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 just made the Breakfast Casserole for celebrating January Birthdays at my place of work. It was a big hit. Everyone loved it. The temp. was around 17 today from where I’m from, so I think everyone enjoyed the warm breakfast, and surprise because I forgot to tell everyone we would be celebrating birthdays on this day.
Whoa 17!! I bet that was a pretty amazing surprise then! Go you for bringing it in! Glad it was a hit. Thanks for reviewing!
Just curious, but once I bake this can I freeze the leftovers?
Absolutely Rachel! I do it all the time!
Thanks so much for sharing! Would you mind adding how you reheat your leftovers from frozen? I always struggle with this 🙈 Thanks again!!
Hi Jaclyn! I would either 1)let it thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours then bake as normal (until bubbly) or 2) cook straight from frozen. Keep it covered and bake at 350. it will probably take at least an hour or even 2. If you have individual servings, I would heat them in the microwave. Hope it goes well!
Sooo good! I have mad this twice now. I added broccoli. My toddler loooooves it.
Great idea adding broccoli Clare!! Thanks for sharing your tip!
Absolutely delicious! So easy to make – my entire family loved it! Will definitely be a tradition in our home for Christmas morning. In fact, I will be making this many mornings to come!
Hooray, so glad it was a success Judi! It’s hard not to make breakfast casserole every morning with this recipe ;)
This cassarole is delish! The dry mustard and Lowry’s season salt really add. It takes much longer to bake than it says, at least 20 minutes longer.
I made several different varieties for a breakfast we did for my husband’s teaching staff: sausage, mushroom and spinach, ham and cheese. All were super yummy!!
Ooh i love all your variations Jennifer! Great idea! And I agree, I love the Lawry’s and mustard in there! Thanks for commenting!
Fantastic! It made a great Christmas morning breakfast for the family!
Made this for Christmas morning, using the overnight instructions. We didn’t have a big crowd so I scaled it back to a 9×9 pan, reducing most things by about 1/4 (although VERY roughly!). I only reduced the eggs to 7 though. So it is very forgiving :). It came out GREAT, everyone loved it.
I’m so glad you loved the recipe Katie! And yes, it’s very forgiving :) Thanks for sharing your version!
Thanks for sharing! For years I’ve been making a Christmas breakfast casserole and now I know why my potatoes are always soggy. I like to make them ahead so all I have to do it pop it in the oven. Have you tried the overnight version? I’m concerned the potatoes will still end up being soggy just by sitting in the frig (even if I hold off on the eggs until the morning). Merry Christmas!
Hey Amanda! Yes we make this overnight all the time! The potatoes stay nice and crisp :)
I feel so silly but I’m ok putting the cold Pyrex dish (refrigerated from the night before) in the already preheated oven right??
Hey Ashley! You do have to be careful about that! I usually let the pan sit on the counter for a few minutes to take the chill off before putting it in the oven. Great question!
We have 2 vegetarians in the house. The dairy products are fine. Do you think this would be good without the ham (serve a breakfast meat on the side for others instead)
Hi Kay! Yes, totally! I would replace it with some cooked veggies, maybe some onions or peppers or broccoli or asparagus. Sky’s the limit! You could also just leave the ham out no prob.
So, the hashbrowns are currently baking, I am using a cup of ham and I have no idea how much bacon (I baked a bunch today) that I diced up. This is the second time making it, the first time it was such a hit taking it to work that I decided to surprise the “nice” department with breakfast on our last day of work before Xmas! The only change I’ve made is the cheese, instead of using your cheese recommendations, I’m lazy and just buy the Mexican blend.
Truly is wonderful, and being able to get it 90% done and just finishing in the morning so it’s hot & fresh is awesome!
That is awesome Lynnette! I’m so glad the recipe is a hit! And lucky “nice” department ;) Thanks so much for reviewing!
So I’ve made it a half a dozen times now. Hash browns currently baking. Tomorrow a co-worker from the “nice” department and I are giving blood over our lunch hour, so decided we needed a good breakfast. The “nice” department brought in the cheese & hashbrowns, I have eggs, ham & bacon, so easy peasy. Things I have experimented with besides adding bacon to the ham (everything is better with bacon!). Adding dried minced onions to the potatoes (awesome!) before baking. I also rarely have half & half or cream, so I just use milk with the eggs. I have an old fashioned crank egg beater, so it seems to work with just milk as well (as fast as it disappears, they haven’t noticed). Sausage instead of ham (just need to pre-cook, drain, and I put it in a bowl with paper towels to soak up any excess grease overnight, then added it before the eggs in the morning). Honestly, you can make changes depending on your taste/what’s in your cupboard! Thanks again. :)
These are all great tips Lynette! It’s such a versatile recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, this looks amazing. I’m making it tomorrow. Can I sub sour cream for part of the dairy?
I don’t see why not Laurie! Let me know if it works out!
I used half fat free milk and half full fat sour cream, since that’s what I had. It was fabulous! I did everything else exactly as written. I made it for our daughter who had in-laws visiting. They loved it!
Great idea with the sour cream Laurie! Good to know!
Great success at a breakfast potluck. I added sautéed onions and peppers to the hash browns. Got several requests for the recipe.
Ooh great idea adding onions and peppers! Sounds delicious. Thanks Christine!
I made this for Christmas breakfast and it was wonderful. I made mine with bacon. Everyone loved it, it reminded me of a cheesy potato recipe I make. I think adding sour cream would be yummy, i might try that next time. 😊
Ooh sour cream, interesting idea! Would you stir it in with the eggs? And good idea using bacon! Yum! Thanks Jackie!
Corning glass sold their recipe for glass to the Chinese. They removed the brocilliate element from the glass which is the thing that allows the glass to go into the oven without breaking. DO NOT BUY NEW PYREX MADE IN CHINA. More than 10,000 people have had disasters in their kitchen by exploding “new” pyrex made in China. I lost my microwave, had a fire in my kitchen and burned my wooden floor when the glass came through the microwave door.
Beware of any item now made in China. They make the cheapest products that cause injuries and financial problems due to inferior products. This episode cost me more than 1,000 to replace my oven and floor it ruined. Thank God, I was not in the kitchen or I would have been hurt badly. Your recipe is great. Use old Corningware, anything but new Pyrex.
That is crazy Deborah! I’m glad you’re okay! Thanks for the info!
There appears to be some veggies in the casserole as pictured, but they’re not mentioned in the recipe. How much would you recommend adding? (My two-year-old once asked about a pimple on my chin, and when I told him it was a zit, he looked at me in horror and said, “A zit bit you?” lol)
Hahahaha!!! The zit monster bit you!! That’s so funny. And no, there are no veggies in the casserole, I did sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and chopped fresh green onions for the photos :) Enjoy Angela!!