Overnight Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is a classic breakfast casserole with eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, and cheese. It’s easy to make, great for the holidays and feeding a crowd.
Overnight Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
With the holidays quickly (too quickly!) approaching and schedules getting busier by the minute, I’m sure you’re looking to have one less thing to worry about (or at least I am!). This Crockpot Overnight Breakfast Casserole can be the perfect answer to that request! You just put it in the slow cooker, go to sleep while it’s cooking, and serve it up in the morning!
Crockpot Overnight Breakfast Casserole is a classic breakfast casserole with eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, and cheese. It’s a crowd-pleaser, for sure, and is large enough to feed a crowd!
After some questions and comments from readers, I worked to improve this recipe over the last couple months. I reduced the amount of hash browns in half and added sour cream for creamy moisture.
I also realized that this casserole has so many warm, comfort food flavors that what it really needs to take it to the next level is freshness. To make your casserole truly spectacular, top it with fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes or pico de gallo, cilantro, avocado, red onions, or any other topping you can think of.
The freshness just adds the perfect pop.
What to Serve with Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is a meal by itself! Serve it with lots of fresh toppings like avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onions, sour cream, salsa, or hot sauce.
If you’re trying to stretch it a little bit for a crowd, you can also serve it with fresh fruit or a simple fruit salad, like this one. Toast, bagels, muffins, or English muffins would also make excellent sides and fill everyone up a little more.
What Size Crock Pot Should I Use?
I suggest using at least a 6 quart Crock Pot or larger. If you can get a programmable one, like this, that would be even better! That way there’s no way you’ll
How to Make Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage with onion and peppers until cooked through and no longer pink (photo 1). Drain and set aside.
In a large, greased slow cooker, layer half the hash browns in the bottom (photo 2).
Top with half the sausage mixture, bacon, and then cheese. (photos 3-5). Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients, except for the cheese.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper (Photos 6-8). Pour egg mixture over hash brown and sausage layers (photo 9).
Cook on LOW for about 6 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours.
Before serving, sprinkle remaining cheese on top of casserole, and cover until melted. Serve warm with lots of fresh toppings.
Pro Tips
- This casserole is gluten free. Check the ingredients on your sausage and hash browns, to make sure.
- Don’t thaw the hash browns. It’s not necessary and could cause them to dry out.
- Add diced ham or other ingredients that you love in omelets, such as mushrooms or spinach.
- Mix in a can of diced green chiles with the sausage for a Southwest style casserole.
- To really make this breakfast shine, add lots of fresh toppings such as sour cream, tomatoes, salsa, avocado, green onion, or chives.
- Consider getting a programmable Crock Pot with a timer, like this one. That way you don’t have to worry about getting distracted or over-sleeping and overcooking!
- How do you reheat leftovers? I just cut a slice and pop it in the microwave. If your microwave is big enough, you can transfer the remaining casserole to a baking dish and microwave the whole thing that way until heated through.
- Can you freeze it? I don’t recommend it. Eggs don’t typically freeze well and have a rubbery texture when thawed.
More Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
- Mexican Breakfast Casserole – a spicy breakfast casserole with jalapenos, chorizo, and plenty of cheese.
- Denver Omelet Casserole – just like a Denver omelet, but for a crowd!
- Easy Egg Breakfast Casserole – the recipe my grandma always made when I was a kid. Super yummy and easy to throw together.
- Eggnog French Toast Bake – festive for the holidays. Make it the night before and cook it in the morning.
- Blueberry Banana French Toast Bake – a sweet overnight breakfast casserole with lots of fresh fruit.
Crockpot Overnight Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
- 1/2 pound breakfast sausage
- 1/2 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1/2 medium sweet onion diced
- 1/2 green pepper diced
- 1/2 red pepper diced
- 12 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage with onion and peppers until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
- Grease a large 6 quart slow cooker (or bigger) with cooking spray or butter.
- Layer half the hash browns in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Top with half the sausage mixture, bacon, and then cheese. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients, except cheese.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and sour cream.
- Pour over hashbrown and sausage layers.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
- Sprinkle on remaining cheese and cover until melted.
- Serve warm with lots of fresh toppings.
Notes
- This casserole is gluten free. Check the ingredients on your sausage and hash browns, to make sure.
- Don’t thaw the hash browns. It’s not necessary and could cause them to dry out.
- Add diced ham or other ingredients that you love in omelets, such as mushrooms or spinach.
- Mix in a can of diced green chiles with the sausage for a Southwest style casserole.
- To really make this breakfast shine, add lots of fresh toppings such as sour cream, tomatoes, salsa, avocado, green onion, or chives.
- Consider getting a programmable Crock Pot with a timer, like this one. That way you don’t have to worry about getting distracted or over-sleeping and overcooking!
- How do you reheat leftovers? I just cut a slice and pop it in the microwave. If your microwave is big enough, you can transfer the remaining casserole to a baking dish and microwave the whole thing that way until heated through.
- Can you freeze it? I don’t recommend it. Eggs don’t typically freeze well and have a rubbery texture when thawed.
Nutrition
UPDATE INFO: This recipe was originally published in October 2015. It has been updated with new directions, pictures, and video and republished November 2019.
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Oh my goodness-your breakfast casserole looks so YUMMY! Pinning so I can try your recipe next weekend for a family gathering!
I’m not usually a breakfast casserole maker, but this looks so simple and lovely. I’m sort of also considering making it without the eggs (maybe add some cream instead or something for that layer) and then serving it with customized eggs the next morning.
If I cut the recipe in half does it still need to cook the full 8 hours?
I’ve never tried it, but I would think you would want to cut cook time to 4-6 hours. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
This looks amazing! I may just do one meat instead of 2 but it looks great! Thank you for the recipe, I will be trying it for Christmas morning. One question, how long would this keep in the fridge or could I freeze any leftovers? Thanks again!
Did you cook yours on high or low? Making this for xmas brunch and I don’t want to mess it up!
Definitely Low, if you’re making it overnight.
Do you cook the sausage first or let it cook in the crockpot? Looks so yummy! Going to try it!
Sausage should be browned ahead of time. Let me know if you have any more questions!
I made mine using a crock pot liner bag. If you use a crock pot liner you can carefully lift the casserole out of the crock pot and put it in a dish–bag and all! I needed a disposal dish to take this dish to a pot luck and this was a good solution. It will be easier if you use a 2nd set of hands when lifting.
That’s a great idea, Mary. Thanks so much for sharing!
God Bless whoever invented crock pot liners. Thanks for that reminder/tip.
When you made it for pot luck did you still cook it over night? Our pot luck starts at around noon.
So does the bacon and sausage need to.be fully cooked beforehand?
Yes
Making this right now for breakfast tomorrow morning. Will report back about how it goes. Making recipe as is but may add some garlic powder to my eggs.
I plan on making this for a bridal shower brunch, how long do you think I could leave this on the warm setting? And do you think I could cook this longer, than the 8 hours, on a low setting without the eggs over cooking? Any other tips will be much appreciated! Thanks!
I think the eggs would probably over cook if you added any cook time to it. I haven’t done it with this recipe, but in the past I’ve cooked a recipe *almost* all the way (so like 6ish hours). Then refrigerated until I needed it. Then cooked it for the remaining cook time, plus an hour (that would be 3 hours for this recipe) to account for it being cold from the refrigerator. That might work.
And for warming, I’ve had it set for warm for 3 hours, and it was okay then. I would just try to keep an eye on it.
Was very exited about finding this recipe! I’m all about convenience so I opted for the fully cooked sausage crumbles from Jimmy Dean. I made this for brunch Sunday afternoon but was worried about the cook time since my crock pot does cook hot at low. I wanted to serve at 11:30, so I got up at 4 am to start it. I put everything in the crock pot ahead of time except the egg mixture. I used 1 bag of Simply Potatoes (shredded), 2 bags of Jimmy Dean Meat Lovers Sausage/Bacon crumbles (fully cooked). 1 chopped onion, and 2 cans of mild chopped green chilies instead of the bell peppers and layered everything per the instructions.. It was ready to eat in 6 hours, so I turned it on warm and lifted the lid, the edges were getting dark. I heated flour tortillas and offered fresh salsa and sour cream to make breakfast tacos! OMG – this was a huge hit with my guests! I used a 6 qt oval Crock Pot and I will only plan to cook it 6 hours next time, and there will be a next time. Thank you!
Just an observation: My experience mirrors that of Ms. Chavez. I suspect that six hours is sufficient as I left mine for eight and it burned a fair amount of it.
I love breakfast casseroles and traditionally make them in the Oven. I just made this last night. My spouse has a lot of group breakfasts for work and leaves around 5:30 am. I figured this would spare me the time of getting up at 4am and cooking. I timed it to be exactly 8 hours on low. I woke up with 29 minutes left on the count down and it smelled a little burnt. I checked the sides which had separated from the cooker and they were burnt. I ended up making a 2nd casserole with the leftovers for her to take to work. I don’t think I would try this again for a work function… maybe if it was just with family.
How many calories in a serving of this delicious casserole?
I don’t provide nutritional information, but you can always plug it in to a calorie calculator to find out.
Can this be easily transfererred to an aluminum pan in the morning for serving at a teacher breakfast?
I would honestly say no. You’ll kind of lose the layers and since it cooks in the crock for so long the casserole is in the shape of the crock.
Do you think this could be made using hash brown patties??
I think that would work. I would just sub out the shredded hash browns and make a double layer of the patties in the bottom. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Good recipe. I definitely agree that average cook time is more like 4-6 hours on low. I tried to set it for “overnight,” cooking it about 6.5 hours and the edges were overdone and recipe overall a little dry. I will try it again and tag team with my insomniac husband for a 5 hour cook time – turning it either on or off in the early morning hours.
Forgot to rate it. I’ll say “3 stars” until I get the cook time settled.
I made a version of this yesterday (basically the same, but different type of potatoes) as a dry run before Christmas morning breakfast. It was very good, but it only took 3 hours to cook and that was on low. My Crockpot is not a hot cooker either so beware of the cooking time! I’m going to make it for our breakfast for sure, but plan on keeping a close eye on it. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Do I need to defrost the hashbrowns first? Or put them in frozen? Can’t wait to try this for Christmas Morning tomorrow it looks delicous. TIA!
This has all of the breakfast ingredients we love and looks delicious. I LOVE that it is done in the crock pot! Yay!
This is a great recipe! I have made this dish twice for a group of hungry high school swimmers. These boys devoured it each time! It’s a big hit And, the house smells wonderful in the morning after cooking all night in the crock pot. We will definitely serve this again and again!
I made this Easter morning for Church sunrise breakfast. It was perfect with 1 slight change. I did put 2 tsp of dried mustard. I made it before Easter and it seemed like it was missing something. Other recipes called for dry mustard so I added. I have a Hamilton Beach slow cooker with a temp probe. I set it for 155 degrees on low. It was done in about 3 hours and held warm until I left for church. I have also added 1 cup of salsa and it was very good . Great recipe. Very versatile.
How many would this serve?
I made the overnight crockpot breakfast recipe for work. Everyone loved it. Thanks I plan to use again with my family for the holidays.
This recipe served 10-12 people. Everyone at work loved this recipe.
Planning on making this for brudal shower brunch. Can I double the recipe and how long should I cook it? Thanks
This recipe is already pretty large. If you doubled it, you’d likely just need 2 crockpots.
This looks so good!! I’m going to make this for those busy school day mornings!
Hi,
If I wanted to make it without meat, is the cooking time the same? I am planning to make 2; one with the meats and the other without.
Thanks in advance!
There’s not much meat in it. The cooking time will be similar, maybe a little shorter.
Sort of a newbie crockpot user here. If I leave out the hashbrowns and just use meat, peppers, eggs and cheese what do you think about cook time? Really just eggs cooking at that point.
Would this work in a conventional oven. 350 for how long?
I’m not sure as I’ve never tried it. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Made this last night exactly as written and this morning it turned out delicious! I cooked it on low for 6 hours with no burning. Thank you!!
Can you make this oven in baking pans? Has anyone tried that?
I have older oval crockpot or slow cooker so no timer or auto shutoff. Not an early morning riser either!
I’d like to serve around 9 a.m. I’m getting from above comments it will be overcooked if I start it at midnight or 1 a.m.
What’s my solutuion besides not serving it?
My Crock Pot that I made this in is also an older model (8-10 years old) and also oval. No auto or timer or anything, and it was fine on the full 8 hours. I’m guessing for those that it’s over-done, they have newer and/or hotter crock pots! So I personally would be fine turning it on at 12 or 1 and having it be done between 6-8am (you can turn it off or to warm at that point since it will still stay really hot as long as it’s still in the crock). If you’re really worried about it, I also have this super easy to throw together egg breakfast casserole. Our family has been making it for as long as I can remember, and it’s really yummy. https://www.thegraciouswife.com/easy-egg-breakfast-casserole/
Can the ingredients be put into the crock pot and then put in the refrigerator until it’s time to start cooking? If it only takes 3-4 hours to cook, I would have to start cooking it around 2 a.m. in order for it to be ready in the morning and would like to have it all put together first.
Yes, you can do that!
could you use croutons instead of hashbrowns?
No, I don’t think that would work.
Do you need to thaw the hash browns?
Nope! You can dump them right in!
How long will this keep in the fridge after it’s made?!?!?!
I’ve never kept it longer than 2-3 days because it’s always gone by then. But I would say up to 5 days covered and refrigerated.
Hi . . . In the body of the recipe, it states to mix the milk, salt, pepper, and sugar, however, the list of ingredients does not include sugar? It includes sour cream. Was the sugar in the body of the recipe a mistake? Thank you.
Hi Debbie, I’m currently in the process of re-vamping the recipe to make it even better, but I haven’t totally updated the directions yet. I will when I’m done here. I got rid of the sugar entirely, and added sour cream to the egg mixture to make it more moist.
I love how this is made in the slow cooker! This will be perfect for a holiday brunch!
Such a delicious recipe, we made this minus the meat! YUMMO! Thinking of making this for our Christmas morning brunch!
This breakfast casserole looks so unbelievably delicious! It’s also perfect for a busy week because it can be set up the night before. No more skipping breakfast the next morning!
What an amazingly delicious and easy way to feed breakfast for a crowd. Waking up to this just gives everyone a big smile. 🙂
What could be better than waking up to a delicious breakfast like this! Love this!
I love this recipe idea! So flavorful and easy!
Such an easy idea for Sunday morning brunch! I love it!
What a perfect way to start your day! This would be great to make the night before Thanksgiving to have ready to go! Love it!
Now I need to buy a crockpot just to make this recipe! It looks delicious!
This is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. Put all the ingredients together the night before, turn on the crockpot and wake up to a delicious breakfast!
Is it possible to use full fat coconut milk instead of the whole milk?
Yes! That would work great.
This has been our go to for Christmas breakfast and other special occasions. I was wondering though if I could get the old recipe? My family personally liked it better that way and I hadn’t written it down.
Hi Becca, the old recipe used 32 ounces hash browns (instead of 16), and no sour cream. Then instead of cooking the veggies in with the sausage, they were put in raw with the cheese. Hope that helps!
Could you use hash brown potatoes instead of shredded? Would this affect the cook time?
Do you mean like diced potatoes? You could use a different type of potatoes instead, but it might affect the cook time.