This Cheesy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole is everything you need on Christmas morning! (Or anytime you have guests for breakfast!) Hashbrowns are baked til crispy, then topped with eggs, cheese, and black forest ham. It’s an overnight recipe, so you have more time for stockings in the morning! Make ahead breakfasts are always a win at the holidays. This recipe was originally posted on December 7, 2012.
Table of Contents
- Overnight Breakfast Casserole with Hash Browns, Ham, and Egg
- Hashbown Breakfast Casserole ingredients
- How to make Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
- Hash Brown Potato Casserole variations
- Egg Bake with Hash Browns FAQs
- What do you eat with hash brown casserole?
- How long can you keep hash brown casserole in the fridge?
- And that’s your hashbrown casserole, folks.
- You will love these other breakfast ideas!
- Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
- Blast from the past
- More Recipes you will Love!
Overnight Breakfast Casserole with Hash Browns, Ham, and Egg
I have a zit on my chin right now, and my 2-year-old Valentine keeps poking her finger at it. “Whazzat mommy, whazzat?” It’s a pimple honey. “Oh, hippo, mommy?” No, child, but it’s about the size of one.
I don’t know what it is with my face breaking out like a 13 year old’s, maybe it’s because I’m 31 now and my body switched up the numbers on my age?? What is the deal?
In less awkward news, I am here today to introduce you to my favorite easy breakfast casserole of all time. I posted this recipe back in 2012, when my blog was still just a baby. I started with all my greatest recipes, and this is definitely one of the greats. Easy? check. Feeds a crowd? check. Tons of flavor? check. CHEESE??? Hello.
Hashbown Breakfast Casserole ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to grab at the store for your cheesy hashbrown breakfast casserole. (Quantities given in the recipe below.)
- Frozen, shredded hashbrowns.
- Butter. I use salted butter, but unsalted butter is fine too.
- Monterey Jack cheese. You can shred this from a block or buy it pre-shredded.
- Cheddar cheese. Again, pre-shredded is totally fine!
- Black forest ham, cut into bite-size pieces. Any kind of smoked ham will work in this recipe, or even deli sliced ham will do. If I don’t have leftover ham, I often buy a $5 ham steak from the store. You can also use an equivalent amount of cooked bacon or sausage. It’s hard to go wrong here!
- 8 large eggs
- Evaporated milk OR heavy cream. Evaporated milk comes from a can in the baking aisle of a grocery store. Heavy cream (sometimes called whipping cream) comes in a small carton in the refrigerated section, next to the milk.
- Seasoned salt. Where my Lawry’s fans at?? This stuff is gold. An off-brand works fine too.
- Kosher salt. Kosher salt is my favorite and I use it for everything. If all you have is table salt, use half the amount.
- Pepper
- Dry mustard powder (optional)
- Onion powder (optional)
How to make Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
Here are the basics! (The full recipe is included below, in the recipe card.)
- Melt butter and pour it over a 9×13 inch pan full of frozen hashbrowns. (See photos)
- Bake up the buttered hashbrowns in a dish in the oven, until they get nice and crispy. This is essential for achieving non-soggy potatoes.
- Layer some cheese on top (any kind you like really–this recipe calls for Monterey Jack and cheddar)
- Layer ham over the cheese.
- Soak the whole thing with a creamy mixture of eggs, evaporated milk OR cream, seasoned salt, kosher salt, pepper, dry mustard, and onion powder.
- Pop it in the oven!
I love the flavor of the baked crispy hashbrowns with the cheesy eggs and smoked ham. It is seriously the best combo! My mother-in-law Kris found a version of this recipe in a cookbook years ago (before I married into the family) and we’ve had it for Christmas breakfast ever since.
How to make Christmas Morning Casserole the night before
You can make this hashbrown breakfast casserole and bake it up right away, or do it the night before and pop it in the oven before your guests wake up. Who doesn’t love the smell of overnight breakfast casserole in the oven, especially when someone else is making it for you? Your family is going to love you this year.
- Melt butter and pour it over a 9×13 inch pan full of frozen hashbrowns. (See photos)
- Bake up the buttered hash browns in the oven, until they get nice and crispy. This is essential for achieving non-soggy potatoes! Say no to the sog!
- Layer some cheese on top (Swiss! Gouda! Mozzarella! Sky is the limit here.)
- Layer ham over the cheese.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
- In a large bowl, mix eggs, evaporated milk OR cream, seasoned salt, kosher salt, pepper, dry mustard, and onion powder.
- Cover and refrigerate the bowl of eggs overnight.
- In the morning, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk the egg mixture once more, then pour over the potatoes in the casserole dish.
- Pop it in the oven!
I will always remember one Christmas a few years ago when we were busy getting this hashbrown breakfast casserole together in the morning. My mother-in-law Kris had it all baked up and ready to go, and it was warming on the bottom rack in the oven.
She had also made some fabulous star bread, kind of like cinnamon rolls, but in a star shape. It was completely done and already on the glass serving tray, ready to be set on the table. She put it in the warm oven on the rack above our beloved hashbrown breakfast casserole. You can see what’s coming…
Yes, the glass serving tray shattered from the heat in the oven, and we ended up with glass all over the top of our beautiful breakfast casserole. SO SAD!! I remember we had to keep holding Bumpa back (Eric’s grandpa) from stealing bites. “It’s fine!” he said. We finally got a hold of it to throw it out so that we didn’t end up taking Bumps to the ER on Christmas day.
Just look at those crispy edges. Mmmm.
Hash Brown Potato Casserole variations
Endless variations, I tell you! This recipe is THE BEST for cleaning out your fridge.
- Veggies: Add 1 to 2 cups of any pre-cooked veggies such as broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, bell peppers, or mushrooms.
- Protein options: If you’re not a ham fan, try swapping it out for chorizo, cooked breakfast sausage, or crumbled bacon! Make sure whatever meat you add is fully cooked first.
- Cheeses: They make a bazillion cheeses for a reason. Sso you can have endless variety! Try Pepper Jack, Mozzarella, Asiago, Gouda, smoked cheddar, Havarti, or Colby jack!
- Add-ins: green chilis, jalapenos, pickled jalapenos, pimientos, olives, or roasted bell peppers.
Egg Bake with Hash Browns FAQs
I love this recipe because you DON’T have to defrost the hashbrowns first. You DO have to bake them before you mix them with the other ingredients. That’s how you make them crispy and not soggy!
Yep, you sure can. Peel and shred your potatoes; using a food processor here is going to be easiest. Once you have about 30 ounces, follow the recipe as indicated! You might need to increase the time on baking the buttered potatoes (before adding the egg mixture.) You will know they are done when the tops are turning golden and they are fork tender.
What do you eat with hash brown casserole?
Side dish options, here we go!
- Breakfast: Serve alongside forever favorites like the best pancakes I’ve ever made (I swear), Liege waffles, or check out my best french toast recipe.
- Lunch: How about serving it on a plate piled with fried bacon, Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, and collard greens?
- Dinner: Pair it with a big ol’ salad and call it good! Try this Apple Gorgonzola Salad.
- Christmas morning: Keep it simple by serving your Christmas casserole alongside a fruit tray, some baked bacon, and a big glass of orange juice or even eggnog. Or don’t keep it simple (I mean, it IS Christmas) and serve it with Cinnamon Rolls, Golden Santa Bread, or these decadent Caramel Pecan Rolls! The latter level of decadence is usually how we roll in our family. Why choose between sweet and savory breakfasts?? To quote Parks and Rec: “Why would anyone eat anything besides breakfast food?” “Because people are idiots, Leslie.”
How long can you keep hash brown casserole in the fridge?
It will keep in the fridge for about 3-5 days. After that, get your leftovers in the freezer!
Can I freeze hash brown casserole?
Yes, you can freeze leftover hashbrown casserole in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
For a make-ahead recipe, follow the recipe as usual, baking until it is not quite as browned as you would like it. Let cool completely, then seal well with foil or plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can either let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then follow the normal baking instructions, or bake straight from frozen. At 350, it will take about 60-90 minutes.
How do you reheat hash brown casserole?
- If you’ve got a significant portion to heat, I recommend popping it in the oven for 15-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
- If you’re catching a quick lunch from leftovers, use the microwave. Loosen the casserole with a fork and cook on high about 1 minute.
And that’s your hashbrown casserole, folks.
This is definitely the casserole your family needs this year, minus the shattered glass. Make it happen. Christmas only comes once a year! (Although I don’t know why we limit ourselves like this. You could totally section up this casserole and freeze individually. Then toss one serving into the microwave on a busy morning, and eat like a king on a random Tuesday. Try it! I have some in my freezer right now.)
UPDATE! I just posted a variation of this casserole. I used sausage and peppers and onions instead of ham. IT’S SO GOOD! Check it out here: Easy Sausage Breakfast Casserole (Overnight)
You will love these other breakfast ideas!
- Cheesy Overnight Bacon and Egg Breakfast Casserole << this is my other favorite for company.
- Creamy Make Ahead Scrambled Eggs for a Crowd << these are so easy and perfect for when you have lots of guests!
- Overnight Biscuits and Gravy Casserole << I LOVE BISCUITS AND GRAVYYYY. Casserole it up.
- Cherry Tomato, Leek, and Spinach Quiche << perfect meatless option if you are having a heavier meal later in the day.
- Breakfast Quesadillas from BellyFull
- Bacon Egg Toast Cups from The Noshery
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Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 (30-ounce) package frozen shredded hashbrowns
- 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 stick
- salt and pepper
- 1 & 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, packed
- 1 & 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, packed
- 1 & 1/2 cups black forest ham*, cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 large eggs
- 1 & 1/3 cups evaporated milk OR cream
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, I like Lawry's
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, use 1/4 if all you have is table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Spray a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick spray, or grease with butter.
- Dump the bag of frozen hashbrowns into the pan. (There is no need to thaw first.)
- Melt a stick of butter in a small bowl, and pour evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper. Use a spoon to gently toss it all together, then spread it out so that it’s even.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned on top. You can even nab a forkful to make sure they are done if you like.
- Remove the casserole and reduce the oven temperature to 350.
- Layer 1 and 1/2 cups each Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese over the top of the potatoes (make sure you pack in your cheese! Don't skimp now!) Add the ham. You can either leave it layered or use a spoon to gently toss the cheese and potatoes and ham together. Either way is fine. (I like to toss for a more even distribution.)
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together 8 eggs, 1 and 1/3 cups evaporated milk OR cream, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (use less if all you have is table salt!), 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder. Beat well.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the top of the casserole, making sure everything gets wet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. It is done when bubbly. The edges should be starting to brown and the center should not wiggle when you shake the pan.
- If the center of the casserole looks very wobbly but the top is starting to brown too much, cover with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
Overnight instructions:
- Follow instructions through step 5 (bake the potatoes at 400.) Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Follow the instructions above for layering the cheese and ham. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 8 eggs, evaporated milk OR cream, seasoned salt, kosher salt, pepper, dry mustard, and onion powder. Beat well.
- Cover the egg mixture and refrigerate overnight.**
- In the morning, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk the egg mixture once more, then pour over the potatoes in the casserole dish.
- Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. It is done when bubbly, when the edges start to brown and the center doesn’t wiggle when you shake the pan.
- If the center of the casserole looks very wobbly but the top is starting to brown too much, cover with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Blast from the past
Here’s the old picture of our favorite Christmas breakfast casserole (sans broken glass):
And I’ll keep my old musings from back in 2012, as well:
Eric and I are always arguing about the lights in our house. (It has nothing to do with the electricity bill, which is what my parents were always yelling at me about.) I like to be able to see what I’m doing. Eric likes ambiance, which means lamplight only. This is great if you have lots of lamps. Bring on the ambiance, I say, if you have enough lamps.
But we don’t. So I always get into trouble when I walk into the kitchen and flip the lights on (to see what I’m doing) and I’m always moaning to Eric that I feel like I live in the 14th century or something.
The addition of the Christmas tree has decreased contention in our home considerably. Eric loves the extra ambiance. I love Christmas. (It makes me feel more goodwill toward men, i.e., less likely to complain about living in a cave.) It’s a win-win.
I think the moral of the story here is that Christmas solves all problems.
I’ve made egg bake casseroles and hash brown casseroles before and this is the perfect mix of both! Came out delicious! I made it for a work breakfast potluck and everyone loved it and several asked for the recipe. I pretty much followed the recipe as is except I didn’t use mustard powder and made it with turkey bacon.
Hey Tamika! I’m so glad the recipe was a hit! Great idea using turkey bacon! Thanks for reviewing :)
Hi! Do you think these could be baked in muffin pans? If so, any suggestion on cooking temp & time? Wanting to make them easy to eat for a Father’s Day Picnic Brunch at the park this weekend.
I haven’t tried that Lauren, but it’s a great idea! You will have to guesstimate the bake times.
My family loved this casserole. I’ll definitely make it again. My daughter is not a huge fan of ham, so I made it with link sausage cut in bite-sized pieces. I made the “overnight” version, but did not add the egg mixture until the morning because I didn’t want the potatoes to get soggy. But I did streamline the morning process by mixing all the wet ingredients together and putting it in a container the day before. Making it again tomorrow for our weekend at the cabin.
I’ve done that before too, Having the eggs mixed and ready to go. Great tip! I’m so glad you all liked the recipe! Sausage links is a great idea, my kids would love that.
Used the overnight instructions. So easy! When my e too early o’clock went off, i leaped out of bed. Pulled the casserole and egg mixture out of the refrigerator. Poured egg mix over casserole and into the oven. It cooked while I dressed. We were both ready to go go to a breakfast gathering at church. It was soo good. It is now on my potluck list. Easy, yummy and more yummy.
It’s so true Irene, anytime I make myself an overnight breakfast it is SO much easier to get out of bed in the morning! Haha! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for commenting :)
I made this for my birthday boy I wanted to make him something special. It was so yummy I substituted the hashbrowns for frozen cubed potatoes maybe it could have been crispier if I would have used shredded potatoes but I loved this breakfast. Birthday boy loved every bite.
I’m so glad birthday boy loved it Cindy! That is awesome! Thanks for the review!
Very delicious and moist. I substituted with 2 lbs of browned sausage, 4 cups of Mexican style shredded cheese, and half and half. I think this is one of those recipes that is very forgiving if you have alternative ingredients to use up. This baked up perfectly in 40 minutes. I did the overnight version and used a disposable 9×13 pan.
This would be so delicious with sausage! Great idea! And you are totally right, this recipe is a great base to start from and go wherever your ingredients take you. Thanks for the tips M.J.!
Made this a few weeks ago and forgot to comment, and I will make it again this weekend. It’s awesome! I made it almost to the letter but used spices I had, and it turned out great. Thanks for a great recipe!
Made the cheesy hashbrown casserole for our church’s Easter potluck breakfast. It was devoured with huge compliments from the church elders. I used half-n-half for the dairy ingredient and it worked great with the overnight method. Will definitely make again.
Half and half works great in this recipe! Thanks for the reminder Renee. I’m so glad you’re getting a good reputation at church, keep bringing casseroles like this and everyone will love you! :) Happy Easter, thank you for the review!
Hi! I just found your website and am obsessed! I am going to make two of your recipes this weekend and cannot wait. I’ve never been more excited to go to the grocery store, haha. Quick question on this one- for the overnight version- should I bring the refrigerated glass pan to room temperature before putting it in the oven to bake? Or switch it over to a brand new pan in the morning, maybe? Thank you!
Yay I’m so glad you found me Mel! And that is a very good question about a glass pan. I would say put your glass pan in the cold oven, then turn it on. So that it heats up a little more slowly. Either that or let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes or so. Let me know how the recipes turn out!
I’m really anxious to try this recipe! Do you recommend using evaporated milk, half and half, of heavy whipping cream?
Hi Demi! All of them will work just fine! Just depends on how rich you want it to taste and how many calories you want to ingest ;)
This casserole was so easy and delicious! I took it to work for a potluck and my coworkers devoured it. I will definitely make this again.
That is awesome Marsha! I bet you were very popular in the office that day :) Thank you for reviewing! Means so much to me!
Thanks for sharing! I made it for my Uncle’s 90th birthday brunch. Was a hit. Have since made twice with a large sautéed poblano chili, shallots, garlic and spinach. Takes like a delicious chili relleno breakfast. Wrapped up squares for weekday breakfasts and it freezes great. I found I need to use a deep dish. Will be playing with other ingredients- very versatile.
Ooh I love the idea of adding poblano chilis to this!! Sounds amazing!
I want to bake this but won’t have the time in the morning to cook it for that long. Can I partially bake it the night before? If so, for how long? Thank you!
Hi Mel! I recommend baking all the way through the night before and just reheating in the oven the next day. You might want to cover it with foil while reheating so it doesn’t dry out.
How does this do in the freezer? I want to make it for my cousin to have on hand when she delivers her baby in a few weeks.
Hi Melissa! This is a great casserole for the freezer! You can thaw overnight in the fridge and bake, or just throw it into the oven frozen. You will have to up the bake time and keep an eye on it. Great idea!
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! I made it all at once instead of doing the overnight way. I had some trouble getting the hash browns crispy but my oven also sucks. I ended up subbing out ham for a pound of sausage. And I mixed in half the cheese with the sausage and hashbrowns and reserved the other half for the top of the dish. I added that the last 5 minutes of baking. This casserole was a huge hit! Between my fiancé, our roommate and I there are only 3 pieces left. Thanks for a great dish!
This would be delicious with sausage! Great idea!Thanks for the tips Jamie!
So I just made your recipe for a church breakfast and fed 300 people. Every Single Person RAVED about this dish!! It was amazing! Thank you for the great recipe and making me look real good ;)
300 people now think you are the most amazing cook ever! YAS! I love it. See what a good recipe can do for your ego ;) I’m so glad you liked it Christina, and that all 300 of you liked it :) thanks for coming back to comment!
This was an amazing recipe! I sautéed spinach (painfully squeezed through a sieve because I ran out of cheesecloth) and onions on their own to add to the mix and it was awesome. I used one onion and about a quarter pound of spinach (not sure how my crowd was going to receive it). I’d probably do a half pound next time.
Thank you so much, this was a total hit and I can’t wait to make it again and again!
LOVE the idea of adding spinach to this! A super easy way to make this a little healthier and you can’t even taste it really.
Could this be made with the refrigerated hashbrowns instead of the frozen ones? It looks great and I can’t wait to try the recipe.
Hey Erica! I haven’t tried that but I’m sure it would work great! Let me know how it goes!