This spectacular crockpot breakfast casserole is made with breakfast sausage, hash browns, bell peppers, onions, spinach, and melted cheese held together by an egg mixture then slow-cooked until set. It can be cooked overnight and then served when you wake up!
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It Cooks While You Sleep!
This slow cooker breakfast casserole is one of my favorite crockpot recipes to serve in the morning, because not only is it tasty but it comes together as conveniently as my overnight french toast casserole.
However, instead of baking it in the morning like my overnight breakfast casserole, the breakfast casserole gets assembled at night and it slow cooks while I sleep!
This low-carb and high-protein meal is a satisfying way to start the day. It’s fully loaded with savory favorites like eggs, hash browns, breakfast sausage, and cheese, making it a favorite for the whole family!
Why This Recipe Works
- Makes mornings a breeze. This crockpot breakfast casserole is a lifesaver on busy mornings. I know it’s ready to go when we are and I get to send my kids off to school with a full belly and a high-protein breakfast.
- Has a little bit of everything. I love breakfast recipes that combine everything savory in one dish! It’s meaty and cheesy with the perfect amount of sautéed veggies and eggs!
- Feeds a crowd. Depending on the size of your slices, this recipe typically feeds about 12 people. This is great for Christmas morning or an Easter brunch and all kinds of special occasion breakfasts!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Breakfast sausage: I use breakfast sausage in this crockpot breakfast casserole because it’s a traditional breakfast meat in our home. You can easily swap it for your favorite. See below for options.
- Butter: Needed to saute the onions and peppers before adding them to the pot. This caramelizes the veggies, softens them up, and brings out their flavors.
- Veggies: Onion, bell peppers, hash browns, and chopped spinach. Hash browns can be cubed or shredded and found in the freezer section. Make sure to thaw them beforehand, otherwise, they’ll add too much water to the casserole.
- Green chiles: A can of chopped chiles for some heat!
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Grate your own from a block, it melts nicer and is much tastier. Cheddar is just one option, feel free to use a different cheese.
- Large eggs & milk: You’ll need 8 fresh eggs! Adding milk to eggs adds richness and gets them nice and fluffy.
- Salt & pepper: Seasoning to bring out all of the flavors in the crockpot breakfast casserole.
Variations
- A different meat: Instead of ground breakfast sausage try substituting with Italian sausage, ground turkey, diced ham, or bacon instead.
- Extra veggies: Clean out your fridge and add in whatever you’d like! Mushrooms, chopped asparagus, broccoli, green onions, or zucchini.
- Briny ingredients: Olives or artichokes would be amazing!
- Other cheese: Substitute the cheddar for Parmesan, mozzarella, Swiss cheese, pepper jack, or Monterey Jack.
How to Make Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
- Cook the meat. Cook the sausage over medium heat until cooked through. Break it into crumbles with a spatula or wooden spoon. Once it’s cooked transfer it to a medium bowl and drain any excess grease, if necessary.
- Sauté the veggies. In the same frying pan, add the butter and onions and cook until soft. Then, toss in the bell peppers and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Mix the eggs. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Set it aside.
- Assemble the casserole. Layer half the potatoes, sausage, onions, peppers, chiles, spinach, and cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Do not stir. Pour the egg mixture over the layers and cook on low for 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing it into individual portions. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Half the recipe. Feel free to cut the recipe in half for a smaller crowd or double for a larger crowd.
- If you forget to thaw the hashbrowns. No biggie. Some people have success not thawing shredded hash browns at all.
- Omit the chiles if you don’t want any heat.
- If you want more heat, add extra red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper to the egg mixture.
Recipe FAQs
This is a complete meal all on its own, however, there’s always room for a delicious and colorful berry fruit salad on the side! If you’re wondering what to serve as toppings, try salsa, guacamole, or crumbled feta cheese.
Absolutely. The low and slow temperature of cooking the eggs ensures they don’t overcook and become dry and rubbery. I do recommend cooking this casserole on low heat for a longer time than on high heat for less.
This recipe works in a 6-quart crockpot, and you can double the recipe using the same size. Just make sure to account for 1-2 hours extra cooking time.
That should work. Cool completely and then store in the refrigerator overnight. The next day portion the casserole into slices, wrap in plastic wrap and freezer in a freezer safe container or bag. Reheat in the microwave.
Storing + Reheating
Keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Reheat any remaining slices of the crockpot breakfast casserole in the microwave or the oven. If using the oven, cover them with foil so they don’t brown too much on top.
Check out more easy morning breakfast casseroles! Breakfast hashbrown casserole, breakfast casserole with biscuits and tater tot breakfast casserole are two more to try.
More Savory Breakfast Recipes
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Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- 1 6 quart crockpot
Ingredients
- ½ pound breakfast sausage
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped bell peppers
- 1 ½ cups frozen potatoes (cubed or shredded, thawed)
- 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
- ½ cup chopped spinach (optional; add more if desired)
- ½ to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a frying pan, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking into crumbles with a spatula. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add butter and onions. Sauté 2 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add the bell peppers and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Spray a 6-quart crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Layer half of the the potatoes, sausage, onions and peppers, chiles, spinach, if using, and cheese. Repeat the layers ending with the cheese. Do not stir.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over the layers in the crockpot.
- Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove the lid and let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Meat: You could also substitute with ground turkey or Italian sausage. You could even substitute with diced ham or bacon, too.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add in any vegetables you’d like. Some of my favorites to add are mushrooms, chopped asparagus or broccoli.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
We make this at least twice a month for breakfast. I love that I can make this breakfast casserole in the crockpot!
this is exactly what I am going to do for my morning meal prepping and I cannot wait to have it for next week! thank you so much for sharing this recipe
Ooooh, this was sooo good. My kids have already asked if we could have it again so off to the store I go, to get the ingredients. Haha. Thank you!