This crockpot breakfast casserole is the best hands-off breakfast recipe! Made with breakfast sausage, hash browns, veggies, cheese and an egg mixture for a hearty meal!
Overnight breakfast recipes are a favorite including breakfast hashbrown casserole, crescent roll breakfast casserole and breakfast casserole with biscuits!
Table of Contents
Overnight Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
This crockpot breakfast casserole is packed with savory favorites – fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp golden hash browns, savory breakfast sausage, and a generous layer of melted cheese.
However, instead of baking it in the morning like my overnight breakfast casserole, the breakfast casserole is assembled in the slow cooker, then cooks overnight while I sleep! It’s one less thing to worry about on a holiday morning or use it for meal prep.
Why This Recipe Works
- Makes mornings a breeze. This crock pot breakfast casserole recipe is a lifesaver on busy mornings whether it’s a weekday, Christmas breakfast or Easter brunch!
- Crowd pleaser. 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!
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. Easily swap it for your favorite.
- 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.
Substitutions and 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 sausage over medium heat until cooked. 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.
- 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. Do not stir. Pour egg mixture over the layers and cook on low for 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Half the recipe. Feel free to cut the slow cooker breakfast casserole in half for a smaller crowd or double for a larger crowd.
- If you forget to thaw the hash browns. 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.
- Easy clean up. Use a slow cooker liner for easier clean up.
Recipe FAQs
Using at least a 6 quart crockpot is best to accommodate the 12 serving size of the recipe. If you have a programmable slow cooker, that is best for cooking it overnight so it doesn’t overcook.
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.
Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole Serving Suggestions
This crockpot egg casserole 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 sour cream. Feeding a larger crowd? Add muffins, toast or homemade bagels to stretch the meal a bit more.
Storage
- Store: Keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat: Reheat any remaining slices of the 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.
- Freeze: Freeze individual slices or in sections in a freezer safe container. Reheat in the microwave and enjoy.
More easy morning breakfast recipes include overnight French toast casserole, breakfast strata and tater tot breakfast casserole.
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Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
Video
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.
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!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
I loved the hint of heat from the green chilies! Tasty, but not too spicy for my kids! :)
oh my word, this was everything and more that I wanted it to be! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that you loved the breakfast casserole Jess!
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!