Ultimate Breakfast Casserole

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This is one loaded breakfast casserole! It’s made with eggs, crispy bacon, breakfast sausage, sweet potato, bell pepper, and the perfect amount of seasoning. Serve it up on the weekends, meal prep it for the week, or make it ahead of time for special occasions and holidays, like Christmas!

Loaded breakfast casserole in a pan on a table.

The Best Breakfast Casserole

Who says a hearty breakfast casserole means store-bought hash browns and lots of cheese? Oh no, this one’s loaded with far better ingredients that are just as filling, super tasty, and provide vibrant color. Roasted sweet potatoes, bell pepper, onion, bacon, and sausage add oomph to the perfect all-in-one meal.

This easy breakfast casserole makes for a delicious weekend breakfast, it’s ideal for meal prep, and it’s perfect for special occasions and holidays like Christmas morning or Easter brunch. You can easily feed the entire family (and then some), but you may not have much in the way of leftovers as it always gets devoured!

Ingredients for a breakfast casserole on a table.

Breakfast Casserole Ingredients

Next time you’re at the market, grab a dozen eggs to make this reader-favorite breakfast casserole. Eggs form the casserole base, but from there, you can really customize it to your liking. Here’s what I include in mine:

  • Eggs: The star ingredient that binds everything together.
  • Bacon: Crispy bacon makes everything taste better, am I right?
  • Breakfast Sausage: I’m using a slightly sweet breakfast sausage, but feel free to go for a mild, medium, or even spicy flavor.
  • Sweet Potato: I dice, then roast the sweet potato with some spices so that it’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s my version of hashbrowns, but healthier.
  • Bell Pepper: You can use any color, but I love green for the contrast in color to the sweet potato.
  • Onion: I’m using a yellow onion, but you could use a red onion or even slice up green onions.
  • Garlic & Spices: Minced garlic and dried spices like cumin and paprika add incredible flavor to the casserole.
  • Milk: Just a splash of milk makes the eggs nice and fluffy. You can use dairy or dairy-free milk, it’s up to you!
  • Cheese: This is optional, but I personally love a little sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese on top – so good.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

How To Make This Breakfast Casserole

While the ingredient list may seem long, it’s much easier to make than you think!

Roast the bacon and potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and toss the diced sweet potatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Then, add slices of bacon to a separate sheet pan. Pop both those items in the oven and cook the bacon for 15 to 20 minutes.

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.

Roasting sweet potatoes and bacon for a breakfast casserole.

Cook the breakfast sausage, bell pepper, and onion. On medium-high heat, sauté the breakfast sausage until browned, then transfer it to a 9×13-inch casserole pan. Drain off a bit of the sausage grease, then sauté the bell pepper and onion for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute, then add it to the casserole pan.

Sauteeing breakfast sausage and bell pepper for a loaded breakfast casserole.

Stir everything together. Mix the sausage, bacon, bell pepper, onions, and sweet potato in the casserole pan and season with salt and pepper.

Mixing ingredients in a casserole pan for a loaded breakfast casserole.

Add the eggs. Whisk together the egg mixture and pour it over the meat and veggies.

Adding egg mixture into a loaded breakfast casserole.

Bake and serve. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is cooked through. Then slice the breakfast casserole into squares for serving!

Breakfast casserole in a pan, sliced into pieces.

Ideas for Serving

Oh yeah, this breakfast casserole is mouthwatering on its own. But if you want to spruce it up a bit for guests or make it an even heartier meal, here are a few easy ideas:

  • Garnish with greens. Top it off with sliced green onions, microgreens, or chopped herbs such as parsley.
  • Pair with avocado. Slice up some avocado, add it to each plate, and sprinkle a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper on top.
  • Sprinkle cheese. If cheese is your thing, add some crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese on top. You could do this before baking or after.
  • Add a side salad. Amp up the greens in your meal by quickly tossing leafy greens (such as spinach or arugula) in a lemon vinaigrette and serving on the side. A simple kale salad is also great.
Loaded breakfast casserole pieces on two plates with avocado slices.

Dietary Substitutions

Meal Prep and Store

This make-ahead breakfast casserole means several meals are done for the week – for either breakfast, lunch or dinner! What more can someone with a busy weekday schedule ask for? Here are a few ways to store it:

  • To eat throughout 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, with parchment paper in between layers (to prevent them from sticking together) in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then microwave a serving for 30 seconds to a minute.
Scooping up a piece of a loaded breakfast casserole with a spatula.

More Easy Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast couldn’t be any easier with these reader favorites. Plus, these make for great meal prep options that turn Sunday cooking into exciting meals for the week.

Want even more recipes? Check out these 40+ healthy breakfast ideas!

This breakfast casserole really is loaded with flavor! If you make it, let me know how it turned out in a comment below. Your review helps others in the community!

An easy breakfast casserole with sausage in a white pan next to forks.

Ultimate Breakfast Casserole

4.98 from 89 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

This breakfast casserole is loaded with eggs, bacon, sausage, sweet potato, and bell pepper for the perfect holiday breakfast or weekend brunch. Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen!

Video

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 pound sweet potato, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
  • 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
  • cup milk (dairy or dairy-free)
  • optional: shredded cheese and sliced green onion for garnish

Instructions 

  • 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.
    Sweet potatoes on a baking sheet.
  • 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.
    Bacon and sweet potatoes on baking sheets.
  • 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.
    Browning breakfast sausage in a pan.
  • 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.
    Sauteeing bell pepper and onion for a loaded breakfast casserole.
  • 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. If you'd like to add cheese, you can add it to the casserole pan now or sprinkle it on top.
    Breakfast casserole ingredients in a casserole dish.
  • Stir all of the ingredients in the casserole pan together. Feel free to season with more salt and pepper.
    Stir ingredients in a pan for a loaded breakfast casserole.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together, until lightly frothy.
    Whisking egg mixture for a loaded breakfast casserole.
  • Pour the egg mixture on top of the meat and vegetables. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is cooked through and the edges are slightly golden.
    Pouring egg mixture into a pan for a loaded breakfast casserole.
  • Slice the breakfast casserole into squares, and if you'd like, garnish with green onion or herbs before serving.
    Loaded Breakfast Casserole!

Lisa’s Tips

  • One pound of sweet potatoes is usually one medium to large sized sweet potato. If it’s slightly over, that’s fine as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 203mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5693IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best breakfast casserole, Breakfast Casserole, breakfast casserole recipe, Loaded breakfast casserole
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

Recipe originally published December 2020, but updated to include new information.

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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Recipe Rating




195 Comments

  1. 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!

    1. I find that there is no need to, but you can also do a light spread of ghee or oil just to be safe!

  2. 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!

  3. 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! 5 stars

  4. I made the recipe exactly and served it for dinner with a side of croissants and a berry fruit salad. Delicious and nutritious!5 stars

  5. 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 5 stars

  6. Hi Lisa,
    In the Netherlands we don’t have breakfast sausages. Can I use minced beef instead? 
    Thank you!
    Tanja X 

  7. 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.5 stars

  8. 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,

    Angel5 stars

  9. 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 :)5 stars

  10. 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! :)

    1. 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.

  11. I LOVE THIS RECIPE! Made for the first time Christmas 2020 and it was a hit with my family! Making it again tonight!

  12. 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.5 stars

    1. 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. :)

  13. Hi
    Can you cook this casserole and reheat it in the oven in the dish you baked it in? Fantastic!

    1. Absolutely! You can follow my prepping and storage instructions written in the post.

    1. Yep, you can swap it out for regular potatoes if you’d like! It will just alter the taste and sweetness by a smidge.

  14. 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!!!5 stars

  15. HI! If not using breakfast sausage in this recipe, would I use less eggs or make any other modifications?

    1. Hi Jennifer – I’d keep the number of eggs the same. But feel free to add more veggies if you’d like!

  16. 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.5 stars

  17. 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 perfection5 stars

      1. Hi – I’m not seeing the further instructions regarding assembling the night before and baking the next morning. Am I just missing it?

      2. 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.

  18. 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!

    1. 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. :)

  19. 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 :)5 stars

    1. 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!

  20. 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.5 stars

  21. 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!! 5 stars

  22. 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. :)5 stars

  23. 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!5 stars

  24. 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!!!5 stars

  25. 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.5 stars

  26. Definitely a good breakfast casserole. However, I left the cumin out and used smoked paprika. Thank you for your awesomeness Lisa!5 stars

  27. 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?

  28. if you wanted to substitute something for the sweet potatoes, what would you recommend?  Regular cubed potatoes?

    1. 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.

  29. 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.5 stars

  30. 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!!!5 stars