Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
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Tater tot Breakfast Casserole, with delicious layers of tater tots, cheese, and sausage, is one of our favorite casserole recipes and we just know you will love it too!!
Breakfast pork sausage, eggs, and cheddar cheese will help you get the day started off right! Recipe is perfect for holiday and make head mornings with quick assembly. Just pop into oven and then enjoy!
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole with Sausage & Eggs
There is no doubt that my sausage hash brown breakfast casserole is one of the most adored recipes here on Salty Side Dish. But I also get tons of questions on if the hash browns can be substituted for tater tots, so I decided to give this hack a try!
The great news? Substituting the hash browns for tater tots worked perfectly for a delicious dense potato base in this breakfast casserole.
The best part about using tater tots over hash browns is that they already have a layer of fried outsides and brings a bit more crisp to the casserole – no matter whether you choose this recipe or the other one, you will NOT be disappointed in this filling, delicious, and memorable breakfast.
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 1 pound pork sausage (jimmy dean)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 package frozen tater tots (approximately 24 oz)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
RELATED RECIPES : Amish Breakfast Casserole, Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Bake
Why to make this Easy Breakfast Casserole!
- Feeds a crowd – This recipe is easy to make even larger with a bigger dish and a few changes!
- Variations – You can truly make this one your own! Substitute with other cooked meats, add veggies like fresh red and green peppers or top with bacon with a crunch.
- Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole – You can pre-assemble this tater tot casserole by making, adding foil on top, and pulling out next morning for cooking.
How to make Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Recipe Instructions – full printable version at the bottom of the post without images
Preheat oven to 375 and spray 9 x 13 pan with non stick cooking spray.
Brown the meat – I like breakfast sausage, but you can use any beef you like, over medium heat in a skillet, breaking meat into small pieces. Drain any excess grease and set cooked meat aside.
Whisk together 8 eggs, 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and all spices together.
Now its time to assemble the tater tot casserole.
Layering Taters Tots in Casserole
Start with adding your frozen tater tots in the bottom of the dish. Its fine if some overlap!
Now add cooked sausage, two cups of cheese and finally pour egg mixture on top.
Cover casserole dish with foil. This helps the edges not cook too quickly and burn.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes to start, remove foil from dish, and then bake for another 15-20 until center egg is fully cooked.
Please note that all oven times can vary and gas stoves often cooker quicker so check at the 40 minute mark. Your eggs may be cooked.
More Delicious and Easy Breakfast Side Dish Recipes
Serve along side one of the following breakfast recipes
- Diced Skillet Breakfast Potatoes – Easy Skillet Breakfast Potatoes fried up in a cast iron pan are such a simple side dish to make. Often referred to as “home fries†you can skillet fry up your potatoes and enjoy super tender centers and crispy skins.
- Blueberry Breakfast Cake – Blueberry Breakfast Cake is a delicious way to bring in the blueberry picking season! Packed with fresh blueberries and perfect as a pairing with your morning coffee.
- Slow Cooker Grits – Grits have never been easier! Slow cook your grits (on high, low or overnight!) for a classic bowl of savory grits just begging for cheese, butter and bacon. Even if you have never made grits before, this one is for you!
- Cast Iron Blueberry Cake – Grab your cast iron pan and whip up this blueberry cornmeal cake in just under an hour. A seriously southern, homemade cake that is perfection in every tasty bite.
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 1 pound pork sausage jimmy dean
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk or heavy cream
- 24 oz. frozen tater tots
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and spray 9 x 13 pan with non stick cooking spray.
- Brown the meat – Medium heat in a skillet, breaking sausage into small pieces. Drain any excess grease and set cooked meat aside.
- Whisk together 8 eggs, a cup and a half of heavy cream (whole milk if you have to, but heavy cream is better) and all spices together.
- Add frozen tater tots in the bottom of the dish until a full layer is formed.
- On top of tater tots, add the precooked sausage, two cups of cheddar cheese, and finally pour on whisked egg mixture.
- Cover casserole dish with foil. (This helps the edges not cook too quickly and burn.)
- Bake tater tot casserole for 40 minutes to start, remove foil from dish, and then bake for another 15-20 until center egg is fully cooked if necessary. Note that some ovens cook faster and check at the 40-45 minute mark for cooked egg.
- Serve tater tot casserole hot with sour cream, tomatoes, salsa, or crunchy bacon.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Do you have to thaw the tater tots beforehand?
Nope!
Can you make this the night before
Yes, it sure can!
If I’m making this the night before, should I bake it the night before, too, or can I just assemble and bake it in the morning?
You just assemble and bake morning of. 🙂
Can I subsitute frozen hash browns for the tater tots?
Yes you can! Just remember that they wont have the same already cooked crunch on them tater tots have. I have a recipe here – https://www.saltysidedish.com/sausage-hashbrown-breakfast-casserole/
Best breakfast casserole I have made to date!! Definitely a keeper!! I added some red and green peppers and just a few jalapeno’s for a little extra flavor and spice.
This is my favorite breakfast casserole! I made it for company and it was a BIG hit! I didn’t have heavy cream so I used half and half instead, and used pepper jack cheese for the top of the casserole to add a little spice.
SO GOOD!
Can this recipe be cut in half for a small family?
Yes, you can cut the recipe down and it should be fine. My only hesitation is the timing. Depending on the size and depth of your pan, you may have to shorten the cooking time. It’s not something I have done so I cannot give you exact cooking time for what pan but I would make sure to start checking at the 30 minute mark and remove foil and then finish out cooking.
This was so good ! I added onions and sweet peppers to the sausage and then at the end topped the casserole with some crumbled bacon and it was amazing !
New family fav! Made last night (halved recipe) for breakfast as dinner and used ham steak I had on hand (cubed) instead of sausage. Also added a handful of frozen chopped bell pepper and jalapeno. Turned out great! I found cooking time to be the same as suggested. Used glass 8×8 pan. Left overs got eaten today so I made again for my “brunch”. Used rest of ham and added some cooked bacon. Forgot to add any veggies, out of cream so I used some sour cream and skim milk. Worked well. A very versatile and forgiving recipe. Also meant to say I assembled beforehand and stored in frig until I baked. Definitely adding to my meal rotatation.
Hi!
Can you make/assemble the casserole two nights before and still refrigerate it? I am hosting a Sunday Brunch for my sister’s wedding and Saturday I won’t have time to prep it 🙂
Wanted to double check because of the tater tots (wasn’t sure if they got soggy?)
Ill be honest – I have never prepared TWO days in advance, but I don’t feel like it should be an issue since it just bakes right back up.
I don’t want to tell you FOR SURE FOR SURE but I also don’t see a huge problem.
What you COULD do (and what I would do) is set everything but the eggs and then have them prepared in a bowl and pour them on at the end. Basically like, set all the parts separately, and then it should take minutes to add the egg layer if you are concerned about the wet ingredients setting on the tater tots.
I am about to prepare this recipe for the second time. Make certain you grate the cheese yourself. Do not use a bag of cheese. Buy a 10-12 oz. cheese stick/brick (i.e., Cabot or Farm Valley). YOU decide what the mix ins will be. I threw in a little already cooked bacon and sliced sauteed mushrooms. I may sprinkle a few jalapenos and a few slices of grape tomatoes. Be creative. Two days later, I smooshed a square after I warmed it up and threw that on top of a toasted bagel with ketchup. Heaven.
I did reduce the sodium and any additional spices to 1/4 teaspoons. I happen to like eggs, potatoes and cheese flavor more than seasoning (cheddar and pepper jack — depends how I feel when I prepare).
Just made this and it is DELICIOUS!!!! Definitely a keeper!!!
This was amazing! I half-ed the recipe (used an 8×8) because I’m only feeding two people and I doubled the meat because why put a half of a roll of sausage in the fridge? It worked, and I’d recommend doing that because it made the meat layer nice and thick. I’ll be making it again and I’ll be adding bell pepper next time.
I can’t wait to make this and try it. One question, does it matter what size eggs you’re using? I accidentally bought medium size eggs and just wondering if I should add a few more.
I havent tested it on every size eggs, but medium or large should have around the same time.
This was my first time making this. I wanted something easy for Christmas morning. I didn’t want the soggy bread bottom typical breakfast casserole. I also wanted to make a streamlined casserole because I have picky teenage boy eaters. This was so good! The only thing I did different was I did less salt because the sausage and tater tots are so salty… I did add a dollop of sour cream and fresh salsa to mine. I think it added a little something something.
Breakfast for anytime of the day!! I would omit the salt. I wanted to make this as hot & fresh as possible to share with my work-fam so I measured out all the ingredients the night before (wait till the day of to crack/whisk the eggs!) and I cooked the sausage the night before to give me a head start. The timing was perfect, it cooked in 40 mins. My single layer of taters ended up becoming almost a double layer but it did not effect the cook time. A very easy recipe I would highly recommend A++
I have made this multiple times for my family and it’s devoured as soon as it cools off. The adults sprinkle some hot sauce on before serving since the kids prefer it mild. Absolutely delicious! I will continue to make it again and again!
This was a big hit! I added pepper jack cheese and onions and red pepper as someone suggested and used medium hot sausage, Delicious!!
Would it help to cook the tater tots first? To give it some crisp? Has anyone tried this before? It looks delicious, thanks for sharing.
In this recipe, we dont cook them. Even if you took the time to crisp them up, once you pour the eggs on there, they could soften back up. I haven’t taken the time to see if it makes a difference but as you can see from ratings, the recipe seems find as is. I will say, as with all recipes, you can use your own expertise, experience, and tastebuds to make changes that suit your family. I encourage it! 🙂
I placed half the bag of tater tots on bottom and half toward the top of recipe. When all is said and done, I broiled the top of dish for three to four minutes. BTW, I buy a good bag of tater tots and not a store brand.
Made it last night and we enjoyed it. I think the guy that said cook the tater tots first was on to something because the tots didnt get crispy like I wanted. Added green onion fresh garlic and bell pepper. Also added cream of mushroom because we make the traditional egg casserole with bread and use it. I have a deep dish casserole so I used all 32 oz of tots and doubled the sausage. My partner liked it better than the bread one but I still prefer it. Solid recipe tho
Will a plant based sausage ( like “ beyond meat “ products) work in this dish ?
Thanks
I havent done it but I dont see why not!
That’s the way I do it. Beyond Breakfast Sausage cooked and crumbled.
My husband and I loved this recipe. He loved it so much , that he took it to work for lunch the next day.very good!
Hi. Can this be frozen and reheated?
Do you mean prior to baking it (Like assembling) or making it and freezing leftovers?
This was so good and so easy. I cut the recipe in half and worked great. I used jimmy dean hot pork sausage which was great flavor and it wasnt really hot probably because of all the other ingredients it blended. Only thing I will probably change next time is either reduce or not put any salt in because I’m not used to a lot of salt and to me the sausage probably had enough salt for my liking. If you’re used to salt the recipe as is is probably perfect..really so good and so easy.thank you!
Janet, thank you for your comment. I appreciate your feedback and suggestions on salt for others that may want a different taste.
Trisha
Followed the directions as written and the whole family enjoyed. This recipe is a keeper! ThankYou for sharing.
A family favorite!!! Reduced the salt to 1/2 tsp. kosher salt instead, and was PLENTY salty. Also, extra crispy or mini tater tots made for a solid, not too potato-y dish. Delicious!
when i printed this out, it shows that the calories for this are 282 kcals. Is it really 282,000 calories or is that wrong? Thank you!
kcals and cals are the same thing. Its a long scientific explanation (that I am not really qualified to explain) but the k does not meal 1000 like it would in speaking about money. Calorie is actually a scientific term and kcalorie is the foodie term. In everyday language, especially in the context of food and diet, when people refer to “calories,” they are actually referring to kilocalories (kcals). For example, when a food label indicates 200 calories, it technically means 200 kilocalories. I dont know if that helps you at all.
The recipe is delicious. However, the cook times do not match up with the ovens I use at school. I cook mine at 425 for 60 minutes then usually have to turn it up to 500 for another 10-20 to get them cooked through.
Has anyone tried whole milk instead of heavy cream? I already have it on hand so I’m just curious. Thanks!
Whole milk is just a bit thinner. It turns out the same, but a little less “rich” than heavy cream.
Added bacon peppers and red onion and minced garlic! New family favorite
Easy and good.
Added chopped onion and bell pepper when sautéing the sausage.
Made it the night before.
Hello. Just made this today and it was a complete hit. So good!! Is there a way to substitute or add in cottage cheese to make it more protein filled? What are your thoughts?
Wonderful casserole! Did everything exactly but of course I added my own touches. I sautéed some onions and garlic with the sausage and added a can of mushroom soup after layering the cheese. It came out so delicious!
I’ve made this recipe so many times! It’s so good and easy. I use Jimmy Dean Hot sausage add 2 extra eggs to mine. We love it with pepper gravy on the side!
I made this for my family on Christmas am. Everyone loved it. Easy & delicious
I am vegetarian so I used Beyond Breakfast Sausage and soy milk. Worked splendidly especially with our homegrown overabundance of eggs. My husband is not a casserole fan but he responded, “This casserole I like!”
Hi, Trisha, my spouse is on a low sodium diet. Do you think it would be all right to substitute Mrs. Dash for the salt? Thank you. Richard Burton
Yes!
So easy and delicious!
This is such a great recipe! I’d tried so many others before, but I stopped looking after I made this one. I’ve made it as posted and with my own modifications as well – and it always turns out amazing. I always add at least a half a can of Rotel, and some extra green chilies. I like to do 1/2 cup ranch dressing, 1/2 cup HWC, and 1/2 cup whole milk. I don’t have any heavy cream today, so I added a quarter cup of sour cream to milk & ranch. It’s still baking, but I’m sure it will be fabulous!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My kids and all my extended family love it!
I baked this for the garden club, and everyone loved it! Try it! It’s very easy, and comes together quickly. I cooked the sausage the night before, and heated it up in the microwave before putting everything together to bake. I loved how fast and easy it was!
Everyone loves this dish! I use heavy cream instead of milk and spicy sausage.