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The Best Breakfast Casserole is a thick and creamy egg base with shredded potatoes, chunks of ham, and flavorful cheese blends that bake up in no time. Make this to enjoy Christmas morning or brunch.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This is so easy to throw together. It only takes about 5 minutes to get everything together. The hard part is waiting for it to be done cooking!
- Make Ahead: Make this ahead of time, and when ready to bake, simply take it out of the refrigerator and bake.
- Family Favorite: Your family will love this easy breakfast casserole this holiday season. I have our traditional Sticky buns on the menu for Christmas along with this amazing casserole.
What you need to make a Breakfast Dish
This breakfast is perfect any time of the year but great for Christmas! All the simple ingredients come together quickly. Try it out for yourself! You will agree that it is amazing! Exact measurements are at the bottom of the post.
- Shredded potatoes: You can use frozen ones, and they do not need to be thawed.
- Salt and pepper: To taste!
- Eggs: Used to bind everything together.
- Half and half: Adds creamy texture and thickness.
- Season salt: The secret ingredient that adds all of the right flavors.
- Cheddar & Pepper Jack Cheese: Gives the melty cheesy top and complements the ham.
- Ham: Gives a hearty, meaty flavor and texture.
How to Make a Breakfast Casserole
This breakfast casserole is the BEST for so many reasons. One of which, is how simple this breakfast casserole recipe comes together and is in the oven in minutes. This tried and true breakfast casserole is so simple, and everyone loves the flavor.
- Prepare pan and add ingredients: Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Add the frozen and shredded potatoes to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Whisk eggs: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together.
- Add remaining ingredients: Then add half and half, season salt, cheddar cheese, pepper jack, and chopped ham.
- Pour into pan and refrigerate: Pour over the top of the frozen potatoes, then cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Bake your breakfast casserole: Bake covered in foil at 350 degrees for 90 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
What to Serve with a Delicious Breakfast Casserole
This casserole can stand alone, but if you are looking for a more complete meal, add some tasty side. Here are some ideas of what will go well with this breakfast casserole during the holiday season.
- Fruit: Christmas Fruit Salad or The Best Winter Fruit Salad
- Bread: Buttermilk Biscuits
- Potatoes: Skillet Potatoes with Peppers or Baked Parmesan Hash browns Recipe
- Meat: Bacon, sausage or ham from my Classic Honey Glazed Ham recipe.
- French Toast: Secret Ingredient French Toast Recipe or Creme Brûlée French Toast
- Pancakes: The Best Buttermilk Pancakes or Best Ever German Oven Pancake
- Muffins: Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins or Fruit Explosion Muffins
Mix It Up!
Try some of these fun variations in this breakfast casserole and find what you enjoy best!
- Vegetables: Add in some veggies like bell peppers, spinach or kale, tomato (fresh or canned), broccoli, mushrooms, or onions are great.
- Meat: You can use bacon, variations of sausage, shredded chicken, ground beef, or leftover turkey.
- Cream: I’m not a fan of half and half; you can use whipping cream for a thicker, richer breakfast or simply use milk you have on hand.
- Cheese: Switch up which cheese you use. Try swiss cheese, Colby jack, or mozzarella which all work well and melt perfectly when baked.
- Spicy: By adding red pepper flakes, green chilies, or green onions, is a fun way to add a little heat.
- Potatoes: Diced or flavorful frozen potatoes will work great in place of shredded potatoes.
Tips for Making the Perfect Breakfast Casserole
Here are some tips for making this breakfast casserole even better and easier on you. This recipe is fun to make with different variations, make ahead, or even make it the morning of. There are so many great things that make this casserole the BEST! These tips will help you better understand how to bake this breakfast for you to enjoy with your family.
- Covering or Not Covering: This is an option. I recommend not covering the baking dish, so the topping can get that nice crisp edge. If you prefer to cook it covered be sure to uncover the last 10 to 15 minutes.
- Keep your potatoes frozen: There is no need to thaw the potatoes, because they will cook frozen.
- How to know when breakfast is done: Once the outside edges become golden brown and the egg mixture in the middle is firm (check by rocking the pan). Use a toothpick or knife to check if it is completely cooked through. You can also use a thermometer to see if the breakfast casserole has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Drain grease: If you use any other meat in the breakfast casserole, drain the meat before adding it to the dish.
- Gluten-free: Make this gluten-free by following this breakfast recipe. Check your labels on other ingredients to make sure.
Storing Breakfast Casserole
There are so many options and plans for this breakfast casserole to make your holiday mornings even easier and better.
- Reheat: To reheat the breakfast casserole, add it to the microwave or cover it in the oven. Check it occasionally until it has been warmed through.
- Make Ahead: Simply follow the instructions until you are ready to bake. Cover it with aluminum foil or a lid and place it in your refrigerator. When you are ready to bake, simply take it out of the refrigerator and bake it according to the instructions. This can sit in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Can you freeze a casserole? Yes, this is perfect for freezing. Make and bake your breakfast casserole. Once it has completely cooled down, place it in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Lay flat in your freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to warm up, place on a baking sheet and bake until warmed through about 50 min.
More Breakfast Casserole Ideas
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The Best Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 24 ounces frozen shredded potatoes
- salt and pepper
- 12 eggs
- 2 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon season salt
- 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated
- 1 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese grated
- 2 cup chopped ham Or your preferred meat, sausage would also be great
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Add the frozen and shredded potatoes to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together. Then add half and half, season salt, cheddar cheese, pepper jack, and chopped ham.
- Pour over the top of the frozen potatoes. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 90 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How can I cook 2 of these at the same time, same oven? How long?
How long would I have to cook this if I tripled the recipe?
I made it this morning but when it came out it was a bit soupy in middle so I put it in for quite a bit longer. It still looked a bit soupy but we cut around the edges. In the meantime it appears the soupiness was re absorbed and was fine to eat. My question is, when you take it out of oven is it normal to be a bit soupy in middle or did I do something wrong?
It shouldn’t be soupy but it is sometimes soft. I would put it back into the oven and cook it an additional 5 or so minutes without the foil on top.
Do you cook the near first or not?
With so much cheese and cream how can it taste bad? But it’s extremely fattening, too much for my preferences.
Can I prepare this the night before and pop it into the oven in the morning?
It is actually recommended to do it that way! We always make it Christmas eve and bake it Christmas Morning. 🙂
I just made this last night/this morning for a breakfast meeting at my office. Everyone likes it, but I think it is just OK. It’s kind of bland, and the potatoes were wet in the middle of the pan. I will try this again in the future, but I might go ahead and thaw/drain the potatoes beforehand, and use bacon and sausage (instead of ham) to give it more flavor.
I made this today and it was a hit with the family. I made some substitutions to make it vegetarian and lighter. I used milk instead of cream and part-skim cheese. I also substituted half the potatoes with a broccoli/carrot/red cabbage slaw mix. I used sauteed 2 portabella mushrooms with scallions to substitute for the meat. I took the foil off for the last 10 minutes to brown the top. Delish!! This recipe is a keeper.
I love this casserole!!! Thank you so much for sharing it! I have made it a handful of times and have been asked to share your recipe every time! I am about to have a baby and would love to have this waiting for me in the freezer. Do you or does anyone think there’s any chance I could freeze this after or before baking?
I think that you could freeze it before baking. Just take it out the night before to thaw. 🙂 This is a favorite of ours as well!
yikes ! want to make for superbowl sunday breakfast; wont print !!! any help?
thank you
I halved this recipe for Christmas brunch. I still cooked it for the recommended time. It turned out great!
What temperature do you use in a Convection oven and for how long. Would it be the same?
If you use a convection oven it would cook faster but I am not sure on the time.
Would it work in a slow cooker? Thinking I could do it overnight.
I actually have a slow cooker breakfast casserole on my site. https://therecipecritic.com/overnight-breakfast-casserole/
Thank you for answering this question Alyssa, I was wondering the same thing! 🙂
We loved it! So easy! We used Canadian bacon and turkey sausage and diced peppers.
I too need to cut this in half. What size pan should I use? Was thinking possibly a 9×9 square pan. Thanks.
I used an 8 inch pan and it worked great!
I too need to cut the recie in half. What size pan should I use? Thinking maybe a 9×9 square pan. Thanks
Hey! I’m going to try to make this tomorrow. Thank you for sharing.
One thing I will say, I have to give bloggers like you credit for posting recipes. People are so snappy in their comments/questions. You have been very patient. 🙂
I agree. I have scrolled through all the comments and you are very patient. Foil on when baking. 1/2 recipe full time. 2 hours at least for setting time in refrigerator. Cook meats before putting in casserole.
I like the fact you actually give amounts for the recipe. This will help in cutting in half or multiplying for 2.
Thanks Alyssa.
I have seen her repeat the same thing, cook meats before adding, cook in the oven with FOIL ON, she’s very patient with her followers. She’s great, I’ve always wanted to try a egg casserole like this. So I’m going to try this on my hubby. I do believe I’m going add the red, yellow and green peppers, mushrooms, ham, bacon, sausage, and loads of cheese, I’ll cut the recipe in half since there’s only 2 of us and put the veggies only on one end. My hubby doesn’t like veggies meats and potatoes man