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For a savory and hearty breakfast, make Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole! Packed with bacon, sausage, eggs, and plenty of cheese, this is a filling one-dish meal that will keep you going all morning long. It’s perfect to feed a crowd, whether it’s a holiday brunch or just a bunch of your kids’ friends at a sleepover. And it’s gluten-free!
Table of Contents
- Easy Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Why You’ll Love This Tater Tot Egg Casserole
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Ingredients
- Easy Variations
- How to Make Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Tips for the Best Breakfast Casserole
- Can Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole Be Prepared In Advance?
- How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Make It A Meal
- Get the Recipe
- More Breakfast Casseroles
Easy Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
If you’re in the mood for a hearty breakfast, this tater tot breakfast casserole covers all the bases. Savory tator tots, eggs, sausage, and cheese form the building blocks of this delectable dish, along with crispy bacon for extra flavor. This is a great make-ahead meal that can serve as a one-dish breakfast or you can add it to your brunch menu along with fruit, more eggs, muffins, or whatever you like.
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Nut-free
Skill Level: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Tater Tot Egg Casserole
A creamy egg filling, spicy sausage, crisp tater tots plus salty melted cheese – yes this tater tot sausage breakfast casserole is a winner. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- It’s gluten-free. As noted on the package, tater tots – the Ore-Ida brand specifically – are gluten-free. The rest of the ingredients you need to make this casserole are also naturally gluten-free, making this recipe a great choice for anyone who needs to skip gluten.
- Hearty and flavorful. I love a breakfast that keeps me going all day long! This tater tot egg casserole is packed with protein and will fuel you long past breakfast time.
- Takes minutes to put together. You need just 5 minutes of active time to assemble this casserole!
- Lots of variations. You can easily customize this recipe. One of my favorite add-ins is to throw in some vegetables and sometimes I’ll leave out the meat completely to make a vegetarian-friendly casserole
- Easy to find ingredients. All of the components needed for tater tot breakfast casserole are easily found at your local grocery store.
- Great for gatherings. It’s so easy to throw together and can handily feed a crowd! This tater tot sausage breakfast casserole can be served hot or at room temperature, so it makes an ideal brunch or breakfast potluck dish to share.
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Ingredients
You can scan the list of ingredients in this tater tot breakfast casserole below. Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Breakfast Sausage: For a bit of spice and lots of protein.
- Frozen Tater Tots: Most tater tot brands are gluten-free, although because Ore-Ida brand is labeled gluten-free it’s always a safe bet.
- Eggs: Lots of eggs help form the base of this dish.
- Milk: I like to use whole milk in this recipe for extra richness.
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper
- Dry Mustard: A little mustard brings out the flavor of the cheese.
- Cheddar Cheese: I use sharp shredded cheddar cheese in my casserole, but you could use a milder cheddar or even Jack cheese.
- Bacon: Crisp bacon adds to the flavorful heartiness of this casserole
- Scallions or Parsley: For garnish.
Easy Variations
You can change up some of the ingredients in this casserole to adapt it to your family’s preferences. Here are a few variation ideas you can try out in this tater tot egg casserole:
- Make it dairy-free. You can easily make this casserole dairy-free if needed. Substitute your favorite non-dairy milk for the milk and either omit the cheese or use a non-dairy cheese of your choice.
- Do a vegetarian casserole. If you would like to make this tater tot breakfast casserole vegetarian, simply omit the meat. While the casserole may not be quite as hearty as when you include the sausage and bacon, there are a lot of eggs in the base which will fill you up.
- Try different meat. You could swap the sausage for chopped ham, or add more bacon in place of the sausage.
- Substitute another kind of cheese. I love sharp cheddar cheese, but Jack cheese or another melty cheese like mozzarella would be perfect in this casserole.
How to Make Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Follow along with my simple method for making tater tot breakfast casserole. The detailed instructions will be in the recipe card lower down.
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 inch glass baking dish.
- Cook the sausage. Over medium heat, cook the sausage, then drain it.
- Add the tots. Evenly arrange the tater tots in the prepared pan.
- Whisk. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and mustard, then fold in 1 cup of the cheese and the sausage and pour over the tater tots.
- Bake. Place the casserole in the oven and bake until cooked through. Then sprinkle the rest of the bacon and cheese over the top and continue to bake until it’s melted.
- Cool. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before you serve it. Sprinkle with minced parsley or sliced scallions, if you like.
Tips for the Best Breakfast Casserole
This is a very easy casserole to throw together, and you can whip it up in minutes.
- Have all of your ingredients assembled before you start. Because this tater tot egg casserole takes 5 minutes or less to assemble, gather all of your ingredients so you can quickly layer them into the baking dish.
- Add vegetables. You can add some vegetables to the casserole. Cook them when you cook the meat to keep prep quick. I like to add diced bell peppers, baby spinach, mushrooms, or chopped red onion.
- Make it spicy. Add a little cayenne pepper to the sausage when you’re cooking it for a bit more heat!
- If you make the casserole in advance, let it sit on the counter before reheating it. If you’re short on time, popping the casserole straight from the fridge into the oven is fine. But it will benefit from slightly coming to room temperature before you reheat it – the casserole will be sure to heat through and the cheese will get nice and melted again.
Can Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole Be Prepared In Advance?
Tater tot breakfast casserole is a great make-ahead option. I actually prefer the casserole on the second day because it allows time for the flavors to fully develop and the filling to set. You can make the casserole up to 24 hours in advance, then let it cool slightly and cover it with a layer of plastic wrap and then foil. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to heat it. Then remove the plastic and foil and place the casserole in an oven heated to 350°F and cook it until it’s heated through and the cheese is melted.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Store leftover tater tot breakfast casserole in the pan, tightly covered with plastic wrap or foil, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through, or if you left the casserole in the baking dish, you can reheat it in the oven at 350°F until it’s hot.
Make It A Meal
While tater tot breakfast casserole is a one-dish meal that will definitely satisfy you, I like to add some fruit or greens to lighten up my plate. Or you can serve this hearty option as part of a larger brunch spread, or even serve it for dinner! Here are a few suggestions for how to make tater tot egg casserole into a full meal:
- With a breakfast pastry. Muffins or sweet bread would be lovely served with tater tot breakfast casserole! My Easy Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins or Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins will add a punch of fruity sweetness. Or serve tater tot breakfast casserole at a fall brunch with thick slices of Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread.
- Alongside a fruit salad. Try my colorful Berry Fruit Salad or Sunrise Tropical Fruit Salad recipes.
- Add a green salad. If you want to make tater tot breakfast casserole for dinner, go right ahead. It’s so delightfully rich it would be nice to serve it with a green salad to balance the cheese. My Easy Greek Salad makes a refreshing option or try a vegetable-packed Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad.
- Sip a smoothie. I have quite a few smoothie recipes to choose from on my site. Some of my favorites include my Strawberry Banana Smoothie, Cherry Vanilla Almond Smoothie, and a Healthy Orange Creamsicle Smoothie.
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce package breakfast sausage
- 1 32 ounce package frozen tater tots
- 10 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese , divided
- 4 slices bacon , cooked till crispy and crumbled
- Scallions or parsley for garnish , if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and coat a 9×13 inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place a medium skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook until browned, breaking up as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease and set aside.
- Arrange the tater tots in a single layer in the baking dish.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and dry mustard. Fold in 1 cup of the shredded cheese and the cooked sausage. Pour the egg mixture over the tater tots in the pan.
- Bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes until the egg mixture is cooked through (the middle of the casserole should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer). Sprinkle the remaining bacon and cheese over the top and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Did you make this?
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