Cheesy Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Tater tot breakfast casserole

Did you know that winter is all relative depending on where you live? Now that we’ve lived in Minnesota for many years, I get it.

The silver lining for all the chilly days has got to be comfort food. It doesn’t get more comforting than this cozy tater tot breakfast casserole that’s gotten so popular, more people than I can count have requested the recipe. Moms, dads, kids, and friends have enjoyed the magnificent goodness of this cheesy, crispy breakfast casserole.

You’ll ask yourself where this Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole has been all your life. But it’s here now, so let’s get to it.

simple pantry ingredients

This Cheesy Tater Tot Breakfast Bake is teeming with all our AM faves: breakfast sausage, bacon, cheese, eggs, and potatoes.

• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled; I really like thick cut, applewood style bacon here. Get it really nice and crispy, let the oil drain, and crumble away. You can do this ahead of time, as the bacon stays crisp on the counter while you prepare the rest of the breakfast casserole.
• 1 lb ground breakfast sausage, no casings; my favorite kind are the Italian seasoned, but feel free to use your preferred ground sausage. You’ll brown it and break it up in the skillet before adding to the breakfast casserole.
• 2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided; sharp cheddar is the best. It imparts such a big cheesy flavor and melds beautifully in this casserole recipe.
• 2 cups whole milk – you can use lowfat if you prefer.
• 2 extra large eggs or 3 large eggs; if you’re wondering why there aren’t more eggs in this breakfast casserole recipe, it’s because 3 large eggs is just the right amount to allow the tater tots to crisp up nicely during baking.
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; always grind your own black pepper using fresh peppercorns.
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (you can chop fresh onions, but it’s not necessary)
• pinch of table salt (1/8 tsp) — I usually use coarse kosher salt, but we go with fine table salt here because it’s just a pinch.
• 2 lbs frozen tater tots – your favorite brand will work fine, as long as it’s un-seasoned. Just be sure to keep it frozen until ready to assemble.
• 3 TB freshly chopped parsley for garnish – optional but pretty 🙂

All that goodness, layered in one irresistible breakfast casserole.

Breakfast, brunch, or breakfast-for-dinner

This tater tot casserole is a simple prep-the-night-before deal that everyone will dive for. It’s loaded with all the breakfast favorites: sausage, eggs, cheese, potatoes, and bacon. It travels well for brunch potlucks and is a favorite for holidays and any old weekend.

Can you make this breakfast casserole in advance?

The best part, as always in my book, is the ease of this dish. With just a handful of simple ingredients (nine!)… it’s perfect for weekends, holidays, and even breakfast-for-dinner.

If you’re not a morning person, I hear you with big elephant ears. No need to wake up early to measure a single thing.

This tater tot casserole can easily be assembled the night before and popped into the oven the next morning for a hearty meal everyone loves waking up to.

Can you freeze this tater tot casserole?

Technically, you can freeze the unbaked casserole after assembly by covering it airtight and freezing until ready to bake. Then, you’d bake it from frozen (not defrosted) and add bake time until fully cooked through. That said, I do believe the texture may come out differently from the original recipe. My suggestion would be to pre-assemble the casserole the night before (at most, up to 2 nights before) and keep covered/chilled in fridge. Then bake according to recipe instructions.

More to cook and eat:

• Mexican Breakfast Casserole Recipe (Gluten-free)
• Sweet Potato Sausage Breakfast Casserole
• Crack Breakfast Potato Casserole
• Enchilada Breakfast Casserole

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Watch this recipe in action:

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