This post first appeared on Real Housemoms, where I am a contributor. This morning came way too early after our Halloween fun last night! Our neighborhood does a cul-de-sac get together and pizza party in the late afternoon. The adults sip a beverage, the kids run around like crazy and we all nibble on some good eats. Once the sun goes down and we’re sick of the nagging, we all embark on the trick-or-treating for the night. M (age 7) was Hermione Granger from Harry Potter this year and J (age 5) was Ironman. He’s VERY into superheroes right now. We had such a fun night and hopefully, we’ll all be able to get through our days without too many yawns. (Or sugar crashes. ) But moving on to the food, because I’ve been waiting and waiting to share this recipe with you! First, who else here loves some breakfast and brunch foods? ♀️ I hope you have both hands raised in the air, waving wildly. No matter the time of day, I’m always in the mood for eggs. And potatoes. And cheese.
So this overnight slow cooker breakfast casserole brings together some of my favorites and is the perfect thing to make when you’ve got family in town or friends coming over for brunch. Hello, Christmas morning breakfast! I especially love that it’s ready to go and waiting for me in the morning. It lets me focus on getting everything else tidied up and ready to serve. And the delicious smells will usher your whole family to the kitchen to dig in! I’ve also made my version on the healthier side. You know me… I use turkey sausage and skim milk and you could also use reduced fat cheese here if you prefer. Don’t worry though, this is still crazy satisfying!
Notes and substitutions for overnight slow cooker breakfast casserole:
You can use turkey sausage like I do here — either hot or mild — or substitute pork sausage. You could even try it with diced ham or cooked, crumbled bacon. Feel free to switch up the cheese as well. Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack would be great instead of the cheddar. I’ve used both but prefer the diced hash browns here, as they seem to hold up better in the slow cooker. Like it spicy? Feel free to add in some red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño. If you don’t want to be fussing with this much at night before bed, you can chop the veggies and cook the sausage earlier in the day. Then you just need to layer everything in the crock pot and turn it on!
And you know me, don’t forget the toppings! I’m all about the toppings! ❤️ Extra shredded cheese, diced tomatoes or salsa, sour cream or Greek yogurt, diced avocado, chopped green onions, chopped fresh cilantro or parsley and hot sauce all work great with this. They also add a great freshness and brightness to the dish after it’s cooked all night. Need some brunch side dishes to round out your meal? Check out my overnight cheesy grits casserole, which is a Southern favorite and my mixed greens and fruit salad, which is great for a fresh, healthy option at the table. You can also check out all of my healthy muffin recipes, which are great to make ahead and have out for everyone to munch on first thing.
And no brunch is complete without a fun drink! My poinsettia cocktail and champagne brunch punch are both really pretty, festive options! So whether you’ve got family in town, overnight guests, holiday visitors or just want a fantastic breakfast that cooks itself, I hope you give this overnight crock pot breakfast casserole a try! Enjoy! XO, Kathryn P.S. You may also want to check out my make ahead healthy sausage breakfast casserole and my individual breakfast casseroles for some more brunch time deliciousness!
I’ve used both but prefer the diced hash browns here, as they seem to hold up better in the slow cooker than the shredded ones. If you are using thawed hash brown potatoes, this will probably cook in 7-8 hours. You can use turkey sausage like I do here — either hot or mild — or substitute pork sausage. You could even try it with diced ham or cooked, crumbled bacon. You can switch up the cheese as well. Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack would be great instead of the cheddar. I use skim or 2% milk, but you could use a milk substitute or use half-and-half for a richer dish. Like it spicy? Feel free to add in some red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño. And if you don’t want to be fussing with this much at night before bed, you can chop the veggies and cook the sausage earlier in the day. Then you just need to layer everything in the crock pot and turn it on! The toppings are optional but really help make this casserole look gorgeous and bring a bright, fresh taste as well.
