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Enjoy the breakfast casserole version of a favorite hearty casserole. Get a well-rounded and nourishing breakfast featuring breakfast sausage, veggies, bacon, eggs, cheese, and tater tots. We’ve also included a make-ahead option so all you need to do is pop the prepared casserole into the oven in the morning.

Prep: 15 minutesCook: 35-45 minutesTotal: 50-60 minutes
Servings: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped, divided
  • 2 cups shredded Colby-Cheddar or Colby-Jack cheese, divided
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 ¼ cups milk of choice (we used 2%)
  • 1 (28-ounce or two 16-ounce) package frozen tater tots or crispy crowns
  • Optional for serving: Sour cream, sliced green onions, hot sauce, additional bacon
  •  

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mist a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, mist the surface with cooking spray and add the onion, bell pepper, and sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the sausage is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Season the mixture with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; stir until well mixed. 
  3. Stir 4 slices of the chopped bacon into the mixture, then transfer it to the prepared baking dish.
  4. Add 1 cup of cheese and the full package(s) of frozen tater tots to the mixture in the baking dish. Toss until the ingredients are well incorporated and spread evenly. 
  5. In a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup, combine the eggs and milk; whisk until the eggs are smooth. Season the liquid with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. 
  6. Pour the egg mixture over and all around the ingredients in the baking dish. 
  7. Top with the remaining 1 cup cheese and the remaining 2 slices of cooked chopped bacon. 
  8. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the center is set and the top is lightly browned. Start checking doneness at 25 minutes, adding more minutes as needed.
  9. [Optional step for crispy topping] Turn on the oven broiler to High and broil the top of the casserole for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
  10. If desired, garnish servings with a dollop of sour cream, sliced green onions, hot sauce, or additional chopped cooked bacon.

Notes

Overnight Casserole Option: Prepare the casserole through Step 7. Cover and refrigerate. In the morning, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the casserole for 25-35 minutes, until the center is set. Finish/garnish as written above.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
  • Calories: 500
  • Fat: 33 g
  • (Sat Fat: 10 g)
  • Sodium: 880 mg
  • Carbohydrate: 29 g
  • (Fiber: 5 g
  • Sugar: 5 g)
  • Protein: 25 g
  • Cholesterol: 184 mg

Dietary

© The Real Food Dietitians
Recipe By: Jessie Shafer