Ultimate Breakfast Casserole
214 Comments
Oct 23, 2024
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This is hands-down the BEST breakfast casserole recipe! It’s a flavor-packed combination of eggs, bacon, breakfast sausage, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and onions for a colorful, filling, and ultra-satisfying breakfast. Serve it for a weekend brunch, meal prep for the week, or make it ahead for the holidays like Christmas or Easter — it’s perfect for a crowd!
Why You’ll Love This Breakfast Casserole
A breakfast casserole is the perfect all-in-one meal! And if it’s coming out of my kitchen, you can bet it’ll be packed with flavor and texture. While many breakfast casseroles lean on hash browns, a single kind of meat, and lots of cheese, my version steps it up with roasted sweet potatoes for that perfect sweet-savory balance, plus both bacon and sausage for a double dose of meaty goodness. Similar to egg muffins, scrambled eggs, or frittata, there’s no one right way to make a breakfast casserole, but here’s why I think you’ll love this classic recipe:
- It’s super satisfying. The mix of protein from the bacon and sausage, healthy fat from the eggs, and carbs from the roasted sweet potato and bell pepper will fill you up with one vibrant, nutrient-forward breakfast.
- It’s perfect for entertaining. Friends and family always request this dish for special occasions like Christmas morning or Easter brunch — it’s a crowd-pleaser!
- It’s easy to make. Holidays are always busy in the kitchen, but breakfast casseroles are the perfect make-ahead meal. See my tips below!
- It’s a true breakfast meal prep hero. I love having a batch in the fridge for the week and freezing a few extra slices for quick, easy-to-reheat meals whenever I need them.
Breakfast Casserole Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs: The main ingredient that binds everything together.
- Bacon & Breakfast Sausage: A mix of crispy bacon and sweet breakfast sausage gives this casserole a delicious boost in flavor.
- Sweet Potato: Diced sweet potato is tossed with garlic, paprika, and cumin, then roasted until soft and crispy. It’s my version of hashbrowns, but healthier!
- Bell Pepper & Onion: You can use any color bell pepper, but I love green for the contrast in color to the sweet potato. And for the onion, I’m using a yellow onion, but you could also use a red onion or sliced green onions.
- Milk & Cheese: A splash of milk makes the eggs nice and fluffy. You can use dairy or dairy-free milk, it’s up to you! And while the cheese is optional, I love a little sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese on top.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Ingredient & Dietary Substitutions
- Swap the meat with diced ham, spicy Italian sausage, ground chicken, ground beef, or ground pork. If using one of the ground meats, I recommend seasoning it with salt, black pepper, and your favorite herbs while browning, to maximize flavor.
- Make it dairy-free by using almond milk or another dairy-free milk and omitting the cheese.
- Make it vegetarian by swapping the bacon and breakfast sausage for other ingredients such as sauteéd mushrooms, sauteéd spinach, roasted broccoli, or roasted asparagus.
How To Make This Breakfast Casserole
Roast the bacon and potatoes. Toss the diced sweet potatoes on a sheet pan with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. On a separate sheet pan, add the slices of bacon. Pop both those items into the oven and cook the bacon for 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Once the bacon is done, take it out and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Then continue roasting the sweet potato for an additional 15 minutes.
Cook the breakfast sausage. On medium-high heat, sauté the breakfast sausage until browned, then transfer it to a 9×13-inch casserole pan. Remove the sausage to the casserole dish, and drain off some of the grease, if needed.
Sauté the bell pepper and onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Then, add the minced garlic, sauté for another minute, and transfer to the casserole dish.
Stir everything together. Mix the sausage, bacon, bell pepper, onions, and sweet potato in the casserole pan and season with salt and black pepper.
Add the eggs and bake! Whisk the egg mixture until light and fluffy, then pour it over the meat and veggies. Bake the casserole for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is cooked through. Then, slice it into squares for serving! And if you want to jazz it up even further, see my serving ideas below.
Make-Ahead & Storage Options
- Make-ahead tip: Prepare the cooked meat and veggie filling in the casserole dish, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and store this in the fridge the night before. Then, pull it out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature the next morning, pour in the whisked eggs, and it’s ready for baking.
- To store for the week: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Then, simply reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
- To freeze for later: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just slice the casserole into pieces and place parchment paper in between layers, to prevent them from sticking together. When you’re ready to enjoy the breakfast casserole, thaw a portion overnight in the fridge, then microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
Serving Ideas
- Garnish with greens. Elevate your casserole by topping it off with sliced green onions, microgreens, or a sprinkle of chopped herbs like parsley or chives for a fresh pop of color and flavor.
- Make it cheesy. If you can’t resist cheese, add crumbled goat cheese, feta, or grated cheddar on top — whether you stir and bake it in for melty goodness or sprinkle it on afterward for a creamy finish, the choice is yours!
- Pair with avocado. Slice up some creamy avocados on the side for a boost of healthy fats, and don’t forget a light sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance their natural flavor.
- Add a side salad. Boost the greens in your meal by quickly tossing leafy greens like spinach or arugula in a zesty lemon vinaigrette and serving them alongside. A simple kale salad is also a fantastic option!
More Easy Egg Breakfast Ideas
- Shakshuka: A one-pan breakfast of simple poached eggs simmered in a spiced tomato sauce.
- Breakfast Tacos: Your favorite breakfast ingredients wrapped in a warm tortilla.
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash: A hearty and nourishing breakfast skillet.
- Kale and Butternut Squash Frittata: A seasonal breakfast delight for fall and winter.
- Or check out these healthy breakfast ideas for more tasty options!
If you make this breakfast casserole recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re looking for flavor variations, give my healthy breakfast casserole (with ground turkey, spinach, and artichoke) or ham and broccoli breakfast casserole a try! For more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.
Ultimate Breakfast Casserole
Description
Video
Equipment
- Casserole Pan Here's a great casserole pan if you need one!
- Heavy Duty Baking Sheet This won't warp or bend in the oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potato, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes (about 1 medium to large potato)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces bacon
- 1 pound breakfast sausage, mild, medium or spicy, your choice
- ½ large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 large eggs
- ⅓ cup milk (dairy or dairy-free)
- optional: shredded cheese and sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and get a 9×13-inch casserole pan out. On one baking sheet pan, toss the diced sweet potato with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Bake the bacon and sweet potatoes. On another sheet pan, add slices of bacon. Then place both the sweet potato and bacon in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy. The bacon will be done first, so keep an eye on it and remove it from the oven when it's done, then place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Stir the sweet potato and continue cooking it for another 15 minutes.
- Cook the breakfast sausage. While the sweet potato is cooking, cook the breakfast sausage in a pan on medium-high heat. Once it's browned, remove it with a slotted spoon and place it in the casserole pan.
- Cook the veggies. Drain off all but a tablespoon of grease from the pan, then saute the onion and bell pepper for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for another minute. Transfer this mixture to the casserole pan.
- Mix everything together. Remove the sweet potato from the oven and add it to the casserole pan along with the crumbled bacon, breakfast sausage, onion, and bell pepper. Stir all of the ingredients together (feel free to season with more salt and pepper). If you'd like to add cheese, you can add it to the casserole pan now or sprinkle it on top.
- Add the eggs. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together, until lightly frothy. Pour the egg mixture on top of the meat and vegetables.
- Bake and serve. Bake the casserole for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is cooked through and the edges are slightly golden. Once it's done, slice the casserole into squares, and if you'd like, garnish with green onion or herbs before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- If you want to cook two casseroles at once for an extra-large crowd, you can do that! Just know that it will take several minutes longer, as your oven circulates heat through both casserole dishes.
- Make-ahead tip for the holidays: Prepare the cooked meat and veggie filling in the casserole dish, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and store this in the fridge the night before. Then, pull it out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature the next morning, pour in the whisked eggs, and it’s ready for baking.
- To store for the week: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Then simply reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
- To freeze for later: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just slice the casserole into pieces and place parchment paper in between layers, to prevent them from sticking together. When you’re ready to enjoy the breakfast casserole, thaw a portion overnight in the fridge, then microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally published December 2020, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
I’m eager to try this recipe – it looks delicious!
This seems like a silly question but should the casserole dish be greased with ghee or oil before assembling the casserole? I’m worried abt the eggs sticking if I don’t but I also don’t want to add more fat if it’s not needed. Thank you in advance!
I find that there is no need to, but you can also do a light spread of ghee or oil just to be safe!
HI,
I am wanting to make this for meal prep during the week. Could I use liquid egg whites for this? Do you recommend the same amount of eggs? Thank you so much!
You can, however it needs to be the same ratio as the regular eggs in this recipe.
This is my FAVORITE casserole recipe. so easy to remember, and easy to adjust depending on what you have in the fridge! I make it for Christmas every year. For work functions. Potlucks. Or general dinner. Love it!
I made the recipe exactly and served it for dinner with a side of croissants and a berry fruit salad. Delicious and nutritious!
I made a couple of changes. I didn’t have sausages, bacon green peppers So I used ground turkey and portobello mushrooms and red peppers. I also add poultry seasoning since I substituted with turkey. It was delicious.
Thank you
Lucero
Love the different ingredients you added into this recipe Lucero!
Hi Lisa,
In the Netherlands we don’t have breakfast sausages. Can I use minced beef instead?
Thank you!
Tanja X
Yep! You can sub it for other sausages or minced beef instead.
I made this for Christmas Eve brunch and the family loved it. I prepared the sweet potatoes and (turkey) bacon one day before as well as chopped all the veggies the day prior. The day of all I had to do was cook the (turkey) sausage and sauteed the veggies. This helped save time in the morning. Lastly, I mainly used egg whites for higher protein and it was a great success. Served with a fruit salad and croissants for a well-rounded meal.
This was really easy and full of flavors. Did most of the prep the night before so in the morning assembling the dish was super fast. Thanks Lisa for sharing this recipe!
Blessings,
Angel
This really is the best breakfast meal prep!
I am now making this for the 3rd time! It is delicious not only right out of the oven, but several days later! I food prep this on Sundays for my weekday breakfasts and it is great :)
Happy to hear this has become a breakfast staple Jennifer!
By far my favorite recipe
Hi Lisa!
You said Step 5 is where you would add cheese, but it didn’t have a recommendation as to how much to add. What would you recommend? Also, is there a certain type of cheese you think would taste best along with the other ingredients? Many thanks for all the amazing recipes! :)
Thanks for clarifying! It really depends how cheesy you would like your casserole. But, I would normally do 1/4 cup or so. As for what type of cheese to use – any cheese you like really! Sharp cheddar or gruyere would be great.
I LOVE THIS RECIPE! Made for the first time Christmas 2020 and it was a hit with my family! Making it again tonight!
Glad this breakfast casserole was a family hit!
I have made this recipe many times. I have added fresh chopped Anaheim Chili’s, Steamed spinach, and once I added roasted red peppers, black olives. etc….I think of this like a pizza. You can literally top it with anything you want to. It’s delicious and fun to get creative with it.
Hi Lisa,
I want to make half of this casserole. What size pan should I use?
Thank you
Hi Kien – If you’re worried about it being too much food, I’d recommend making the entire recipe and then freezing and meal prepping leftovers! That’s what I do as one person. :)
Hi
Can you cook this casserole and reheat it in the oven in the dish you baked it in? Fantastic!
Absolutely! You can follow my prepping and storage instructions written in the post.
love this dish, great meal prep, will be having this week.
It’s definitely one of my new favorite meal preps!
Hi. Can you use regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes? Thank you.
Yep, you can swap it out for regular potatoes if you’d like! It will just alter the taste and sweetness by a smidge.
DEEEELICIOUS!!! I did tweak the ingredients a little based on what I had available. This recipe is just bursting with flavor! I left out the sausage, added: roasted campari tomatoes, broccoli, roasted butternut squash and topped with Fage Greek Yogurt. Thank you for sharing your love of cooking! There’s so much you can do with this recipe if you haven’t tried it, it’s a must!!!
Love the idea of using butternut squash in this instead! Glad you enjoyed it Lynn :)
Oh my gosh this casserole is so good!
HI! If not using breakfast sausage in this recipe, would I use less eggs or make any other modifications?
Hi Jennifer – I’d keep the number of eggs the same. But feel free to add more veggies if you’d like!
I had my mom over for breakfast and decided to try making the loaded breakfast casserole and boy am I glad I did! It was easy to make and tasted great! Every bite has tons of flavor. I am not one to eat reheated eggs, in fact, if I try it, I ALWAYS end up throwing it away, however all of Lisa’s other recipe’s are amazing and seem to reheat really well, so I thought ‘why not?’ and gave it a try. I AM SO HAPPY I DID! IT IS DELICIOUS REHEATED! I highly recommend giving this a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Happy to hear you finally found an egg recipe that you can enjoy reheated Christy!
I made the Loaded Breakfast Casserole and it was delish. I took a pic of it and posted it on FB and 50 of my friends WoW-ed and some wanted the recipe. I will make it again. I will add more sweet potato. I also did not cook my SP as long has is stated in the recipe. My SP was diced small and only took 30 minutes to cook .. they did not need another 30 minutes when combined with the complete ingredients and returned to the oven.
Love your website. No one has completeness to details .. articulate speech .. and photos .. as you. Can’t wait to try another of your recipes. Thank you for your spectacular dedication to perfection
Thanks so much for spreading the word Nancy and glad you loved this casserole recipe!
So awesome!!!!! Thank you!!!!
Glad you loved this Ginny!
Can you assemble this casserole the day before you need it, then refrigerate it and bake it in the morning?
Absolutely! You can see further instructions written in the post :)
Hi – I’m not seeing the further instructions regarding assembling the night before and baking the next morning. Am I just missing it?
Hi Kim – You can pre cook the vegetables and arrange in the pan before adding the egg mixture and baking the next day. But, it will probably be easier to cook it all up right then and there.
Unfortunately the measurement button for metrics doesn‘t work. Every time I try to use it, I‘m being sent to the top of the page without any change to the quantities. I just wanted to let you know.
I‘m going to try and make the recipe this week. It seems really delicious!
Thanks for letting me know, Stefy! We’re actually in the process of making some website tweaks right now and hope to have that fixed shortly. :)
I made this one for myself but ended up having my whole family sneaking bits off it! It’s an absolutely delicious recipe – perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thank you Lisa! My only wish is to get the measurement fixed to showcase the metric system. It seems to be down and it would be super handy to not have to google what every US customary measurement is in the metric system :)
Hi Jen – There is actually a metrics button you can click on above the bulleted ingredients list! But, I’m glad you and the whole family loved this recipe!
Loved this casserole. Ate on it all week. Had it for breakfast and lunches. You can cut it into relatively small chunks as it’s seriously satiating.
It really is the best meal prep option! So glad you loved it.
Hello this sounds like a dumb question. But is the nutrition facts per serving?
Yes! The nutritional facts will always be per serving :)
Made this for Christmas morning 2020 and my boyfriend was asking for it again by New Years so definitely a new rotation recipe.
Thanks, Lisa!!
Wonderful! Glad you both enjoyed this casserole so much :)
looks good cant wait to make it for my family
Lisa, I just made this casserole for my whole family for New Years Day brunch. It was AMAZING, and everyone loved it!! I switched out the green peppers for red peppers. Thank you for the awesome material on your website and YouTube channel. :)
Wonderful! Glad the whole family enjoyed this breakfast casserole Rose :)
I was a bit skeptical about the sweet potatoes but followed the tried anyway and I’m glad I did, it blends so well and makes this casserole so so delicious! This is my second time doing it within the week and will definitely do it again. Also great for meal prep, thank you so much!
Glad you ended up loving this breakfast casserole Mai! :)
Just made this delicious dish. It is amazing and so flavourful! No cheese needed. Thank you Lisa
Wonderful! Glad you loved this casserole recipe :)
If I want to half the recipe to make a smaller portion in a 9×9 pan, what would the cooking time be? Looks delicious!
I’d probably start checking if it’s done about 10 minutes earlier. Enjoy!
Absolutely fabulous. Worth the effort, SO delicious, perfect sweet-savory-healthy breakfast!
Glad you enjoyed this recipe Brooklyn :)
This is my first egg casserole & wow, this will definitely be my go to recipe. Amazing
So glad you enjoyed this casserole recipe Mona!
Made this loaded breakfast casserole this week and my family RAVED! Making again this morning!! Also, I made your no fail prime rib last night….another HIT!!! Thank you, Lisa!!!
Amazing! Glad everyone loved this breakfast casserole :)
This is definitely a must make casserole! Yummy! Thank you! Merry christmas!
Hi Therese – so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Merry Christmas!
Hey Lisa,
Just made this breakfast casserole and it was delicious!! We loved it! I added some mushrooms and mustard greens cause I had some from my CSA box and then had to add in 4 extra eggs to the mixture but it turned out fantastic. Thanks for a great recipe. We’ve got leftovers for Christmas Eve and Day. Have a blessed Christmas.
Wonderful! The more ingredients the merrier in this recipe. Glad you loved this Sonya :)
Definitely a good breakfast casserole. However, I left the cumin out and used smoked paprika. Thank you for your awesomeness Lisa!
Glad you enjoyed this casserole Mark!
Thank you for the recipe. I really like your creative, healthy and easy recipes. I am happy to watch your clips, dishes and decorating… thank you.
And I want to ask your round plate. Could you let me know the casserloe plate?
Thanks so much Lee! You can find this casserole pan linked in the Shop page on my website :)
What a fabulous gluten free option!
Would white onion work
Yes! You can use whichever onion you’d like :)
if you wanted to substitute something for the sweet potatoes, what would you recommend? Regular cubed potatoes?
I have a few suggestions written in the blog post, but you can always do regular potatoes, other vegetables, or more of the existing ingredients.
This is the perfect addition to my breakfast! I love how it’s loaded with everything I need to start the day!
It’s delicious, filling, and the perfect way tp start Christmas morning :)
Such a delicious and fulfilling breakfast! I love how easy and healthy it is!
Thanks Bintu! Hope you enjoy this one :)
You had me sold at “loaded!” I am definitely going to be making this for Christmas morning!
This will be the perfect way to start your morning :)
Sounds so delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe with my family.
Thank you for the recipe. I made it tonight since I had all the ingredients and it was pretty good. I had the breakfast sausage links so I just put in oven then cut them into small pieces. I still used the grease to fry the onions and peppers.
Amazing! Glad this casserole turned out to be a success :)
Lisa that is wonderful deliciousness! Love all the ingredients and how easy it is to create a beautiful masterpiece breakfast!
Thank you for your creativity, balance in foods and for diligently posting recipes weekly. It is awesome!!!
Thanks so much for your kind words Karin! Hope you enjoy this breakfast casserole :)
Can you make this casserole the night before & pop into oven in the morning?
Absolutely! Just heat it up in the oven the next morning.