Breakfast Casserole with Tater Tots and Sausage Recipe

This Breakfast Casserole with Tater Tots and Sausage is a tried-and-tested recipe I’ve made a thousand times, perfect for busy mornings or hosting guests. With gooey cheese, fluffy eggs, and savory sausage, it’s a hearty, flavorful dish that’s easy to make ahead and reheats beautifully. After years of perfecting it, this breakfast bake has become a family favorite and is guaranteed to be a hit!

Original post: October 2010 | Updated: November 2018 and January 2025

Why This Recipe Works

• I spent years fine-tuning this recipe until it was the absolute best tater tot sausage breakfast casserole of all time, hands-down, no questions asked.
• We make this breakfast sausage bake A LOT. It makes an appearance in my house on Christmas morning, as well as any time we’re hosting guests or needing a hot weekend breakfast that we can enjoy throughout the following week.
• Just a few simple ingredients needed for this sausage tater tot casserole!
• Gooey cheese, fluffy eggs and savory sausage make this hearty casserole absolute perfection.
• It’s a great make-ahead breakfast casserole, as it stores well! Simply pop a serving in the microwave and it’s ready to eat.
• It contains such great flavor, it’s hearty, easy, delicious and one of my absolute favorite recipes of all time.
• My whole family loves this hearty breakfast, which is saying a lot.

Recipe Ingredients – Tater Tot Breakfast Bake

Ground pork breakfast sausage – Any variety of ground sausage works great! Use hot for a spicy end result. Replace with turkey sausage or chicken sausage for a leaner recipe.

Bell peppers – Use one chopped bell pepper of any color. For a more festive look (think: holiday brunch), use an orange or red bell pepper!

Yellow onion – White or red onions can be substituted.

Mushrooms – Fresh mushrooms are delicious in this recipe, but jarred can be used as well.

Eggs – Use fresh. No need to bring to room temperature first.

Cream of mushroom soup – Use your favorite variety.

Milk – Any variety can be used.

Sharp cheddar cheese – Any variety of shredded melty cheese works great, such as shredded cheddar, cojack, mozzarella, provolone or pepper jack cheese.

Tater Tots – The tots are the magic ingredient in this tater tot breakfast casserole recipe! There’s no need to thaw them first. Simply toss the frozen tater tots into the egg mixture and it’s ready to bake! Frozen hash browns can be used as a replacement.

Toppings – Toppings are optional but here are a few ideas. A dollop of sour cream, chives, parsley, black pepper, green onions, salsa or avocado slices will all adorn the top of the casserole deliciously.

How To Make Breakfast Casserole with Tater Tots and Sausage

Step 1

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until almost cooked through. Add bell pepper, onion and mushrooms to the skillet.

Cook till the veggies are tender and meat is cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes. Drain the grease and set aside.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, cream of mushroom soup, milk and 1 cup of the cheese. Add the sausage-veggies mixture and mix to combine. 

Pour contents into prepared the baking dish. Drop in the tater tots. (If prepping the night before, leave out the tater tots until just before baking.)

Step 3

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted, eggs are cooked through and the top is nice and golden brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. 

Recipe Notes

• Add up to 1 cup extra of veggies for added flavor and texture.
• Up to 1 cup of chopped bacon or turkey bacon can be added to the recipe. This is a great option for adding extra protein.
• Consider adding a bit of spice to this cheesy tater tot casserole by adding cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp), a few splashed of hot sauce or a can of green chiles.

Should I Bake Breakfast Casserole Covered or Uncovered

If you are storing this casserole in the fridge overnight, cover it with foil. For baking, no foil is needed. If for some reason you find that your cheese is getting too crispy (this has never happened to me), loosely cover with foil for the remainder of the cook time.

Can You Make Breakfast Casserole The Night Before

One of the things I love about this dish is that it is a great prep-ahead and bake later option. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours before baking. 

How To Store Breakfast Casserole

Store breakfast tater tot casserole in the pan it was baked in, covered tightly with aluminum foil. Alternatively, you can store individual servings in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days for best results. Reheat as needed.

What To Serve With Breakfast Casserole

• Fresh fruit
• Fresh juice
• Bacon
• Sausage links or patties
• Hashbrowns or hash brown casserole
• Avocado toast
• Bagels and cream cheese
• Breakfast potatoes
• Pancakes
• French toast

More Favorite Breakfast Foods

• Cream Cheese Monkey Bread has an ooey, gooey, cheesy little secret as you cut into and enjoy your cinnamoney dessert!
• No waiting, no rising, no dough punching required to be able to enjoy these No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls.
• Not just for Christmas! Prep Christmas Breakfast Casserole the night before for an easy morning meal. Great for feeding the family on Christmas or any time of the year!
• A great way to enjoy the most important meal of the day: breakfast! This wrap is loaded with delicious breakfast foods.. eggs and salsa and cheese, oh my!
• Healthy Granola Bars without preservatives or unknown ingredients. Super delicious and great for breakfast, lunch boxes or after-school snacks!

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