Make-Ahead Overnight Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
This make-ahead overnight tater tot breakfast casserole is honestly the best! All of breakfast’s favorites in one handy casserole.
Looking for perhaps the newest, bestest, most amazingest breakfast casserole to wow everyone who happens to be lingering around your house waiting for you to feed them in the AM?
I think I have the answer (other than sending one of the lingerers out for a donut run).
I kid you not, this make-ahead overnight tater tot breakfast casserole is easily one of the most delicious things I’ve EVER eaten for breakfast (or just possibly ever). It’s a mishmash of all the good breakfast things: potatoes, eggs, sausage and cheese.
Every time I make this, I shamelessly hoard all the leftovers, because come to find out, it’s equally delicious as a warmed up (or yes, cold, don’t cringe) lunch or next-day breakfast.
What makes it so good
There is a lot to love about this tater tot breakfast casserole.
Because it’s made the day before and popped in the oven less than an hour before you want a warm breakfast, it is perfect for busy holidays and/or when you are entertaining company. Won’t they be ecstatic when they wake up to the savory aroma of this breakfast casserole wafting throughout the house!
Bonus: you didn’t have to get up at 4 a.m. to make it happen.
The tater tots, after sitting overnight and then being baked, meld into this delicious compact layer of tender potatoes surrounded by the eggs, sausage and cheese.
Are tater tots created equal?
I don’t have a strong brand preference on tater tots. I mean, they’re tater tots. Is there a standout? Please inform me if there is.
I try to pick up a bag or two from Trader Joe’s when I’m there, but otherwise, any frozen tater tot is going to do fine.
Scatter the tater tots in a single layer in the bottom of a 9X13-inch pan. It’s ok if there’s a few gaps and holes. No one is going to notice you’re carefully arranged pattern after it all bakes, so just toss them in.
The browned sausage and veggies (onions and peppers) scatter across the top of the taters followed by the cheese.
Substitutions
Meat: You can use chopped ham or bacon in place of, or in addition to, the sausage. I also think you could easily make this meatless (I’d add more vegetables for some bulk and texture if doing so).
The simple addition of onions and peppers add great flavor to the casserole. As in, I don’t think you should leave them out. Even my resident pepper-haters gobble this up.
Vegetables: You could change up the vegetables or add to them based on preference. Some other ideas: lightly steamed broccoli or carrots, mushrooms, zucchini.
Cheese: I like to use a combination of grated sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack. But I think the cheese is wildly adaptable. Maybe Swiss? Gruyere? Pepper Jack? Remember: grate your own cheese for maximum melty creaminess.
The simple egg + milk + sour cream mixture gets poured all over the top.
The egg mixture isn’t going to soak in as much as a breakfast casserole made with bread, but don’t be worried. I promise it’s all going to work out.
Just cover with some greased foil, pop in the fridge, walk away, and try not to stress. UPDATE: many of you have reported back that you can also just bake this right away, too! The tater tots won’t break down quite as much, but it still works AND it is delicious.
The next morning when you go to bake this amazing casserole, don’t uncover.
You’ll pop it right in the preheated oven covered. It’ll bake for 20 minutes or so and then you can uncover to let it bake to its full golden, bubbly potential.
You can tell the casserole is done baking when it’s puffy and set and the middle isn’t gooey and wet (the eggs will be fully cooked).
I like to toss some fresh chopped chives or green onions on top because it’s pretty, but that’s totally optional.
This make-ahead overnight tater tot breakfast casserole cuts beautifully into squares. Another point in its favor!
Could it stop being such a teacher’s pet. Seriously. It’s pretty much perfect in every way.
And as I mentioned above, it’s delicious served warm for an amazing, hearty breakfast, but it also makes great leftovers.
Flavor Combinations
I like to eat it with sour cream and salsa. It gives the tater tot breakfast casserole a Mexican-flavored food vibe which could be even more amped up by using pepper jack cheese in place of the Monterey Jack.
I think there are a lot of other flavors that could be championed in this casserole. I haven’t thought through all the details but a few ideas that come to mind are:
- ham and Swiss version
- broccoli cheese version
- cheesy taco version
- maple bacon version
- what else?
I’m excited to see where this make-ahead breakfast casserole takes you. It is 100% the breakfast casserole of choice happening here over the holidays.
It’s one of those recipes that’s going to be a staple for years and years to come.
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Two Years Ago: Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Blossom Cookies
Three Years Ago: Super Soft Chocolate Frosted Sugar Cookies {Swig Style}
Four Years Ago: Soft Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
Five Years Ago: Maple-Spice Cashew Brittle {Super Easy Microwave Version}
Six Years Ago: Toffee Crumble Caramel Apple Pie
Seven Years Ago: Toffee Crunch Cupcakes
Eight Years Ago: Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip
Make-Ahead Overnight Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 ounces breakfast sausage (see note)
- 1 cup small diced bell peppers, any color
- ½ cup small diced onion
- 6 large eggs (see note)
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 24 ounces (about 6 cups) frozen tater tots
- 1 cup (114 g) grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (114 g) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- Chopped green onion or chives, for garnish (optional)
- Sour cream and salsa, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, peppers and onions, crumbling the sausage into small pieces as it cooks, until it is no longer pink and cooked through and the veggies are tender. Drain the grease (you can let the sausage/veggies hang out in the skillet for a minute or remove them to a plate).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan. Place the tater tots in a single layer across the bottom of the pan. (Use only as many tater tots as will fit in a single layer).
- Sprinkle sausage over the tater tots followed by the veggies. Sprinkle cheese evenly across the top.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over and across the top. Cover the dish with lightly greased foil and refrigerate (overnight, up to 18 hours). OR you can bake it right away. The tater tots won’t break down quite as much, but it is still delicious.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-25 minutes longer until golden, bubbly, and set. Sprinkle with green onions or chives, if using. Serve warm.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
211 Comments on “Make-Ahead Overnight Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole”
I made this for my daughter’s graduation brunch. I made with Ranch dip instead of sour cream because that’s what I had in the fridge. It was delish! Everyone loved it!
I’ve made this several times and it’s always a hit. I like to use red bell pepper, jalapeño, red onion, and add chopped cilantro. I like to use heavy cream instead of milk just to make the eggs a little fluffier.
Just wanted to report that I didn’t have enough tots to fill the dish so I mixed it with frozen French fries and it was still great! Haha
Love this recipe! So tasty. I used the ten egg suggestion and was baking it right after making it, and doing it that way required a lot more time. I finally did the overnight method and I still needed to cook it longer than stated but much less than when I cook it without letting it sit overnight. I followed the recipe as written.
I can’t say that this was my favorite egg bake. I used breakfast sausage which lost its flavor when baked so I mostly tasted the fried taste of the tater tots. I am not a lover of hash browns so maybe this was not the egg bake for me. Once I added Salsa verde and sour cream as a topping it really added some zip.
I made this with breakfast sausage but I don’t think the spice was strong enough. The fried taste of the tater tots sort of overwhelmed it as well. It needs salsa & sour cream on top to really hit the mark. So if you have people who don’t like Mexican flavors for breakfast another egg bake might be better sited for them.
I made this for Christmas morning using ham & bacon — my family LOVED it!! It’s so easy & convenient to make ahead, I’m sure this will be making an appearance at family get-togethers on a regular basis. Thanks so much for the great receipes, Mel! Keep them coming!
I made this for Christmas morning using ham & bacon — my family LOVED it!! It’s so easy & convenient to make ahead, I’m sure this will be making an appearance at family get-togethers on a regular basis. Thanks so much for the great receipes, Mel! Keep them coming!
This was a great casserole to serve for breakfast ( and we’re looking forward to having the leftovers!). Easy to follow directions and very delicious!
As someone who doesn’t really enjoy eggs or casseroles I actually loved this. This recipe is more than the sum of its parts and my husband said it was one his top ten fave things I’ve ever made (and I cook a LOT). Amazing, easy recipe that is going in our regular rotation! Thanks, Mel. Only you could get me to eats eggs and casserole!
family loved this recipe
Hi Mel! I am wanting to make this for a “Breakfast for Lunch” potluck at work. Do you think it would work to assemble it the night before and then cook in the slow cooker in the morning for a few hours before lunch? Thanks!
I haven’t tried that, but I think it should work!
3 hours on high was perfect!
Great recipe, adaptable to any meat/cheese combo. I have used sausage, ham, even chorizo. Always delish!
This is our new favorite egg casserole! We love baking it and eating some as a casserole and then stuffing tortillas with some to make breakfast burritos which we normally freeze.
Made this for a marching band breakfast and got rave reviews. Made 8x the recipe in 4 catering pans. It took longer to bake, of course, but turned out perfectly.
Such a popular and useful idea to adapt a delicious recipe.
I love this recipe! It is tasty and filling for a crowd. I also like to make it for one serving of breakfast for the kids and then I use the leftovers to make breakfast burritos for the freezer. I just wrap a couple of spoonfuls into my favorite tortilla, fold it up, then wrap it in plastic wrap. I put all the individually wrapped burritos into a gallon size ziploc bag and toss them in the freezer. Then I can take them out as needed to heat up in the microwave. It helps me get a warm, filling breakfast into my kids on a busy school morning!
Oh, and living in New Mexico, I always swap out the peppers for diced, roasted green chiles from Hatch! Mmmmm….
I served this at a family reunion this past weekend. It was a huge hit with everyone! I made one pan with sausage, onions and peppers, one with bacon, onions and peppers, and one with sausage and onions (no peppers). All three pans got devoured and peeled were raving. 🙂 The vote with our crowd was for the one without peppers, but all three were delicious. We served them with salsa, sour cream and guacamole. Yum! Thanks again for another great one, Mel!
Could you freeze this somehow before cooking?
This has become one of our go-to recipes! I would recommend seasoned tater tots (Hy-Vee calls them Potato Puffs) – I also increase eggs to 10 and add veggies to feed more people.
This is a family favorite, I love the tater tot base and the egg mixture, I make two Southwestern versions – one with breakfast sausage and 14oz green chilies (drained). Most recently, I’ve been using chorizo sausage and that’s been a huge hit! Thanks for another winner!
This is my all time favorite egg bake. I always increase the eggs to 10, and add extra veggies. Thanks for a great recipe!
This was a hit with adults and kids! I made it for Christmas day brunch and served it with cinnamon rolls and fruit. We aren’t big breakfast sausage fans, so I diced up a ham steak and sautéed it with the peppers/onions. I used one yellow pepper and half an onion, and next time I’ll add another pepper because the flavor is great! Added diced green onion on top for a little freshness. I’ll definitely make this again!
Soooo delicious!!! I make this for Christmas morning and any other holiday that I want something quick and simple but delicious. So so tasty! I add 8 eggs and it’s perfect. Thank you Mel! Whenever someone asks if I have a good recipe I always say, “let’s see what my girlfriend Mel has” You’re the best!
This is definitely one of our favorites here. I’ve switched to baking this in my cupcake pan to speed up the baking. This makes it much more doable on school mornings!
Great – Great recipe! It is now in my forever recipe file! Mine took 1.5 hours to cook but I did not soak them overnight – didn’t have time. Next time I will try the overnight version. Hubby raved and raved how GREAT it was! Thank you a keeper for sure!
We’ve been making this ever since the recipe came out and we love it. It’s so versatile! We’ve tried it with both tater tots and with frozen hashbrowns, and both are great. We’ve chilled overnight, but usually aren’t that prepared, and it works fine going right into the oven. We love it with a can of diced chiles. Works with all kinds of cheeses. We’ve even used some leftover, chewy bits of (almost inedible) ham and it rehydrated them a little and cooked up great. Sometimes we’ve added extra eggs to stretch it a bit. And we rarely have sour cream on hand, so whisk in plain yogurt. That works too! Seriously, delicious and versatile. It’s in the oven right now for breakfast for dinner, so the whole family is excited. It’s a winner. Thanks Mel!!
My kids said this was the BEST egg casserole I have ever made! The tots really sealed the deal for us. Thank you!
Would it be possible to freeze this meal?
Yes, it freezes great!
Can you make this and freeze to bake later?
By the way, your recipes are awesome! 🙂
Hi Renee, I haven’t frozen it to bake later, but it’s definitely worth a try!
Hi! Did you try freezing this? Im wondering the same thing. Thanks!
Do you have the nutritional info on this recipe, generally speaking. I know it will vary based on the meats and tots, cheeses. But I just need a general idea for my points 🙂
Do you have the nutrition facts for this recipe…specifically the carbs and fat?
Hi Heather, I don’t have that information currently, but I am adding the nutrition info to all my recipes in the next few months.
I’m cooking for a crowd. If I were to stick two 9×13 dishes in my oven at one time, would I need to adjust the time and temperature?
I don’t think so! Should be able to cook for the same time/temp.
Dear Mel,
You were right,,, this is, hands down, the best breakfast casserole I have served to overnight guests! (And I have made many overnight breakfast casserole recipes over the years.) And I have made many of “My Girl Mel” recipes over the years as well.
You never disappoint! Thank you!
I hope all is well with you and your family.
Warm Regards, Nancy
Made this for supper tonight. We had some mushrooms that needed using so I sautéed them first then mixed with the rest of ingredients. We made half a recipe( just 2 of us), and baked in a 8×8 dish. Came out great!
Alexia Potato Puff’s are amazing…they have rosemary in them…Delicious!!
I was going to suggest the same! There are no tater tots like them!
I made this for national tater tot day. My family loved it! I did use bacon instead of sausage tho just because I really don’t like sausage. And I added broccoli chopped very small. Super delicious!
I’ve been scrolling the comments forever trying to find someone to answer this:
Can I bake it (before a trip) then reheat the whole thing in oven while there? I don’t want to have to bake it that long or worry about the ingredients sloshing around in the car unbaked. I know it’s probably possible but I’m wondering if the tots will crisp up when reheated this way. I know reheating this in microwave is not crispy but perhaps in oven it would be?
I haven’t tried that, Amy, so I can’t say for sure, but I think it should work. My biggest concern is that if it’s been cooked and then reheated, it might dry out a bit. I’d cover with foil while reheating.
Have you made this at all before?
We adore this recipe, but “crispy” does not define this recipe in any way
The tater tots absorb all the moisture from the liquid and the eggs and become like a soft absorbent potato layer. They are not crispy tater tots in any way shape or form.
So if you were worried about preserving that aspect of it, don’t, because it didn’t exist in the original format anyhow
This has become a family favorite. I made it for Christmas breakfast to offset all the sweet things we have and we absolutely loved it. It even gets requested for family dinner. I have a pan sitting in the fridge for tomorrow and figured I needed to write a review. I have also halved this recipe several times and it works great!
I want to make this for a friend having surgery- how many days would it be ok in the fridge before being baked? Does it have to be the next morning? Thanks!
I bet you could keep it in the refrigerator for a couple of days and it should be fine.
I’ve made this a dozen times since you posted it, and we still can’t get enough! It’s amazing plain, but a few times we’ve made a copycat cafe Rio dressing to top it with… and that is truly surreal. Highly recommend that combo!
I’ve had this recipe saved for the longest time and I finally made it. It definitely lived up to the hype. I’m trying to get my picky toddler to eat more veggies, so I dethawed whatever veggies were in my freezer (zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot mix), wrung out the moisture, chopped them up and added them on top of the sausage layer. I was going to add extra eggs but I had a full pound of sausage so I decided against it. If I had 12 ounces of sausage, I would have added 2 extra eggs. Both kids and the husband loved it. We have made casseroles like this before but making it the night before was REALLY good (loved how the potatoes dethawed over night) and super convenient.
I prepared this last night to have for Christmas morning. It was wonderful! The prefect breakfast to a white Christmas! The whole family approved. I was asked if I’d ever made it before. I said, “ no, but it’s Mel’s recipe”. Everyone knew what that meant since I have made a ton of your recipes. We had your instant pot Honey Cilantro Chicken earlier in the week. I think that was the first recipe I ever made using my instant pot a few years ago. Thanks for making me look like a star in the kitchen and dinner table! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Hi Mel! I made this breakfast casserole and it is DELICIOUS!!! I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old that won’t really eat sausage, so I’m planning on doing a ham/broccoli version for Christmas eve prep/Christmas morning breakfast. I am getting the pulled pork from Costco (that you just warm up in the microwave) and is SO. DANG. GOOD! Do you have any advice on the broccoli? Do I cut it up and put it in the casserole raw, or should I cook it first? And if so, how would you suggest I cook it? Thank you and Merry Christmas!!!
Hi Natalie, I would suggest lightly steaming the broccoli first before using.
I made this for the first time last Christmas and now make it twice a month for breakfast and use the leftovers for frozen breakfast burritos for quick easy breakfasts – or a snack. Next to the alfredo sauce, this is my most used Mel’s recipe. Got anything for this Christmas morning Mel? 🙂 Otherwise, I may try one of the thousands of variations in the comments for this year. I don’t think anyone is really sick of it yet…
I’m glad you love this one, Venessa! I had big plans to post another breakfast recipe (although not similar to this one) and time got away from me so I won’t be posting anything new for Christmas morning. Sorry!
I FINALLY got around to making this recipe and I have no clue what took me so long! It is delicious and super easy. Thank you for only posting the best recipes. You are incredible Mel! Merry Christmas!
This was a really great recipe. I used 10 eggs and only 9 oz of sausage. So yummy!!! I didn’t let it sit overnight, so its nice to know I can make this w/o doing that if needed. I also made some of Mel’s bran muffins to serve with the casserole. Yummy dinner! And a fun break from regular dinner night.
My apologies, I typo’d… Erin, why?! No idea. So sorry, Mel.
Thanks again for another great recipe, I’m a huge fan.
I have a rule to never try a new recipe for a special day… just in case. So I did a “test run” on my family recently, and everyone decided it was very much worthy of our Christmas breakfast. I will serve it with a fruit salad (and lots of coffee for the parents) this year.
Thanks for another winner, Erin!
I always have a hard time buying sausage because I feel like there are so many to choose from! Which is your favorite to use (anyone!)?
I usually buy mild breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean brand usually).
I make one with cottage cheese as part of the filling and shredded cheese on top – no one would ever know there’s cottage cheese in it and with non-fat, you save some calories, if that’s your thing. I love the tater tots version more than the bread versions. And yes, the onions and peppers are mandatory!
I’m excited to make this for Christmas morning! Our first time not going to my in-laws for breakfast. I’m excited to be home. As far as tator tots- for a casserole I just buy the cheap ones, but for just eating as a side, we love the Ore-Ida crispy crowns. They’re like little tator discs that cook up so nice and crispy. My husband loves to spritz them with olive oil spray and then season with season salt- very gourmet and VERY tasty! Thanks for your amazing recipes!! Half of my recipe box is made up of Mels Kitchen. You’re awesome!
This has become a family favorite, I do it southwest style and add 14oz of green chilies to the sausage – sometimes I head it up even more with some fresh jalapenos and pepper jack cheese. Thanks for a great make ahead recipe!
DELICIOUS!!! I made this on Thanksgiving eve (for breakfast on Thanksgiving) and will DEFINITELY make again on Christmas eve for Christmas breakfast! I will try the ham/broccoli combo instead of the sausage (maybe I will have better luck getting my toddlers to eat it.) Can’t wait! This will be on the holiday menu from here on out. Thanks, Mel!
Oh my gosh…this casserole is DELICIOUS!!! Made this for the first time on Thanksgiving eve (for Thanksgiving morning) and will DEFINITELY make again on Christmas eve for Christmas morning breakfast! Will try a ham/broccoli combo (in place of the sausage) for Christmas eve. Can’t wait! Thank you, Mel!!!
Best breakfast casserole I’ve had.
So delicious and easy!
Love this casserole! Have made original version and the family devoured it. Made it with Mexican chorizo instead of sausage and canned roasted chilies instead of peppers, came out delicious. If I doubled the recipe and made it in a catering pan, wondering how long I should cook it for?
You’ll have to experiment with timing since I haven’t made it in a pan that size – probably add 15 minutes and then check to see if you need more time.
If i am adding more egg, should I increase the sour cream and milk.
Not unless you are adding significantly more eggs.
WOW, this tator tot casserole is amazing! I don’t venture off recipes just for the heck of it but I did try putting my own spin with using fully cooked Italian chicken sausage and a bunch of squash with the already listed ingredients, and it was amazing! My stinker kids wouldn’t touch it until a week later, I heated it up (I turned it into frozen burritos since my kids wouldn’t eat it) and they were begging me to share! Ha, the kids had already lost out, I already ate half the pan! So so good. Thanks for the encouragement to try new flavors with it, it is hands down the best egg casserole I’ve ever had!
Loved this! Made part of one pan without sausage for my vegetarian daughter and bulked up that half with asparagus and spinach in additions to peppers and onions–she was in heaven. A great, easily adaptable recipe that even my picky 12 year ate! (Well, ate his part without peppers–picky eaters around here!)
I do not get tater tots where i live – can you pl give me a substitute?? Thanku
Would like to make it — I get bread thou!!
Cooked potatoes or hash browns would work
I just wanted to leave a quick review. I made this last weekend, and it was fantastic. Not wanting to waste anything during this crazy time, I had enough leftovers to portion into tortillas for breakfast burritos. I wrapped them in nonstick foil and froze them, then to reheat I baked them from frozen at 375 for 45 minutes still wrapped in foil. They are just as awesome as the original casserole.
Mel, thanks again for another amazing recipe. I doubled the recipe and made two 13×9 pans for my daughter’s baptism brunch. So many friends and family members had seconds and kept saying it was the best breakfast casserole they’ve ever tasted. Thanks for always making the most delicious, reliable recipes!
I used LightLife Gimme Lean vegan sausage and served this to 4 friends ( who all eat meat)- they thought it tasted like real sausage. Regardless, this casserole was SO GOOD. A keeper for sure.
My husband had people coming over for a meeting and wanted to feed them. It was so nice to be able to make this in the morning and pop it in the oven when I got home from work. My daughter had the brilliant idea of turning the leftovers into a breakfast burrito! Mel for the win! Thank you!
Can’t wait to try this for my group on Thursday! I researched breakfast tater tot casseroles (based on an idea from a friend for a non-breakfast version) and voila, here is a perfect recipe! The variations are helpful (one friend is allergic to bell peppers, so canned green chiles it is…), and I need a slightly larger amount to will make it in my 10″x15″ pyrex using extra eggs and tots. Thank you in advance!
Made this up last night and baked this morning for church snack time. Everyone really liked it. Easy to make and nice to have ready to go in the morning!
This is good! I made it for a potluck last weekend and then again on Monday because it is so great. I used a smoked pork sausage but i will try the breakfast sausage too. A keeper.
I made this for dinner this week and we absolutely loved it! We all like hash browns in our egg casserole but the tater tots were just a little something extra special. I am making a veggie version for tomorrow morning with Swiss cheese. So excited to see how it turns out. Thanks for another great recipe!
Just a note- when I make this I use Ore-Ida crispy crowns because they are a flatter shape, like a disc. it gives a flatter, more even potato layer. I know- I’m weird about small details like that. This is a great tasting, easy brunch or breakfast!. Thanx.
I did the same, but from a texture standpoint. They’d also be good baked, then on crumbled on top for some added crispness.
Sooooo good
Loved this on Christmas morning, so decided to make in muffin tins. Put 2-3 tator tot crowns in each muffin cup followed by whatever each person likes (sausage, onions, or peppers), then cheese and egg mixture. Put leftovers in freezer for easy weekday morning breakfasts. Delicious and everyone is happy!
Such a great idea!
Made this last year (2019) for our family Christmas breakfast and it was delicious. My daughter-in-law specifically requested it again for Christmas brunch this year. I didn’t do anything too differently – but did use some diced celery for color in place of green pepper, and used nine eggs. My family just loves this casserole! Thank you so much.
This was easy and delicious! I made it after we got home from church, stuck it in the fridge and cooked it about 4 1/2 hours later. Everyone liked it and I especially loved the green onions sprinkled on top. I will make this again for sure!
I made four pans of this with ham instead of sausage for a men’s breakfast at our church. Everyone loved it and I loved it because it was so easy to assemble the day before, stash in the fridge and cook in the morning. It was awesome! This is my go to breakfast casserole now because I always have the ingredients on hand. Thanks Mel!
Can someone explain to me why, after an hour of baking, it’s still running liquid every where when you cut into it? I followed the recipe exactly… except I only let it sit in the fridge for an hour?
I had the same problem! I was thinking maybe I didn’t stir the sour cream in enough? I don’t know.
If your tater tots were still frozen and didn’t have time to sit overnight maybe the egg mixture didn’t soak in to the taters. That’d be my guess, I’ve made it twice and it sat in frig overnight and the egg mixture really soaks in to the taters! It’s really good!
Made this tonight and mine did the same thing. Took 1.5 hours to cook. Next time I hope to try it in the overnight version… I just didn’t have time. Still, MY HUBBY (and I) loved it!!!! Will be in my forever recipe.
LOVE this breakfast casserole!! Made it on Christmas Eve for Christmas brunch and it was super easy and very tasty! Loved adding the sour cream and salsa on top too! Making it again for brunch with friends tomorrow! This will be a go to recipe for breakfast casseroles!
So yummy! We were plumb out of both milk & sour cream, so I subbed 1.5C buttermilk—worked like a charm! Thanks, Mel for another winner of a dinner!!
How do you think this would do in a slow cooker started the night before? I would love to try this, but I have no experience and would love your thoughts about how you think this would work and if you have any recommendations for time and temperature. Thanks, as always, for the top notch recipes that you consistently put up!
I’ve used this recipe in a crock pot for years as a breakfast burrito filling. I use double the ingredients. Just layer all the ingredients except the eggs, put them over the top at the end and cook on low overnight. Most of the time I leave the cheese out until the morning and sprinkle it on about 30 minutes before serving to melt.
I have made this twice in the last week. I meant to make it on Christmas Eve to have Christmas morning, but we had hosted my family on Christmas Eve and I was tired and forgot to throw it together. I wound up throwing it all together Christmas morning and baked it and my family of 4 devoured it! My son, daughter and husband all had three helpings!
My daughter asked me to make it for her and her two best friends who always sleep over one night during their Christmas break. I did remember to do it the night before this time, but realized I didn’t have enough tater tots. I ran to the store to get some and literally all of their tater tots were gone. They had almost no potato product in the freezers. They did have some diced hash browns so I used those and it turned out great as well. All three of the girls had second helpings, even the one who usually only eats a very little.
Such a easy and tasty casserole to make. Thanks for sharing!
I’d like to freeze this. If the sausage and pepper mixture was cold, could I assemble and put into the freezer?
This was a big hit with my family. We live very busy lives and all eat at different times throughout the night. I made this for dinner (I added Bell peppers) and left different ideas on how to eat it. My son decided to cook a couple tortillas and eat it like a breakfast burrito, my daughter ate hers with ketchup, and my husband and I and the rest of the kids ate it with salsa and sour cream. Everyone raved about this for a couple days!
This is so good! I have often been underwhelmed by breakfast casseroles, but this one is fantastic!
How do you think this would work as a freezer meal?
I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure…worth a try though!
We made this for Christmas morning and it was so good! When the leftovers were reheated, the tater tots turned into potato “rice.” Thank you for the delicious recipe, I’m looking forward to making it again!
Great casserole! We had this for our Christmas morning breakfast. Mel you were right about adding onions and bell peppers. They added a subtle but rich full flavor. Thanks
I made this Christmas morning and it was the best! I did notice I had to cook mine a little longer than the recipe said. I’d like to make it again for brunch for around 25 people but I need it to be ready after church at 10am. Do you think if I cook it before we leave, I could leave it in my oven on warm while we are at church from 9-10am? I just need it to be ready to pull and eat when we get home.
I made this Christmas morning and it was the best! I did notice I had to cook mine a little longer than the recipe said. I’d like to make it again for brunch for around 25 people but I need it to be ready after church at 10am. Do you think if I cook it before we leave, I could leave it in my oven on warm while we are at church from 9-10am? I just need it to be ready to pull and eat when we get home
Yes, I think you could definitely do that (I’d cover with foil before leaving for church so it doesn’t dry out).
Yes. SO easy SO delicious. Heats up beautifully! Better than breakfast casserole with bread!!!
Great recipe! The leftovers reheated very well!
This is also delicious with the Alexia sweet potato tater tots. I love this breakfast and I’ll be adding this to our rotation.
If you bump up the number of eggs used, do you also increase the milk and/or sour cream?
I don’t – it makes the texture more “eggy” but it is still super delicious.
Wowzer!! This was loved by EVERYONE on Christmas morning. I LOVE LOVE any make ahead breakfast casserole for Christmas, and this is now our #1 fave. Paired with Mel’s Overnight Creme Brulee’ French Toast Bake, my Christmas morning breakfast was a breeze. It was still delicious as leftovers the next morning too!
I knew the ingredients alone as I first went over the recipe were going to make a perfect Christmas morning breakfast. We cut up a ham steak into cubes and precooked it instead of the breakfast sausage. We made 2 9×13 pans and when all was said and done there weren’t even crumbs left!! Thanks for a new recipe for our families Christmas breakfast.
I made this for my family on Christmas morning. It was so tasty. The recipe was dubbed as a ‘keeper’, which is the highest form of flattery you can get in my house. And it did indeed taste even better a day later as leftovers.
what kind of sausage and tater tots do you use?
I give details in the post – but usually I use Trader Joe’s tater tots (any store brand you like will work) and just your regular ol’ breakfast sausage (probably Jimmy Deans or a slightly more natural one from Trader Joe’s when I remember to grab it there).
Loved it!
Loved this. We had it Christmas morning and I’m making it again for New Year’s day.
So easy and even more delicious!
My sister made this for Christmas morning as written and it was delicious…this morning I baked my version which was also amazing…I did bacon, mushrooms and poblano peppers and used 10 eggs as you mentioned in the recipe…I feel the eggs are still barely ‘there’ even with the additional 4 eggs (meaning it remains a potato forward casserole) but obviously makes a more substantial amount for feeding a crowd…I adore this recipe and see myself using it as a catch-all when we’ve got leftovers that need a purpose in life =)
Delicious – thank you!
We made this for Christmas morning and everyone really liked it. Thank you!
What a wonderful dish to make the day before Christmas morning and yet have it during the wrapping paper chaos of actual Christmas morning! I loved the tater tots as the base, yum! We were having a sausage dish for dinner that night so I opted for half shredded chicken and half ham. Either side was delicious. I topped with a can of green chilies (I should have done 2) and that was yummy too. It did seem a little runny and it kind of scared my husband- ha ha. Definitely worth making again and again.
Really delicious!
Um… I will NEVER be making anything else for Christmas (or any other holiday) breakfast EVER. AGAIN.
Who wants to dirty MULTIPLE pans to make scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, etc etc and also spend the time monitoring each pan as it cooks when this is SO MUCH EASIER?
I skipped the bell peppers b/c, yuck, we hate them in our family. sorry. 🙂 But otherwise, followed it to a T and it got rave reviews all around.
The only thing I would do different is use a few less tater tots in the bottom. I put them in a tightly packed single layer, and WOW they absorbed liquid and puffed up a LOT. I think a few less would be perfect, then the meat/etc could sink to the bottom instead of kind of sitting on top of a dense layer of potatoes.
NOW—- I need dinner-worthy variations of this recipe! Ones with the tots on the bottom so they soak up the yummy liquid and puff up…. bacon cheeseburger? C’mon mel, work your magic! Busy moms everywhere need this as a dinner savior, too!
Delicious, enjoyed on Christmas morning, including by one of the grannies who avoids flour! Just as nice this morning, heated in microwave, along with ketchup!
Changes I made, small town supermarket, not impressed with tater tot selection but they did have Alexia hash browns so they were the base, also don’t use sour cream but Greek yoghurt good substitute.
Will make again, thank you!
I’m so glad I saw this! I love these kinds of breakfast casserole with potatoes, but for some reason, shredding hash browns (I almost always have potatoes so I just make my own) is my least favorite part. Like, I reeeally dislike doing it. Tater tots are such a good swap, and I like the potato-to-everything-else ratio better with them too. Loved everything about this recipe!
We made this for Christmas morning breakfast and it was delicious! We kept going back for more bites all morning long. Thank you for such a great recipe!
We made this Christmas Eve to eat on Christmas morning. It was delicious and definitely my new favorite breakfast casserole!
Loved this recipe! It was so convenient to make the day ahead, and it turned out delicious. Thanks for another winner!
I made this for the first time for Christmas morning with my in-laws and, while I was a little nervous, I knew you wouldn’t let me down and they loved it. Thank you so much!
Hi! For those who were wondering how to make this w/o eggs or dairy, I have made this without eggs or dairy due to allergies. So if it’s an allergy, or if you’re just wanting to eat vegan, it works! I use Just Egg from the store and mix in some Vegenaise, pepper and smoked paprika (there’s enough salt in the Just Egg and Veganaise). I haven’t tried it with vegan cheese, and it is delicious w/o it…but I’ll try it one of these times with the Follow Your Heart cheese block and grate it (or tear their pre-sliced cheese over the top). Thank you Mel, this is so yummy and such a good recipe that we can adapt for our family!
Whoops not sure why it posted here – sorry!
This was yummy! I made it for Christmas morning along with the overnight cinnamon rolls. A+
No tater tots,but had the hasbrown “rectangles” lol
mixed jimmy dean and chorizo added green chilies instead of bell peppers
let it sit for an hour
then baked added bacon crispies on top little sprinkle of pepper jack
yum
thank you
Merry Christmas! I made this last night and stuck it in the oven this morning. It is delicious! I look for 2 things when cooking, easy and delicious! This recipe is a keeper! Can’t wait to try some of the variations.
Another hit recipe! Made this for Christmas 2019 breakfast along with cinnamon rolls and all was devoured. I did make one slight adjustment for the pan I used and added 4 more eggs. Worked perfectly and I felt it was not overly “potatoey”. Just threw in whatever was in the fridge and it was pretty amazing. Everyone enjoyed it and licked the pan clean! Thanks Mel. And many blessings in the new year!
I’m channeling my inner Mel this morning. Made this about 19/20 hours before it made it into the oven for Christmas breakfast. Seriously AMAZING! The tater tots had me raising an eyebrow, but I knew you wouldn’t steer me wrong for my Christmas breakfast. I’ll be making this often. Also, I was surprised (like reallyyy surprised) with a Komo mill this morning and I know you’ll understand my excitement. Merry Christmas, Mel! Thanks for helping make our morning magical and stress free
Girl. This is soooo good! Followed the recipe as written- it rocked!!
Yay!! Love hearing this – thank you!
What is the least amount of time it needs to chill, I see up to 18 hours. If I wanted to do this for a dinner (we LOVE breakfast for dinner), how long does it need?
I think you could bake it pretty quickly after assembling – the texture will be a bit different since the eggs won’t have absorbed into the potatoes much, but a couple people commented on Instagram they baked it right away and it was fine. Otherwise, I’d say try to chill for at least 2 hours.
I would love to make this but my son is allergic to eggs and I try to avoid making food for the rest of us that he can’t eat. Would it even work without eggs?
You could definitely try it! The texture will be vastly different from the recipe, but you’d end up with a cheesy, sausage, potato situation that could be yummy. 🙂
You can use cream of mushroom soup and 3/4 of a can of milk. I make a tater tot casserole all of the time. Substitute ground beef for the sausage, if you like!
Thanks. Sounds good!
Mel, this sounds so good! Question… Does it need to sit overnight to blend flavors and soak in together, or could it be assembled and immediately baked wth similar results?
That’s a good question – I haven’t baked it immediately – my guess is you could definitely do that (the tater tots may not bake up quite as soft)
Do you think frozen hashbrowns would work? Or just stick to the original recipe???
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure – sorry!
Shiloh, I used the Alexia hash browns, worked fine!
I made half of this as trial run for Christmas. Casserole if very good, but too potatoey (is that a word?) for us. So when I make it for Christmas morning, I will use fewer tater tots and more egg, maybe add some mushrooms and hot chilies too.
Has anyone made this using straight up potatoes instead of tater tots?
If you’re going to go to pepper jack, you might as well go all in and substitute a good chorizo for the sausage, and then garnish with cilantro and serve with your sour cream and salsa.
Can’t argue with this.
And throw in a can or two of green chiles!
Did it. Added green chilies as well. It’s amazing.
Think the sour cream would be ok if I did this in a crockpot? I’ve seen a couple tater tot crockpot casseroles so I think everything else should work ok…
I think it would work fine since it’s whisked in with other ingredients.
Oh man! I didn’t read very carefully. Totally my fault, but I didn’t cook the bell pepper and onion along with the sausage. It’s too late now, it’s already in the oven. I also used “simply potatoes” (those shredded, unfrozen potatoes) because that’s what I had on hand, though I did take the step to crisp them up a little in a skillet with some butter, salt and pepper. So what I’m saying is, please bless I didn’t ruin dinner. Because I also just put it together and put it in the oven, no overnight wait, since I figured that was prob for defrosting and mushing the tater tots. Fingers crossed! I may have some overly sharp onions and crunchy peppers in mine. Thanks for the recipe!
How did it work out?
Hi Mel,
It says in your instructions to bake this right from the fridge…..won’t the glass crack/break if you put it right in the oven from the fridge? I know….stupid question!
I suppose I should clarify that I usually use a ceramic baking dish not glass. I’m not sure if glass would be an issue? I’ve put other cold dishes in a hot oven but I don’t want to speak for everyone since I would hate someone to have a pan break! I’ll make a note in the recipe.
I worry about the same thing because I’ve had a glass pan break before!! So now I’ll just set the pan in the PREHEATING oven and let it heat gradually with the oven. I don’t adjust the baking time by much it’s usually done in the same amount of time although, I do start checking it 5 minutes ahead of the end baking time.
This method works well for me as I’ve not had a pan break since!
Tammy,
I’ve never had a problem with a glass 9×13 breaking on me and I do overnight casseroles and French toasts in my glass containers all the time.
If I’m feeding 10 people should I add a few more eggs?
You could try that!
have any other recipe suggestions? This was my first overnight casserole and i LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Now I need some options for dinner! 🙂
I’ve been making a family recipe similar to this for years (but I’m still going to try yours)! I usually make it for an easy supper, actually, and microwave the tater tots in the glass pan before adding the other ingredients seeing as they aren’t thawing overnight!
You’ve convinced me!! Although it doesn’t take much when tots are involved 😉 Can’t wait for Christmas morning breakfast! (This will go great with our traditional cinnamon rolls!)
You’re right – this savory dish would go GREAT with cinnamon rolls! Merry Christmas!
Wal Mart brand tater tots are . But every other brand I’ve tried are good. Can’t wait to try this! Thank you!
Thanks, Diane!
I can’t wait to try this. I have several variations in mind: Italian: Italian sausage, mushrooms, variety of Italian cheese, spinach & tomatoes. Tex-Mex; Chorizo or taco meat, Colby Jack, black beans & olives, tomatoes, onions. The combos are endless. Thanks for the great recipe & ideas..
Love, love, love these variation ideas!!
so, say you made a taco version — would you still use the egg?
I totally would!
My kids will be all over this! I can’t wait to try it. When I do, I’ll report back and rate it.
Yes, please do. Thank you!
I baked your original tater tot casserole today. I used sharp cheddar and pepper jack .Its now in the freezer and we’ll have it sometime over Christmas break. I’ve made it quiet a few times and we all love it. It freezes very well. Looking forward to trying this new version, I think the addition of sour cream will be great.
Thanks for all the great recipes!!
I don’t think I have another tater tot casserole on my site, do I? Haha. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve forgotten about a recipe. 🙂
Do you freeze it with the egg mixture and everything? I would love to do this, but didn’t know if it would affect the dairy/eggs.
Is it possible to double this recipe and use a larger pan?
Thanks,
Linda
I haven’t tried it, but yes, I think so!
Mel, I think this looks amazing! I make something similar but it all has to be done in the morning. I’m going with this for a men’s breakfast I am responsible for on the first Sunday of January. They will gobble this up and I will be able to sleep a bit longer instead of getting up at 4:30 to feed them at 8 a.m.! Thanks for the share! Merry Christmas!
I hope this fits the bill, Tami! You’re amazing for even considering waking up at 4:30 am. Haha. Merry Christmas!
Have you ever tried the Alexia brand tater tots? I think they’re officially called Seasoned Potato Puffs. Total game changer. Tater tots are not a staple item on my weekly menu, but when I make them, I never use anything but Alexia. They are more flavorful (a little bit garlicky and peppery) and less greasy than other brands.
I’ll have to look for those, Hillary! Thanks for the recommendation!
I’ve started using the potato rounds lately in my casseroles (basically a flat tater tot). Also, I think Chorizo and green chilis would be so good!
Oh yes, great flavor combo!
Oops! That should be a period and not a question mark. Need to brush up on my typing skills.
No worries! Merry Christmas to you, too!
Hey Mel – I have never purchased sausage. Does it come in sausage links or is it bought like ground sirloin?
Merry Christmas to you and your family?
Hi Mel,
A lot of breakfast casseroles I’ve tried with hash browns mixed in end up being kind of dry & “potatoey”, if you know what I mean. Do you think that’s an issue with this recipe at all? I’ll probably try it regardless! I like the idea someone gave to sub green chilies. Yum!
This is definitely not dry – but it does have a strong potato flavor and texture.
The best sausage for this recipe is the kind like ground beef that you can crumble and cook (not the kind in links).
Unfortunately, where I live I can never find bulk breakfast sausage. I buy the links but make sure to remove them from the casings before cooking them.
I know those flavors are delicious! I take them and wrap them in burritos, then freeze. This looks easier than wrapping all the burritos!
Yum!
Looks delicious! Not being bell pepper fans, we’ll probably sub in a little can of green chilies. It also looks easy to halve the recipe for just the two of us.
Great idea!
I’m excited to try this for Christmas morning and/or my moms group! I like to buy a bag of frozen peppers & onions for recipes like this – no chopping!! I use a million of your recipes, Mel. You truly are the best food blog and I appreciate your hard work!
Thank you so much, Jenny!