Transform your mornings with our Crockpot Breakfast Casserole, a hassle-free breakfast featuring savory pork sausage, hashbrowns, fluffy eggs, and a generous layer of melted cheese. This one-pot wonder ensures a delicious and hearty start to your day, effortlessly prepared in your trusty slow cooker. Wake up to the enticing aroma of a perfectly cooked breakfast, making every bite a memorable experience. Perfect for holiday mornings, ski trips, or weekends at the cottage.
Unlock the secret to a stress-free morning with the delightful magic of a crockpot. The slow cooker often gets a lot of attention for dinner as we use it to create delicious recipes such as our 3 Ingredient Crockpot Pork Chops, Slow Cooker Chunky Vegetable Soup and Crockpot Taco Casserole. You might enjoy our 7-Day Crockpot Meal Plan and Shopping List as well!
But now we can take one of our favorite kitchen appliances and showcase its simplicity at breakfast! This crockpot breakfast casserole is sure to be a huge hit on busy weekdays and leisurely weekends.
Let this easy breakfast casserole be your excuse to say goodbye to hectic mornings and welcome ones filled with flavor!
Keep reading to learn step-by-step how to make a crockpot breakfast meal, serving suggestions and recipe hacks to customize this recipe to meet dietary needs and food preferences.
Table of Contents
Ingredients & Variations
- Ground pork sausage – We used Jimmy Dean Sage, which can also be replaced with regular pork sausage or Italian sausage. Turkey or chicken sausage are other lean alternatives with various flavors available.
- Hashbrowns – Instead of shredded hash browns, consider cubed or diced potatoes, tater tots or hash brown patties. Fresh potatoes can also be grated and added to the slow cooker. If looking for a lower carb version, opt for shredded zucchini, carrots or riced cauliflower.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese – If you don’t have sharp cheddar on hand, mild cheddar, Monterey jack, Pepper jack, white cheddar, Colby jack or a blend of cheeses offer a similar flavor.
- Spices (dried onions, dry mustard, salt, pepper) – Season as directed or to meet taste preferences.
- Large eggs – While we have not tried the replacement ourselves, blended silken tofu can be an egg alternative in casserole recipes. Use approximately 1/4 cup of blended tofu for each egg.
- Milk – If making dairy free by omitting the cheddar cheese, swap the 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of unsweetened soy milk. Otherwise, skim, 2% or whole milk are all options.
How To Make
Start by adding the hashbrowns, pork sausage, 2 cups shredded cheese, minced onions, dry mustard, half of the salt, and half of the pepper to the crockpot.
Using clean hands blend well. You can use a large spoon after you have it starting to combine as its very cold. Blend well to avoid clumps of sausage.
In a mixing bowl whisk the eggs, milk, the rest of the salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the mixture in the crockpot. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top.
Bake on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Once baked sprinkle with an additional cup of shredded cheese then cover and let it melt. Serve hot.
Casserole Topping Suggestions
Serve breakfast hashbrown casserole as is or add toppings for additional flavor, texture and visual appeal!
Feel free to mix and match based on preferences or create a themed casserole by combining flavors from a specific cuisine.
- Mexican-Inspired: Salsa, avocado, chopped jalapenos, sour cream, sliced radishes or diced tomatoes
- Italian-Inspired: Marinara sauce, fresh basil leaves, sliced cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes or fresh oregano
- Southwest-Inspired: Enchilada sauce, sliced avocado, black bean salsa, diced green chilies or green onions
- Classic Breakfast Ideas: Crispy bacon, sauteed mushrooms, diced bell peppers, diced ham, sliced tomatoes or spinach leaves
What To Serve with Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
If toppings aren’t your thing but side dishes are, we have you covered. Here are some family-friendly ideas for what to serve:
- Fresh fruit salad with a mix of seasonal fruits to add a sweet balance to the savory casserole.
- Leafy green salad with a light vinaigrette to provide a crisp and refreshing contrast to the richness of the cheesy casserole.
- Serve with slices of toasted gluten-free bread, bagels or English muffins to add a crunchy texture.
- For an extra protein boost, serve with crispy bacon or additional sausage links.
- Roasted vegetables, such as tomatoes, asparagus, bell peppers and broccoli, add a colorful and nutritious addition.
Helpful Tips
- Add vegetables: Boost the nutrients in this recipe by adding in fresh chopped vegetables when you stir the sausage mixture together. Kids enjoy broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms or spinach. Plus, these additions enhance the overall taste of the casserole.
- Choose the right potatoes: Use any of the potato variations listed above based on preference. If using fresh potatoes, be sure to squeeze out any excess moisture to avoid a soggy casserole.
- Whisk eggs thoroughly: Be sure to whisk the eggs thoroughly before incorporating them into the casserole. This ensures even distribution and a consistent texture.
- Check for doneness: Cook the casserole as directed until the center is set. Insert a knife or toothpick in the middle – it should come out clean when the casserole is done.
- Cook overnight: For an extra layer of ease, assemble this casserole in the evening and let it cook overnight. This way, breakfast is served right when your family wakes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients like watery vegetables or thawed frozen hash browns can release moisture during cooking. Pat down vegetables and use frozen hashbrowns. Also, if the casserole is not cooked thoroughly, the eggs may not set properly, resulting in a soggy center. Lastly, having too much liquid or too few eggs in the mixture can affect the texture. Follow the recommended egg-to-liquid ratio to achieve the right balance.
Our gluten free breakfast casserole is made of pork sausage, eggs, cheese, spices and hashbrowns. Many variations are available to further customize this casserole to meet your needs.
A 6 to 8-quart crockpot is generally suitable for this breakfast casserole. If smaller, you may consider making a half batch to prevent overflow.
Grease the inside of the crockpot with non-stick cooking spray or butter before adding the ingredients. You can also use crockpot liners for easy clean-up.
Double the recipe depending on the size of the crockpot. Adjust the ingredients to fit the size or consider using two crockpots if available.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Allow the casserole to cool for about 30 minutes before transferring it to the fridge. This will prevent condensation and ensure a safe cooling process.
- Once cooled, cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate. You can also transfer leftovers into an airtight container.
- Consume leftovers within 3-4 days by reheating in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
- If you don’t plan to consume within this time frame, consider freezing the leftovers. Wrap the casserole or individual portions in plastic wrap or place in a freezer bag.
- Store any frozen casserole up to 3 months. Label the container or bag for reference.
- To thaw a frozen casserole, transfer to the fridge the night before you plan to reheat it. Reheat the next day. Avoiding reheating the entire casserole multiple times as this can impact the quality.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- When making casseroles in the crockpot, always leave room for the lid to be tightly secured. If the lid doesn’t easily fit on top of the slow cooker, ask your kitchen helper for assistance in removing some of the ingredients.
- Before prepping the eggs, double check the crockpot to make sure you don’t see any clumps of sausage. If you do, use a spoon or your hands to break into smaller pieces.
- You will save 1 cup of cheese until the very end and sprinkle on the top right before serving. Store this cup of cheese in the fridge until you are ready to use.
More Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes
- Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole
- Gluten and Dairy Free Waffles
- Gluten Free Baked Oatmeal
- Sheet Pan Eggs
- Eggs in the Oven
- Air Fryer Gluten-Free French Toast Sticks
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Crockpot Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground pork sausage we used Jimmy Dean Sage
- 30 ounces hashbrowns
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 teaspoon pepper divided
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Prep the casserole. Add the hashbrowns, pork sausage, 2 cups shredded cheese, minced onions, dry mustard, half of the salt, and half of the pepper. Using clean hands blend well. You can use a large spoon after you have it starting to combine as its very cold. Blend well to avoid clumps of sausage.
- Prep the eggs. In a mixing bowl whisk the eggs, milk, the rest of the salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the mixture in the crockpot. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top.
- Bake. Bake on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Once baked sprinkle with an additional cup of shredded cheese then cover and let it melt. Serve hot.
Notes
Casserole Toppings
- Mexican-Inspired: Salsa, avocado, chopped jalapenos, sour cream, sliced radishes or diced tomatoes
- Italian-Inspired: Marinara sauce, fresh basil leaves, sliced cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes or fresh oregano
- Southwest-Inspired: Enchilada sauce, sliced avocado, black bean salsa, diced green chilies or green onions
- Classic Breakfast Ideas: Crispy bacon, sauteed mushrooms, diced bell peppers, diced ham, sliced tomatoes or spinach leaves
Nutrition
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Bill says
Does this recipe use precooked sausage or uncooked? If uncooked do I need to cook it in Anabel before putting it in the crock pot? Please advise and thank you in advance.
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Bill! This recipe uses uncooked sausage. No need to precook!