Tater tot breakfast casserole is perfect for Sunday brunch!
If you enjoyed my chile relleno casserole or bacon egg cups and your family will absolutely love this quick and easy morning recipe. A combination of popular breakfast ingredients all rolled into one, it’s a real crowd pleaser!
ABOUT Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
I’m blessed to have a close family. We all get together at least once a month to celebrate birthdays, holidays and special occasions.
On Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas morning, my sister and I enjoy baking up yummy egg recipes. Our family brunch always includes at least one traditional breakfast bake like this tater tot breakfast casserole!
Breakfast Casserole Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients that go into a cheesy tater tot casserole. They’re common refrigerator, freezer and pantry items!
- Sausage links
- Thick-sliced bacon
- Onion (yellow or white)
- Cloves of garlic
- Bell peppers
- Mild cheddar cheese, hand grated from a block*
- Tater tots
- Milk
- Large eggs
- Sea salt
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- Green onions, for garnishing
*WHY YOU SHOULD GRATE YOUR OWN CHEESE: Pre-shredded cheese is covered in a coating to keep it from clumping together. Because it doesn’t melt as smoothly as hand grated, breakfast casseroles can end up oily on the top and sides. Here are 3 great reasons why you should always grate your own cheese!
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole
RECIPE PREP: Grease one 9 x 13 casserole dish, or two 8 x 8 square bakers. Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- STEP 1: Place a skillet on your stovetop. Press out sausage links from their casings, sliding them directly into the pan. This makes it easier to “chop” the links into pieces with a wooden spatula while cooking.
- STEP 2: Once the sausages are nicely browned and there’s no more pink, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pieces into a large mixing bowl. Reserve the sausage drippings to sautée the veggies.
- STEP 3: Add the chopped onion, chopped bell peppers and minced garlic to the hot skillet. Sautée until tender.
- STEP 4: Transfer veggie mixture to the mixing bowl along with shredded cheddar cheese. Briefly mix ingredients together.
- STEP 5: In a separate mixing bowl, add milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined.
- STEP 6: Add egg mixture and frozen tater tots to the large mixing bowl. With a spatula or wooden spoon, fold ingredients together until well combined.
- STEP 7: Bake the breakfast casserole for 55 to 65 minutes, or until egg mixture has set and the top is beautifully golden.
EXPERT TIPS FOR THIS RECIPE
- BEST BREAKFAST SAUSAGE: I recommend using sausage links made with maple syrup. This additional breakfast flavor adds even more deliciousness to to this gorgeous breakfast casserole!
- HOW TO GARNISH THIS DISH: Allow this breakfast bake to cool for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the top with chopped pieces of cooked crispy bacon and a handful of sliced green onion.
- HELP FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS: Double this recipe and share half the bounty with an older family member or friend who can no longer cook meals at home. Let’s all take care of one another!
RECIPE FAQ
- IS TATER TOT CASSEROLE A MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFAST? Yes it is. It can be assembled and baked in advance. Allow the hot dish to cool and shed heat, thenrefrigerate.
- HOW LONG DOES TATER TOT CASSEROLE LAST IN THE FRIDGE? Food safety guidelines recommend that with proper handling and refrigeration, cooked egg dishes can last up to 4 days. Refer to this resource for best practices on fridge storage for food safety.
- CAN TATER TOT CASSEROLE BE FROZEN? Yes it can. If baked in a freezer-safe dish, cover and freeze for up to 3 weeks. Or slice the casserole in half and place it in 2 large zip-top freezer bags. Before rewarming in the oven, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
BEST BREAKFAST IDEAS
It’s often said, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you enjoyed this make-ahead breakfast casserole, you’ll also enjoy these easy breakfast ideas! Add them to your monthly meal plan.
- BAKED OATMEAL
- AVOCADO TOAST
- YOGURT PARFAIT
- EGGS IN PURGATORY
- ALL BRAN MUFFINS
- HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS for breakfast burritos.
I WANT WHAT SHE HAS
Beautiful cooking tools bring happiness to the kitchen! They make meal prep a joyful experience. Here’s what I used to make this easy breakfast casserole!
Below are affiliate links for purchasing the items on Amazon.
- ALL-CLAD FRYING PANS
- STAUB WOODEN SPATULA
- BOOS BLOCKS – XL maple board
- MIXING BOWLS
- WHITE 8X8 SQUARE BAKER
BREAKFAST CASSEROLE > RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Friends and family say this is the best tater tot breakfast casserole! If you agree, give this easy breakfast recipe a 5-star rating in the comments.
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 16 Servings 1x
Description
This delicious breakfast casserole is very easy to make! It’s a hearty dish that’s perfect for feeding a hungry family, or sharing with friends at brunch. Made with all of your favorite breakfast ingredients, don’t be surprised if everyone wants a second serving!
Ingredients
- 1 7-ounce package sausage links
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 + 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (hand shredded from a block of cheese*)
- 1 32-ounce bag of frozen tater tots
- 2 cups milk
- 8 eggs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 8 slices of thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
*WHY GRATE YOUR OWN CHEESE FOR THIS RECIPE? Pre-shredded cheese is covered in a coating to keep it from clumping together. Because it doesn’t melt as smoothly as hand-grated cheese, breakfast casseroles can end up oily on the top and sides.
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 casserole dish or two 8 x 8 square bakers.
- Slide the sausage links out of their casings and into a large skillet. With a wooden spatula, roughly chopping the links into pieces while cooking. They’re done when the meat is no longer pink. Lift the cooked pieces out of the pan with a slotted spoon. Transfer them to an extra-large mixing bowl. Reserve the drippings for sautéing the veggies.
- Add onion, garlic and bell pepper to the pan. Cook until tender. Transfer veggies to the mixing bowl. Add shredded cheese and mix with a spatula until combined. Fold in the frozen tater tots.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Pour the wet mixture over the tater tots, cheese and veggies. Fold everything together until well incorporated. With a spatula, transfer the breakfast casserole mixture into your greased baker(s).
- Bake for approximately 55-65 minutes, or until the egg mixture is completely set and the top is golden. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle crispy bacon pieces and sliced green onions over the top of your tater tot casserole. Serve while toasty warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- IS TATER TOT CASSEROLE A MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFAST? Yes it is. It can be assembled and baked in advance. Allow the hot dish to cool and shed heat, thenrefrigerate.
- HOW LONG DOES TATER TOT CASSEROLE LAST IN THE FRIDGE? Food safety guidelines recommend that with proper handling and refrigeration, cooked egg dishes can last up to 4 days. Refer to this resource for best practices on fridge storage for food safety.
- CAN TATER TOT CASSEROLE BE FROZEN? Yes it can. If baked in a freezer-safe dish, cover and freeze for up to 3 weeks. Or slice the casserole in half and place it in 2 large zip-top freezer bags. Before rewarming in the oven, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: tater tot casserole, make-ahead breakfast casserole, tater tot breakfast casserole
TATER TOT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE > JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Do you have a favorite recipe you enjoy making for brunch? What do you think about this scrumptious tater tot casserole? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Join the conversation in the comments below.
Your recipe sounds so delicious and easy to make! I can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
I am so glad to see different recipes and want to try it on my own as well. This one would be definitely a great meal to make.
This looks so good! I’m not a huge breakfast person, but this is something i’d like to try :)
Talk about a good breakfast idea! This casserole is something the kids will love and it’s easy to make to! No fuss during mornings! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
★★★★★
This looks like an out of the ordinary breakfast dish I’d enjoy sinking my teeth in to. Who doesn’t love tater tots?!
★★★★★
As much as my family loves potatoes, this tater tot breakfast casserole will be a total winner. I am making this for Sunday brunch so we can all have wonderful morning meal.
★★★★★
This recipe looks so yummy. It will be perfect to make for an upcoming breakfast event coming up
★★★★★
The Funfetti pancakes look fun and yum yum. This is an amazing collection of breakfasts, I want to give the tater tot casserole a buzz this weekend!
★★★★★
oh yum! I’m going to make this for sept 4 when my kiddos go back to school. The perfect breakfast to send them off… It looks AMAZING.
★★★★★
This makes me want to plan a brunch! It sounds delicious and unique too. I’ll have to give your recipe a try.
This looks so delicious. I believe my niece and nephews would love this for a lunch or a breakfast for dinner.
Yum! This is something I imagine ordering from a restaurant. The ingredients seem really tasty and the presentation looks so appealing.
★★★★★
This recipe looks so yummy. I love the different flavors. I wonder what it would taste like if you substituted chicken for the sausage.
★★★★★
Ha! I have a tater tot casserole in the oven now! Have to try your breakfast one next time!
I would love to have this for breakfast one morning! I’m a huge fan of tater tots to begin with, so I’ll be trying this out for sure.
★★★★★
Oh my, this looks so good. A perfect breakfast for on the go, too. You can make it ahead and warm up your portion before leaving!
★★★★★
Oh I am totally doing this. My kiddo would eat this all in one sitting. Breakfast is usually just waffles but I need him to eat more than that. Something like this is perfect.
★★★★★
That looks SO good OMG! I definitely have to make this when I have guests over.
Now this sounds like an absolutely delicious way to start the day. I wouldn’t have thought of using tater tots in something like this!
If I had one wish right now… it’d be to grab casserole through my screen, lol. Nice!
LOL. That is a perfect wish to make.
I have seen this before but never given is a go. Looks really good and something my family would eat for breakfast or anytime for that matter. Keeping this one.
Im so glad that you like it. It will be a big hit for everyone.
This recipe looks so yummy. It will be perfect to make for brunch this weekend.
★★★★★
It really is the perfect thing to make for brunch. Plus, its so yummy.
This was a hit at our brunch. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
★★★★★
Im so glad everyone loved it. You’re so welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
I could seriously make this tot casserole every week and never tire of it! SO GOOD!
★★★★★
I agree with you. I could eat this for every meal. lol