Christmas Breakfast Casserole

This is my Christmas gift to you! Christmas morning is all about family – NOT about being stuck in the kitchen. I‘ve been making this Christmas breakfast casserole for years, and it’s a total holiday game-changer. It’s delicious, foolproof, and loved by everyone. Plus, you can make it ahead, giving you more time to soak up the holiday magic with your family!

Ahh, Christmas morning! The anticipation has ended, and the little ones are eagerly gathering around the tree. The last thing you want to do is wake up extra early to cook or miss out on the fun and laughter while you’re in the kitchen.

That’s why I’m sharing one of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions today: this Christmas breakfast casserole recipe. We love having this for Christmas brunch because it’s simple to whip up the day before – or even the morning of. Then you pop it in the oven and forget about it until you’re ready for the ultimate comforting breakfast that feels special but is super easy to make.

Make-ahead directions

To savor the time on Christmas morning, you can easily make this a Christmas make-ahead breakfast. To do so, simply follow the recipe up until step 5. Then cover it with aluminum foil and refrigerate it. Pull it out on Christmas morning, put it in the oven with the foil on, then set your oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. When the oven comes to temperature, start the clock. You’ll want to bake it for a total of 45-50 minutes, until the eggs are set.

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Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 55 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

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Recipe video below. Christmas Breakfast Casserole, Wife Saver, or Breakfast Bake. It doesn't matter what you call this, it's delicious and the best gift on Christmas morning.

With layers of hash brown patties, golden sausages, green and red bell peppers all combined with savory eggs and melty cheese, this is a holiday breakfast to remember.

I usually opt to make it the night before so that I can stay out of the kitchen and with my family on Christmas morning.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 17 hashbrown patties (see notes)
• ▢ 2 cups grated white cheddar (divided)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 ½ lb breakfast sausage (sliced into 1-inch pieces)
• ▢ ½ medium onion (minced)
• ▢ 1 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
• ▢ 1 medium green bell pepper (chopped)
• ▢ 12 large eggs
• ▢ ¾ cup whole milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder and onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 ball fresh mozzarella

Instructions 

• Bake the hashbrowns according to the package directions, until they are crispy. Lay half of them into a deep 9×11 baking dish and sprinkle with half of the cheddar cheese – about one cup. Lay the remaining hashbrowns on top in the opposite direction as the bottom ones so they overlap.
  17 hashbrown patties
  
• While the hashbrowns bake, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until it is well-browned. Carefully drain all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan. You can also use paper towels to mop it up.
  1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 ½ lb breakfast sausage, ½ medium onion
  
• Add the onion and peppers and cook just until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
  1 medium red bell pepper, 1 medium green bell pepper
  
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  12 large eggs, ¾ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder and onion powder, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
  
• Spread the sausage and peppers over the hashbrowns and then pour the eggs over top. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over top. Then tear the ball of mozzarella apart and place pieces all over the casserole. Cover the casserole tightly with foil.
  1 ball fresh mozzarella
  
• MAKE AHEAD: Cover the Christmas breakfast casserole with foil and place it in your fridge overnight. When baking in the morning, put the casserole dish into your oven when it is cold, and then turn your oven on. The baking time will be the same from when your oven comes to temperature.

  BAKING: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the casserole for 45-50 minutes, until the eggs are set. Remove the foil and broil for 3-4 minutes to brown the cheese. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes out of the oven and then serve.
  

Video

Notes

Hashbrowns: When testing this recipe, I used McCain hash brown patties, and 17 fit into my 9×11-inch baking dish. I’ve made this by adding the frozen patties straight to the dish and by cooking them as in the recipe. Both are really good, but the cooked hashbrowns have a tiny bit more flavor. It’s a slight difference, though, so feel free to skip baking them if you want to keep this recipe extra simple. 

Peppers: I went with red and green for a Christmas vibe. Before putting the casserole into the oven, I like to make sure that several are showing on top, which often means rearranging a few to be more visible.

 Mozzarella: I love using fresh mozzarella for extra creaminess, but you could opt for a cup of shredded mozzarella instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 = ⅛ of the recipe, Calories: 607kcal (30%), Carbohydrates: 6g (2%), Protein: 36g (72%), Fat: 48g (74%), Saturated Fat: 20g (125%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 394mg (131%), Sodium: 1165mg (51%), Potassium: 468mg (13%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 1501IU (30%), Vitamin C: 32mg (39%), Calcium: 426mg (43%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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