Crockpot Breakfast Casserole – Nice for Meal Prep!

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is the proper breakfast recipe to feed a hungry crowd, or make for meal prep. Tacky, hearty, and palms OFF!

The vacations are steeped in custom for my household. Whether or not it’s Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving we all the time kick issues off with a scoop of scorching and hearty Crockpot Breakfast Casserole, plus a pan of Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls and bottomless mimosas.

Heck we even schedule our household’s birthday celebrations round brunch time so we will serve this simple crock pot breakfast casserole as the primary occasion. It’s a CINCH to assemble, feeds a military, and is dearly liked by all.

I imply simply have a look at these crispy, tacky bits! #drool

Whether or not you’re searching for a hearty breakfast to feed a big group for the vacations, function BFD (my youngsters LOVE this!) or for make-ahead breakfasts all week lengthy, this sluggish cooker breakfast casserole covers all of it.

Watch Learn how to Make It

Elements Wanted

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole requires a handful of on a regular basis elements which are layered within the crock pot earlier than pushing on. So, so easy. The recipe is of course gluten free and versatile too. Right here’s what you’ll want:

1. Frozen shredded hash browns: I like Ore Ida model, which is gluten free and holds up nicely to sluggish cooking. No have to thaw them or something earlier than tossing into the crock pot.
2. Breakfast sausage: I like Jimmy Dean model which, once more, is gluten free. Be at liberty to make use of the maple or spicy varieties, although I all the time go along with the basic gentle breakfast sausage.
3. Shredded cheeses: Each shredded cheddar cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese guarantee every chew of this breakfast casserole is satisfying and completely irresistible.
4. Inexperienced onions: Sliced inexperienced onions present a pop of coloration and taste to this dish. Be at liberty to slice up a couple of additional to prime every bowl with.
5. Milk: No matter you’ve bought readily available. I’ve used every little thing from unsweetened almond milk to entire milk.
6. Eggs: Can’t have breakfast casserole with out it! I like to recommend utilizing giant, in-shell eggs vs an egg product.
7. Salt and Pepper. ‘Nuf mentioned!

Variations

Clearly it is a suuuuper basic breakfast casserole recipe – potatoes, meat, and cheese. That mentioned, it’s very simple to customise. Listed here are some concepts:

• Swap up the meat. Use bacon or diced ham as an alternative of sausage, or veggie crumbles to maintain this recipe vegetarian. Costco has huge baggage of pre-crumbled cooked bacon which are really very prime quality!
• Add veggies. Diced bell peppers and onions, sauteed mushrooms, and even inexperienced chiles, can be a scrumptious addition to the inexperienced onion layer of the breakfast casserole.
• Select a distinct cheese. Smoked gouda, fontina, colby jack, monterey jack, or pepper jack cheeses would all be scrumptious in right here.

What Measurement Crock Pot To Use

As written, this sluggish cooker breakfast recipe will fill a 6-quart crock pot and feed 8-10 hungry people. Many individuals have efficiently halved this recipe utilizing a smaller crock pot – you’ll simply want to scale back cooking time a bit.

This recipe is nice as a result of you possibly can cook dinner it in a single day on LOW for 8-9 hours, or cook dinner on HIGH for 4 hours. Have somebody flip it on within the morning after they get up and get espresso began, and the breakfast casserole can be prepared by brunch time!

Nice for Meal Prep

What I particularly love about this recipe is that it reheats fantastically so you possibly can scoop particular person parts of the cooked casserole into glass storage containers then reheat within the microwave every morning for an almost on the spot, protein packed breakfast.

My center youngster loves a scorching and hearty breakfast vs chilly cereal, so he will get very excited when I’ve this breakfast casserole readily available to warmth up for his breakfast — and even as an after faculty snack.

Greatest Suggestions for Success

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole isn’t rocket science — layer the elements right into a crock pot then flip it on. BUT, after making this recipe numerous occasions through the years, I do have a couple of suggestions for achievement!!

1. A browned prime isn’t indicative of a cooked middle. Particularly whenever you cook dinner it on excessive, the casserole would possibly seem carried out primarily based on the browned look of the highest after even 2 hours. However the middle received’t be cooked throughout so preserve (sluggish) cooking!
2. Spray the perimeters of the crock pot very nicely with nonstick cooking spray earlier than including the elements to make sure every scoop comes out cleanly.
3. OR, use a sluggish cooker liner to make clear up a breeze. My Mother often does this.

What to Serve with Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

Though it’s utterly scrumptious and satisfying all on it’s personal, we prefer to serve Crockpot Breakfast Casserole with a toppings bar together with:

• Chopped recent inexperienced onions
• Salsa
• Bacon bits (what can I say we go huge)
• Sliced or diced avocado (LOVE the combo of eggs and avocado)
• Pickled jalapenos

A recent fruit salad and pan of Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls are all the time close by too!

How To Make Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

Begin by spraying a 6-quart crock pot with nonstick spray then unfold frozen shredded hash browns in an excellent layer on the underside. Like I mentioned, I desire Ore Ida as a result of the standard may be very constant.

Subsequent add a layer of browned and drained breakfast sausage. You possibly can brown/drain/refrigerate the breakfast sausage a number of days forward of time.

The following layer is equal quantities of shredded cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, adopted by a flavorful layer of chopped inexperienced onions.

Repeat the hash brown, sausage, and cheese layers yet one more time then whisk eggs with milk, salt, and pepper and pour the egg combination evenly excessive of the casserole.

Pop the lid on prime then cook dinner for 4 hours on HIGH, or 8 hours on LOW, or till the highest of the breakfast casserole is golden brown, and the middle is about.

Have a look at these layers of taste!!

Storage Suggestions

Be at liberty to dig into the crockpot egg casserole as quickly as its carried out, then prime along with your favourite toppings (or not, if you happen to’re a purist) and dig in! Like I mentioned although, this casserole reheats tremendous nicely. Right here’s what to do:

• To retailer: Scoop particular person sized parts of leftovers into glass storage containers with lids then refrigerate for 3-4 days.
• To reheat: Microwave particular person sized parts for 1-2 minutes, stirring midway by means of, or till warmed by means of. I like to interrupt the inside track of breakfast casserole up a bit earlier than microwaving to make sure it reheats evenly.
• To freeze: Freeze particular person sized parts in freezer-safe containers. Microwave at 50% energy for 1-1/2 minutes then stir and proceed microwaving till meals is warmed by means of.

That’s all she wrote! Whether or not you serve this scorching and hearty breakfast casserole on your subsequent vacation get collectively, or weekend brunch – I hope you like it – get pleasure from!

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Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin