5-Ingredient Hash Brown Casserole
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Update your breakfast routine with this 5-ingredient hash brown casserole! My cheesy breakfast casserole is packed with hash browns, sausage, and eggs — there’s no better way to start your morning.
My Favorite Hash Brown Casserole
Breakfast is one of my kids’ favorite meals of the day. We love it so much in my house that we’re known to do breakfast for dinner at least once a week! I love this breakfast casserole for a twist on sausage, potatoes, and eggs. It’s super filling — making it the perfect contender for those evenings we do have breakfast for dinner.
There are so many different ways that you can make this recipe your own too. If you like spicy foods, consider using spicy breakfast sausage. If you want to use a completely different type of meat, I recommend ground beef or turkey! You can also feel free to replace the hash browns with tater tots, but more on that later.
The prep for this hash brown casserole with eggs will take just about 15 minutes, and then you’ll just have to be patient as it bakes. Let’s get started!
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- The ingredients you’ll need to make this hash brown casserole without sour cream — plus some substitutions
- Instructions on how to make a 5-ingredient hash brown casserole from start to finish
- How to freeze cheesy hash brown casserole and how to make ahead (which will make your life much easier!)
If you’re ready to learn how to make a delicious 5-ingredient hash brown casserole, all that’s left to do is keep reading!
How to Make 5-Ingredient Hash Brown Casserole
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. While your oven preheats, cook the sausage (I like Jimmy Dean) until it’s crumbly and no longer pink. Place it in a bowl or on a plate lined with paper towels so that you can soak up any excess grease.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with milk, salt, and pepper. Combine the hash browns, cooked sausage, and cheese into your egg mixture. Pour it into a greased 9×13-inch casserole dish.
STEP THREE: Bake your breakfast casserole for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden and the casserole has set. If you’d like, garnish with green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Ways to Add Even More Flavor to a Hash Brown Casserole Without Soup
No need to add condensed soup to make your meal more flavorful! You can easily make a hash brown casserole without soup, using any of these add-ons for more flavor:
- Creamy bechamel sauce
- Chicken or vegetable bouillon cube
- Sauces like Dijon mustard or Worcestershire
- Spices like garlic and parsley, or dry Ranch seasoning
Do I Need to Thaw the Hash Browns for This Breakfast Casserole?
For this Jimmy Dean sausage breakfast casserole with hash browns, all of your ingredients should be thawed.
To defrost frozen hash browns, simply leave the bag in the fridge overnight. Or, you can pour them into a bowl and let them reach room temperature after about 30-40 minutes. Remove any excess liquid before placing them in your casserole.
Can I Freeze Hash Brown Casseroles?
Yes, you can freeze hash brown casseroles! Simply assemble all of the ingredients (including the cooked sausage and the whisked eggs) and place them in a freezer-safe dish — I recommend you use a foil container.
Bake the casserole as you normally would, and then set it aside to cool. You can then store your cheesy hash brown casserole for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen.
Can I Make This Hash Brown Casserole Ahead of Time?
This hash brown casserole without soup is the perfect recipe to make ahead of time. Prepare the casserole as instructed and place it in a dish that you can put in your refrigerator. Place the unbaked casserole in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also make this hash brown casserole with eggs in advance and freeze it for later. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can I Replace Hash Browns for Tater Tots?
Yes! Feel free to substitute Ore-Ida tater tots for the hash browns in this casserole recipe. In this case, both forms of potato work really well.
And if you love Ore-Ida tater tots, you’ll love my tater tot casserole recipe!
Can I Use a Different Kind of Meat?
Yes, you can use any type of ground meat for this hash brown casserole without sour cream — hamburger or ground turkey are great options!
Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love:
- Hash Browns in the Air Fryer
- Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole
- Ham and Egg Casserole
- Bananas Foster Pancakes
- Brioche French Toast Casserole
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Air Fryer Hash Brown Patties
- Bisquick Coffee Cake
- Sausage in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer French Toast Sticks
- Air Fryer Apple Fritters
5-Ingredient Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
- 8 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup milk
- 1 20- oz bag of Southwestern Style Shredded Hash Browns
- 2 cups Colby Jack cheese
- Green onion, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook sausage till it is crumbly and no longer pink. Place in a bowl or plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess grease.
- In a large bowl, whisk your eggs with salt and pepper, and milk.
- Combine your hash browns, sausage, and cheese with your egg mixture.
- Pour into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, till the top is golden and the casserole is set.
- Garnish with green onions, if you’d like.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
This is really amazing!
So much flavor and so easy to make. Everyone loved these!
This was delicious!
I am really sad that I can’t buy frozen hash browns like this in the UK. There are only ready made patties. Could I use raw potatoes instead?
Hi Avis, I had no idea that was just a US thing! Yes, you can make your own hash browns using raw potatoes in this as well!
How would the baking instructions change if I didn’t include the cheese? (My daughter and I *despise* cheese.) Would I use a smaller pan, like 8×8 or 9×9?
Hi Julia, No problem! The hash browns and eggs are what needs to cook in the oven, so the bake time will be roughly the same. I would start checking for doneness at the 40 minute mark. Enjoy!
5 stars! I have made this with sausage and with Smithfield cubed ham…both were GREAT! You can also make it without meat for your non meat eating friends… Everybody loved it! A touch of Morton Season All is also good. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re so welcome, Greta. I’m thrilled to hear it’s a hit in your household!
Can you double the recipe with an increased cook time?
Hi Sharon, Yes, this recipe can be doubled. If you are using two 9×13 pans, then there isn’t any need to extend the cook time. If you are going to use a larger pan to accommodate the doubled recipe, then the goal will be to bake until the middle of the dish has set. As a rough guideline, you can expect the cook time to be anywhere from 1 hour to 1.5 hours depending on the size of your baking dish. I hope this helps!
This is the 2nd year in a row I’ve prepared this easy, delicious recipe for Christmas morning – my family loves it, and I love the simple make-ahead prep. It’s so great to be able to put it in the oven first thing, and the house smells so welcoming when everyone arrives! I’ve also added the dry ranch dressing mix option, and it added a nice zing to the flavor. Thanks for all your great recipes, Samantha!
Hi Jenny, Ranch seasoning sounds like a great addition! I’m so pleased you love the recipe.