. Enjoy!

Ideas for Customisation and Variations

One of the greatest attributes of this sausage egg casserole is its incredible versatility. Here are a few of our favourite ways to switch things up:

• Try Different Meats: Feel free to swap the pork sausage for cooked bacon pieces, diced ham, or even some spicy chorizo to introduce a new depth of flavour.
• Boost the Veggies: For a delightful vegetarian version, simply leave out the sausage and increase the vegetable content. Sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach (be sure to squeeze out excess water), and diced courgette all make fantastic additions.
• Cheese Variations: While we adore a good mature cheddar, you can certainly play around with other cheeses. A combination of Gruyère and Parmesan can add a lovely nutty and savoury taste, whereas Monterey Jack with some jalapeños will give it a nice spicy kick.
• Add Fresh Herbs: Introduce another layer of flavour by adding some fresh herbs to your egg mixture. Finely chopped chives, fresh parsley, or a sprinkle of thyme all work beautifully.

We are big fans of adaptable bakes that suit any meal. If you enjoy wholesome, one-pan dishes, you may also like our Low Carb Chicken Casserole as a healthy dinner alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your New Favourite Breakfast Is Here

And there we have it—our straightforward, satisfying, and utterly delicious Easy Hash Brown Egg Casserole Recipe. This is the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table, making it perfect for relaxed Sunday mornings, special brunches, or a comforting weeknight treat. Its make-ahead convenience removes any stress from hosting, while its universally loved flavours mean you’re unlikely to have any leftovers.

For more one-pan dinner ideas, why not check out our flavour-filled Southwest Chicken Casserole? It’s another family favourite we are certain you’ll enjoy.

We encourage you to give this brilliant recipe a go! We are sure it will become a staple in your cooking repertoire. Please feel free to leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out or if you added your own unique twist. We always love to hear about your culinary adventures!

Recipe Card

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 900g frozen shredded hash browns, thawed and squeezed dry
• 500g pork sausage meat
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 10 large free-range eggs
• 240ml whole milk
• 250g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Prep & Pre-bake Base: Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C Fan). Press thawed, dry hash browns into a greased 9×13 inch dish. Pre-bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.
2. Cook Sausage & Veggies: While the base bakes, brown the sausage meat in a pan. Remove with a slotted spoon. In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion and pepper for 5-7 minutes until soft.
3. Mix Egg Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in the cooked sausage, sautéed vegetables, and half of the grated cheese.
4. Assemble & Bake: Pour the egg mixture evenly over the pre-baked hash brown base. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the centre is set and the top is golden and bubbling.
5. Rest & Serve: Let the casserole rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with spring onions and serve warm.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 576, Carbs: 29 g, Protein: 28 g, Fat: 35 g