Make your mornings easier with this delicious, protein-packed overnight Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole. Prepare it the night before, and wake up to a nutritious breakfast that will fuel your day.
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This simple make-ahead slow cooker breakfast casserole contains savory bacon, salty hashbrowns, fluffy eggs, flavorful vegetables, and gooey shredded cheese. It's flavorful and easy to whip together, which makes it perfect for busy families.
If you like easy crock pot breakfasts, you have to try this Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole next!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare and requires basic ingredients from the grocery store, like bacon, frozen hashbrowns, and eggs.
- Nutritious and Filling: Slow cooker breakfast casseroles are full of protein from the eggs and meat, and a serving of veggies to start your morning right.
- Easily Customized: Make this recipe your own by including your favorite breakfast meats, vegetables, or spices.
- Hands Off: This is the ultimate "set it and forget it" breakfast. Start the slow cooker before you go to bed, and breakfast is ready when you wake up! It's ideal for busy families or chaotic holiday mornings.
Ingredients
- Cooked Bacon: Name a better match than bacon and eggs! Bacon gives this casserole a smokey and salty flavor that complements the eggs and potatoes. Use cooked bacon to ensure it is fully cooked and crunchy instead of rubbery.
- Frozen Hashbrown Potatoes: Every breakfast casserole needs a hearty starch ingredient. Frozen hashbrowns don't require any prep but add flavor and texture to the meal. Shredded or diced hashbrowns are available in the frozen breakfast section of your local grocery store.
- Green Onions: Give this breakfast a burst of freshness and mild onion flavor with green onions or chives.
- Cheddar Cheese: Enhance the flavor of your casserole with shredded cheese. Cheddar cheese has a sharp flavor that pairs well with eggs, but feel free to use your favorite cheese. Swiss, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack all go well with this casserole recipe.
- Bell Peppers: Chopped bell peppers add a touch of sweetness and fresh flavor to this meal. Red bell peppers are sweeter, and green bell peppers are slightly bitter with a little zing. Add both for optimal flavor.
- Eggs: No breakfast casserole is complete without eggs. They add protein, healthy fats, and vitamins to your breakfast. Eggs also bind all of the ingredients together.
- Milk: Make your eggs creamier and richer with a splash of half & half, cream or milk.
- Dried Seasonings: Make this dish taste even better with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole Variations
- Ham or Sausage: Don't limit this recipe to just bacon. Substitute in any breakfast meat like diced ham, sausage, turkey bacon, or use more than one. Just be sure to cook the meat before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Vegetables: Use other vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, and more in place of, or in addition to bell peppers. Make the recipe vegetarian by using more vegetables and not adding meat.
- Fresh Herbs: Freshly chopped parsley, basil, or thyme will change the flavor of the casserole and give it a more herbaceous flavor.
- Make It Spicy: Add a little cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce to spice things up. Just be sure everyone is okay with spicy before adding it.
- Add Toppings: Top the crock pot egg casserole with more cheese, red pepper, salsa, fresh herbs, or sour cream just before serving.
How To Make Breakfast Casserole in the Crock Pot
This breakfast crock pot casserole is the perfect low-stress dish to feed a large group in the mornings with hardly any clean up.
- Step 1: Cook the Bacon. Cook the bacon in a skillet until it's crispy. Remove the bacon and set it on a paper towel-lined plate to cool and drain the grease. Then dice the cooked bacon into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 2: Add the Ingredients to the Slow Cooker. Add the frozen hashbrowns, cooked bacon, diced bell peppers, green onions, and most of the shredded cheese to the bottom of the slow cooker. Stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Step 3: Scramble the Eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, half & half, and dried seasonings. Whisk the egg mixture together until everything is well combined. Pour the scrambled eggs over the other ingredients in the crock pot. Top with the remaining cheese!
- Step 4: Cook the Casserole. Secure the lid to the top of your Crock Pot and set the cook time. Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 7-8 hours for overnight preparation. Or wake up early and set the cooker to HIGH for 2.5-3 hours for same-day preparation.
- Step 5: Garnish and Serve. After the slow cooker egg casserole finishes cooking, garnish the top with any additional toppings. Then, slice the casserole and serve it warm.
Expert Tips
These tips for cooking this breakfast casserole in the crock pot will help you get the best results every time you make it.
- Only Use Frozen Potatoes: Fresh potatoes may not cook through before the eggs overcook. Avoid raw potatoes and rubbery eggs and use frozen hashbrown potatoes.
- Avoid Sticking: Lightly spray the bottom of the slow cooker with a non-stick spray before adding the ingredients or use a Crock Pot liner. This keeps the casserole from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Keep the Vegetables the Same Size: Cut all of the vegetables to the same size to ensure they cook evenly. This also keeps people from biting into large chunks of one vegetable.
- Crock Pot Size May Change the Cook Time: This recipe is for a 6 quart slow cooker. Using a smaller or larger slow cooker may change the cook time.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. This is perfect for meal prepping or a quick on-the-go breakfast! I like to freeze individual portions of the casserole. You can flash freeze them on a parchment lined baking tray and then transfer to a container, or wrap slices individually. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat the dish in the microwave or the oven. For the microwave, reheat one serving on a covered plate at 50% power for about two minutes or until heated through. Break up the serving with a fork to help it heat evenly. I f you prefer the oven, add one or more servings of casserole to a baking dish and bake in a 350° F oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
This crock pot breakfast recipe is great for entertaining guests or enjoying a lazy weekend breakfast with your family. Pair it with some other breakfast favorites for a diversified meal.
- Jazz up a lazy weekend brunch or breakfast with a side of slow cooker apple cinnamon rolls for a sweet menu option.
- In the winter, enjoy with a cup of slow cooker hot chocolate with breakfast. The kids will love it.
- A side of crockpot breakfast potatoes pairs perfectly with the casserole.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can prep everything up and then cook the next morning. Here's how to do it. Prepare the casserole in a large mixing bowl and store it covered in the refrigerator overnight or for a few hours before cooking. When you're ready to cook, pour the casserole mixture into the slow cooker, secure the lid, and set your desired cook time plus an additional 30 minutes to account for the cold ingredients.
You can but I'd highly recommend cooking it in a separate slow cooker or using one with a larger capacity. The more full the slow cooker, the longer it will require to cook all the way.
More Delicious Slow Cooker Breakfast Recipes
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Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb bacon (cooked, drained and cut into small pieces. You can also use ham or sausage.)
- 1 (32 oz) bag frozen hash browns
- 4 green onions (diced)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded and ½ cup reserved)
- ½ cup red bell pepper (diced)
- ½ cup green bell pepper (diced)
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup half and half
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Drain and slice and add to the slow cooker.
- Add hash brown, onions, 1½ cups of cheese, and bell peppers. Mix until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, add eggs and whisk until well combined. Then, add half & half, salt, pepper, and garlic. Whisk together until well combined. Evenly pour over the hash browns.
- Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 2 ½ - 3 hours.
Notes
- Lightly spray the bottom of the crock pot with a non-stick spray or use a liner to keep the food from sticking.
- Don't use fresh potatoes because they may not cook through before the eggs cook.
- The size of your crock pot may affect the cook time.
- Whether you use bacon, sausage, or ham, cook all the meat before adding it to the casserole.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate. It may vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact ingredient numbers, I recommend calculating them with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Karen says
I love so many of your recipes. With food costs the way they are, it's wonderful to see that you are taking that into consideration. And your recipes are so easy to prepare. Do you have a printed cookbook, that would relate to me, that I could purchase? Especially this recipe.
Ryan Allen says
Thank you so much! I have a cookbook coming soon.
Corey Costa says
If you substitute ham instead of bacon, would you have to cook the ham ahead since ham is usually pre-cooked anyways?
Ryan Allen says
You can just substitute the bacon with ham. You don't need to cook it as long as you use pre-cooked ham.