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Overhead view of golden baked sausage hash brown casserole with cheddar and a set egg filling

Make-Ahead Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

A hearty make-ahead breakfast casserole with browned sausage, shredded hash browns, cheddar, eggs, milk, and mild green chiles. Assemble in a 9×13-inch dish, refrigerate overnight, and bake until the center is set.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs. ground breakfast sausage
  • 2 lbs. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 9 large eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 can diced green chiles drained
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. If baking right away, preheat the oven to 350°F; for overnight preparation, preheat it when ready to bake.
  • Cook the breakfast sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease. Cook pork or beef breakfast sausage to 160°F, or poultry sausage to 165°F.
    Crumbled breakfast sausage cooked and browned in a plain skillet
  • Transfer the cooked sausage to a bowl. Add the frozen hash browns to the skillet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mostly thawed and beginning to turn lightly golden.
    Shredded hash brown potatoes thawed and lightly golden in a skillet
  • Spread the hash browns in the prepared dish. Layer the cooked sausage over the potatoes, then add the cheddar and drained green chiles.
    Hash browns, browned sausage, shredded cheddar and diced green chiles layered before the egg mixture is added
  • Whisk the eggs, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
    Eggs, milk and seasonings whisked into a pale yellow mixture in a white bowl
  • Pour the egg mixture slowly over the casserole so it settles around the potatoes, sausage, and cheese.
  • For make-ahead preparation, cover the assembled casserole tightly and refrigerate promptly at 40°F or below overnight. Bake within 24 hours of assembly.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or longer if the casserole starts cold, until the center is set and reaches 165°F (74°C). If the top browns before the middle is done, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.
  • Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Potatoes: Warm the shredded hash browns in the skillet for 8 to 10 minutes, loosening frozen clumps before building an even layer.
Overnight preparation: Cover and refrigerate promptly at 40°F or below, then bake within 24 hours. Follow your baking dish manufacturer’s instructions for moving a cold dish into a hot oven. Allow extra baking time if the casserole starts cold.
Timing: The total covers 20 minutes of preparation, about 40 minutes of baking, and up to 10 minutes of resting. Overnight refrigeration is additional, and a cold casserole can need a longer bake. Check the center temperature and texture to determine doneness.
Keyword Make-Ahead Breakfast, Make-Ahead Sausage Casserole, Sausage Hash Brown Casserole