Make-ahead Sausage Hash Brown Casserole (Gluten Free)

Overnight breakfast casseroles are a staple on our table during the holidays. Every year, I whip one up for Christmas morning and Easter brunch, which always goes well. They are easy to make and will feed a huge crowd- it’s a no-brainer!

However, I’ve recently come to appreciate make-ahead breakfast casseroles all year round. Between my husband and I, we have five teenage girls. When they are here, I often make a breakfast casserole – it makes it much easier to feed everyone. I can prepare it the night before, and there are typically leftovers to last a few days.

Our favorite egg breakfast casseroles are this Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole, Broccoli Egg Bake, Chicken Sausage and Peppers Egg Bake, Super Greens and Sausage Egg Casserole, and this Make Ahead Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole. See more healthy egg recipes.

Reasons You’ll Love this Recipe

• Hearty and healthy! This overnight breakfast casserole with sausage and hashbrowns includes wholesome ingredients, lots of protein, and is naturally gluten-free!
• Versatile. You can use leftover vegetables, switch up spices, use various kinds of cheese, and change the meats. 
• A crowd-pleaser! It’s filled with hashbrowns, lots of veggies, and melted cheese. It’s a hearty breakfast, super tasty, and everyone loves it!
• Make-ahead. This is the perfect breakfast recipe to assemble the night before a holiday or add to the meal prep rotation for a quick heat-and-eat breakfast during the week.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this overnight breakfast casserole with hashbrowns and sausage. Check out the recipe card below for the full recipe.

• Frozen shredded hash browns. I like the convenience of frozen hash browns, but you can also make homemade ones. I usually use a 30-ounce bag of frozen hash brown, but you can use less or more depending on the amount you can find in the stores or have on hand.
• Ground breakfast sausage. Purchase high-quality gluten-free breakfast sausage and read the label to ensure this breakfast casserole stays gluten-free; if that’s important to you. Jimmy Dean’s premium pork sausage roll is free of gluten, MSG, and additives. If you like to order online, check out Butcher Box; they offer delicious heritage-breed organic breakfast sausage. I also purchase ground pork or ground turkey to make homemade breakfast sausage. You’ll need 1lb for this breakfast casserole with sausage.
• Veggies. White onion, green bell peppers, and white mushrooms are my favorite vegetables in this breakfast casserole, but any vegetables taste delicious; I’ll give more options in the variations section.
• Large eggs. For best results, I like to use high-quality organic eggs.
• Seasoning. A blend of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper gives the breakfast casserole great flavor.
• Shredded cheddar cheese. Nothing says hearty breakfast more than ooey gooey cheese mixed with sausage, eggs, and potatoes! You can use any cheese, but we love the flavor of sharp cheddar. If you can, shred the cheese fresh for the best results.
• Greek yogurt. This gives the egg casserole a creamy texture and adds to the fantastic flavor. This make-ahead breakfast casserole recipe calls for ½ cup of plain greek yogurt. For your reference, a 5.3-ounce container of plain yogurt is a little more than 1/2 cup; using the whole container won’t ruin the recipe.

How to Make Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole 

• Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a 9 x 13 casserole baking dish with cooking spray.
• Place the thawed and dried hash browns in the bottom of the casserole dish and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or pan and cook the breakfast sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, 7-8 minutes. Break up the breakfast sausage into crumbles as it cooks. 

• Place the cooked sausage over the hash browns.
• In the same skillet, heat the last tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onion, peppers, and mushrooms until the mushrooms and peppers are tender and the onions are translucent.

• Using a mesh strainer, drain out any extra liquid from the vegetables.
• Add the vegetables with the sausage and hash browns.

• Whisk together the eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
• Slowing whisk in the yogurt and slowly stir in the shredded cheddar cheese.

Pour the egg mixture in with the vegetables, sausage, and hash browns. Give the ingredients a few stirs to lightly mix everything.

Bake in the oven for 45 – 55 minutes or until set in the center. Serve hot.

Serving Suggestions

This healthy egg breakfast casserole is a delicious savory option for a holiday brunch, and I like to serve it along with some sweeter items like:

• Healthy cinnamon rolls
• Yogurt bowls
• Healthy french toast bake
• Baked oatmeal cups

Cooking Tips

• It’s important to thaw the hashbrowns, drain any liquid, and completely dry the potatoes before assembling the casserole. Frozen hash browns may cause the egg breakfast casserole to cook unevenly and become soggy. 
• Thaw the hashbrowns in the refrigerator for a day before assembling the ingredients.
• Drain the liquid from the vegetables before adding them to the other ingredients. Like hash browns, too much liquid will create a soggy egg bake.
• Don’t overcook the egg casserole because it will get dry and chewy.

Variations

• For a healthier breakfast casserole, you can lower the saturated fat by swapping some whole eggs for egg whites. I wouldn’t use all egg whites in an egg bake. The egg yolks provide a nice texture and flavor you won’t get with all egg whites. However, you can remove some of the egg yolks to lower the fat, and I recommend removing no more than three egg yolks. Also, use one extra egg white to compensate for the lost liquid by removing the yolks. Follow the exact cooking instructions!
• Swap in different meats. 1lb of any cooked meat will work in this recipe. You can use turkey sausage, Italian sausage, chicken sausage, kielbasa, bacon, diced ham, Canadian bacon, or any of your favorite meats. 
• Leave out the meat for a vegetarian option.
• Swap in other potatoes. Of course, you can use diced hash browns or tater tots; make sure they are labeled gluten-free if that’s a concern. I recommend using 3-4 cups of hashbrowns for this breakfast recipe, and you need to cover the bottom of the dish.
• Use your favorite vegetables. Breakfast bakes are so easy to switch up. Use broccoli, red bell pepper, spinach, kale, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, or whatever you need to use up in your fridge. About 3 -4 cups of chopped vegetables work well in an egg bake. Whichever vegetable you use, my advice would be to cook the vegetable first. I like to saute my veggies, but you can also roast them in the oven for a bit of crunchiness. Make sure to drain all the liquid from the vegetables before mixing it in with the eggs. Too much liquid can make for a mushy egg bake. I use a mesh strainer to help with this!
• Use sour cream in place of the greek yogurt. Or leave it out if you don’t have either. Both create a nice texture and flavor to the casserole, but it will still be tasty without them.

Make-ahead & Storage Tips

The beauty of this easy breakfast casserole is it can be prepped the night before, so it’s perfect if you want an easy breakfast recipe to pop in the oven first thing in the morning.

For the week: Assemble the ingredients in a casserole dish, cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove the foil and continue with the recipe.

You can also cook this thoroughly and store leftovers in the refrigerator for five days so you can have a quick healthy breakfast during the week. I like to use glass meal prep containers to store the egg bake. Heat a piece in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated.

For the freezer: You might be wondering if you can freeze egg bakes. It depends. I find egg bakes to get a little rubbery and mushy when I freeze them raw, so I recommend not freezing raw egg bakes! Instead, assemble the ingredients the day before and keep them in the refrigerator.

If you want a quick make-ahead breakfast during the week, you can freeze this sausage egg breakfast casserole after it cooks. After it cools, cut it into portions, freeze it for a heat and eat breakfast. Heat for 2-3 minutes in the microwave until heated.

Recommend tools for this recipe

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Large bowls
• Whisk
• Ceramic or glass casserole baking dish

FAQs

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

If you loved this overnight breakfast casserole, check out my other recipes!

• Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito
• Freezer Breakfast Burrito
• Sausage Egg Muffins
• Frozen Breakfast Sandwich
• Greek Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

See all of my healthy breakfast recipes.

Did you make this recipe?

Have you tried this Make Ahead Sausage Hash brown Breakfast Casserole (Gluten Free) recipe yet? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can’t wait to see it.