Description
A hearty and delicious Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole combining savory sausage, sautéed vegetables, melty cheeses, and a rich egg mixture baked to perfection. This comforting casserole is perfect for a crowd and can be made ahead for easy mornings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 32-ounce bag frozen Tater Tots®, divided (DON'T THAW)
- 1 pound hot bulk pork sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cup freshly grated pepper Jack cheese
Egg Mixture
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 4 ounces diced green chilies
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook Sausage and Vegetables: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, diced onions, and chopped red and green bell peppers. Cook, stirring and crumbling the sausage, until the meat is cooked through and the onions are softened, about 7-10 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Drain excess grease.
- Combine Sausage Mixture: Transfer sausage and vegetable mixture to the prepared baking dish and let cool slightly.
- Mix Egg Ingredients: In a large bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, diced green chilies, dried parsley, paprika, ground mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Add Tater Tots and Cheese: Add half of the frozen tater tots to the baking dish with the sausage mixture along with half of both cheeses (¾ cup sharp cheddar and ¾ cup pepper Jack). Stir everything to combine and spread evenly in the dish.
- Pour Egg Mixture and Top: Pour the egg mixture evenly over the sausage and tater tot layer. Sprinkle the remaining frozen tater tots on top.
- Bake First Stage: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 70-80 minutes or until the eggs are set and the tater tots are cooked.
- Add Remaining Cheese and Finish Baking: Remove from oven and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the casserole. Return it to the oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts and is bubbly.
- Optional Garnish and Serve: Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle with chopped chives or green onions if desired. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Turkey Sausage Alternative: Substitute with turkey sausage and add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon beef bouillon for added flavor.
- Cheese Variations: Use freshly grated sharp cheddar and pepper Jack for best melting. You can swap pepper Jack for Mozzarella, Gruyere, Swiss, Monterrey Jack, Colby Jack, Fontina, or Gouda. Avoid pre-packaged shredded cheeses to ensure good melt.
- Ingredient Swaps: Feel free to substitute meats and vegetables, keeping the proportions the same to ensure enough egg mixture to envelop the filling.
- Storage: Store leftovers tightly covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating - Microwave: Warm individual servings on a microwave-safe plate for about 1 minute or until heated through; cutting the slice in half helps heat evenly.
- Reheating - Oven: Cover casserole with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes or until heated through, time may vary depending on amount.
- Overnight Casserole: Assemble as directed but do not add the tater tots on top. Keep these frozen until ready to bake. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready, remove wrap, let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature, add remaining frozen tater tots on top, and bake adding 10-15 minutes if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 220 mg
