Pioneer Woman Breakfast Casserole
A hearty and cheesy breakfast casserole loaded with sausage, peppers, and hash browns, perfect for feeding a crowd either on busy mornings or holiday brunches.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (sweet or spicy) Turkey sausage can be used to reduce fat.
- 6 green onions, chopped (reserve some tops for garnish)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 10 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream Half-and-half can be used for a lighter custard.
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Can be swapped for yellow mustard or omitted.
- 2 teaspoons Tabasco (optional) Use hot sauce or cayenne for heat if desired.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Consider swapping part of the cheddar for Monterey Jack.
- 1 (30 ounce) package frozen shredded hash browns, thawed Make sure they are drained of excess water.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add breakfast sausage. Crumble and cook until browned, about 4-6 minutes.
- Add chopped red bell pepper and the light green parts of the green onions. Cook until vegetables soften, another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Add heavy cream, Dijon mustard, Tabasco (if using), salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Fold half of the chopped green onion tops into the egg mixture.
- Stir 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar into the egg mixture. Add the thawed hash browns and fold until evenly combined.
- Gently fold the cooled sausage and vegetable mixture into the egg-hash brown mixture.
- Pour everything into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes, until the center is mostly set (a thermometer should read around 160°F for eggs).
- Remove foil. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar on top.
- Increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the top is lightly browned.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle the remaining green onion tops over the slices and serve.
Notes
For best results, squeeze excess moisture from the thawed hash browns and cool the sausage mixture slightly before folding it into the eggs. This dish can be assembled a day in advance and refrigerated. Additionally, it pairs well with a salad or can be served with salsa and sour cream on the side.