This Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole is hearty, filling, and just what you need to carry you through the day! Crispy hash browns are combined with a rich egg filling and lots of melted cheese for a delicious breakfast.
Pin this recipe now to save it for later
Pin RecipeIf you need a satisfying breakfast main, this farmer’s breakfast casserole is just right! Even better, it’s super easy and affordable to make.
A few pantry and fridge staples—frozen hash browns, green onions, cheese, half-and-half, and eggs—form the base of the casserole. This is also a great make-ahead dish—you can assemble this easy breakfast casserole the night before you plan to bake it.
Hearty Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole Recipe
I love this easy breakfast casserole recipe because you can customize it any way you like—try a different cheese, throw in some sausage or bacon instead of the ham, or add vegetables like baby spinach or cherry tomatoes. You can also leave out the meat altogether and keep this a vegetarian dish (or add some vegetarian meat).
And there’s absolutely no requirement to save this casserole for breakfast only! It makes a super satisfying breakfast for dinner option as well, especially when you pair it with a green salad or a loaf of homemade bread. Or serve it for brunch along with some sweet treats like Caramel Pecan Sticky Rolls, Strawberry Waffles, Chocolate Chip Muffins, or French Toast!
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
Ingredients for Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Nonstick cooking spray – To coat the baking dish.
- Frozen hash browns – A bag of frozen hash browns helps to make this dish easy!
- Monterey Jack cheese – I use shredded cheese for ultimate meltiness.
- Green onions – For a little extra crunch and flavor.
- Ham – Diced ham adds heartiness to the casserole.
- Eggs – Eggs form the hearty base of the casserole and help bind the ingredients together.
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Half-and-half – You can substitute whole milk if needed, although half-and-half gives this casserole a wonderful richness.
How to Make Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole
- Heat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Coat the inside of a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray, then set aside.
- Assemble the casserole: Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with cheese, ham, and green onions.
- Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half, then pour into the dish: In a bowl combine the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the potato mixture in the dish.
- Bake the casserole: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Quick Tip
If desired, the casserole can be assembled the night before. Just remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before baking so it can come to room temperature before you bake it.
How to Store Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole
Store leftover farmer’s breakfast casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat portions in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
Farmer’s breakfast casserole makes a delicious complete breakfast or you can serve it with a few other dishes. Some of my suggestions are outlined below:
- Bacon. A pile of crisp bacon is a natural side to breakfast casserole.
- Fruit salad. Make a fruit salad for a light and healthy accompaniment to this hearty breakfast casserole.
- As part of a brunch buffet. This farmer’s breakfast casserole definitely has a place on the summer brunch table. You can serve it alongside all sorts of dishes—some suggestions include blueberry muffins, cinnamon rolls, or even pancakes!
- For dinner. Yes, a breakfast casserole can also be served for dinner! Because this is such a hearty recipe, I sometimes serve it for dinner along with a fresh corn salad or a roasted broccoli.
FAQs
The base ingredients in a breakfast casserole are eggs, cheese, milk, and bread. In this recipe, I’ve swapped hash browns for the bread component.
No. A frittata is made by pouring an egg-based custard over layers of fillings and then baking it. A breakfast casserole uses eggs as its binding agent and they are mixed into the other ingredients.
A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese.
More Delicious Breakfast Casseroles
Farmer’s Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- 2 cups diced, cooked ham
- 6 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups half-and-half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Coat the inside of a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray, set aside.
- Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with cheese, ham, and green onions.
- In a bowl combine eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in dish.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Nice recipe can you use egg whites and if so about how many?
Hey Kasey, unless my eyes deceive me, the photos all show diced ham in the casserole. The recipe calls for crumbled sausage. Is the mistake in the recipe or in the photos? Or in my eyes? 🙃
Take care, Teresa
I thought the ingredients were ham..i don’t know where you saw sausage. But I can’t see why you couldn’t use breakfast sausage. I would just drain the grease and layer it also.
I am a little confused here….after cooking the sausage and draining off the excess oil, where do you put it? Do I put in the casserole dish, or what?