Crockpot Breakfast: Overnight Casserole Recipe
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This Crockpot Breakfast recipe is a spin on the classic all-American breakfast casserole! Slow-cooked sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella, and Parmesan come together overnight to create a divine overnight slow cooker breakfast casserole. It’s impressive enough for a holiday brunch but simple enough for everyday breakfast!!
Crockpot Breakfast
Whether it’s a run-of-the-mill weekend where everyone is miraculously home at the same time, or it’s a holiday or birthday, I love starting the day off with a spectacular meal.
Now, as I’ve shared many times, I’m not much of a morning person, which kind of throws a wrench in my elaborate breakfast plans.
Enter this time-saving hack… my overnight breakfast casserole crockpot recipe!
Chock-full of real ingredients that you simply mix together before throwing them in the slow cooker, my fellow sleepyheads, you’re going to love this dish.
Need more overnight breakfast recipes? Don’t miss my Overnight Cheesy Breakfast Casserole with flaky biscuits, or this cheese and sausage version.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Eggs – You’ll need 12 large eggs, yolks and all!
You could try making this overnight slow cooker breakfast with just egg whites, but keep in mind that the texture will be different — and you may need to play around with the cooking time. - Heavy Cream – You could also use half and half instead.
- Chicken Sausage – I’m using fully cooked Chicken Sausage from Jones Dairy Farm. It’s all natural with no nitrates or nitrites, no MSG, and no preservatives.
And wait for it… it tastes amazing!!
You can find it in the freezer section at your retailer, nationwide or check out their locator. - Hash Browns – It wouldn’t be crockpot breakfast without some yummy hash browns!
I usually opt for refrigerated, as frozen contains a lot of excess moisture that you don’t want in your casserole. - Cheese – You’ll need both mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. If you’re a total cheese lover, consider adding even more!
- Seasonings – Onion powder, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and chopped fresh basil will do the trick. If you have other favorites, add them!
Helpful Tips for Making My Overnight Breakfast Casserole Crockpot Recipe
- Whisk the eggs first.
You may be tempted to add all of the ingredients to a large bowl for mixing, but I can’t say enough about the importance of whisking the eggs separately first.
The results will be perfectly light and fluffy!
- Don’t be afraid to use your hands.
After you’ve prepared your eggs, it’s time to combine the rest of the ingredients!
Add the hash browns, cheeses, sliced sausage links, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil to your crockpot, and use your hands to mix everything together.
You won’t have to worry about over-mixing… or destroying the hash browns by accident!
- Any type of slow cooker will work…
…but remember that each one is different. Things like model, age, and how much you use yours will affect the temperature and cooking time.
Follow the cooking instructions on the recipe card, but be sure to check on how things are going after about 6 hours.
You’ll be able to gauge how much time is left after a quick look-see.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Overnight Slow Cooker Breakfast
Store leftover crockpot overnight breakfast casserole in an airtight container in the fridge.
It will keep for up to 5 days, and you can reheat it in the microwave or in the oven.
The microwave is your best bet for single servings — heat in 30-second bursts until warmed through.
To use your oven, preheat it to 375°F and heat for about 20 minutes.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Slow Cooker – Great for soups, roasts, shredded chicken, and more!
- Non-Stick Spray – I highly recommend this one, or you can also get an olive oil sprayer to fill with any high smoke point oil.
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Whisk – These have held up for over 10 years and are still as good as the day I bought them. With 3 sizes, there is a whisk for every job!
- Instant Read Kitchen Thermometer
Overnight Breakfast Recipes FAQ
This crockpot overnight breakfast casserole is all about saving time, so I had to share one more hack! You can prepare this dish hours in advance — simply follow the recipe, but store the egg mixture separately from the hash brown mixture.
When you’re ready to eat, assemble your crockpot overnight breakfast casserole in the slow cooker and cook as instructed.
You could also add everything to the crock, cover it with plastic wrap, and pop it right in the fridge! Transfer it to the slow cooker base when you’re ready to cook, removing the plastic, of course.
For this crockpot breakfast casserole recipe, I recommend assembling no more than 8-12 hours ahead of time.
Many at-home cooks run into this problem when baking the casserole in the oven. With my overnight breakfast casserole crockpot recipe, you won’t have to worry about it!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Breakfast Recipes
Crockpot Breakfast: Overnight Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream, or half and half
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 20 ounce bag refrigerated hash browns
- 5 ounce package Jones Dairy Farm fully cooked chicken sausage links, sliced into coins
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 4 ounces shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, divided
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Spray a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. I used a 6 quart crockpot. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl or 4 cup measuring cup combine eggs and cream. Whisk until well combined. Sprinkle spices (onion powder, salt and both peppers) over egg mixture while whisking. Whisk until completely combined. Set aside.
- In slow cooker, combine all of the hash browns and about 1/2 of each of the remaining ingredients (Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, sliced sausage links, sun-dried tomatoes and basil). Using fingers, gently toss hash brown mixture until combined. Pour egg mixture over casserole. If necessary use a spatula to smooth out the top.
- Set aside about 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese (approximately 2 ounces). Sprinkle the remaining reserved ingredients over the top of the casserole. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the casserole reads 160°F. Once the center of the casserole is cooked through, it is done.
- Sprinkle casserole with remaining cheese, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally Published March 2016, updated and republished September 2023
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looks great how do you cut it down for 1 or 2 people
Freeze leftover single serving portions for quick, delicious breakfast during the work week.
Freeze leftover single serving portions for quick, delicious breakfast during the work week.
Can this recipe be doubled and cooked in the same time frame?
What a time saver for breakfast for 4! My kids love this in the morning before school. They would eat it everyday if they could!
The flavor in this breakfast casserole is amazing! And I love using the slow cooker, saves a lot of effort!
I’ve done this recipe 3 times…..1st time followed recipe except used 1 lb ground sausage….was good but not a fan of dried tomatoes…….. Next time took it to a Broncos tailgate…..used chorizo, southwest hash browns & nacho/taco cheese……big hit……3rd time used frozen tater rounds & cooked for 8 hours….do NOT cook for 8 hours…..had a nice “crust”…..still good but tater rounds basically fell apart & became has browns….
Hi Bill,
That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing your variations with us. Have a great day!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
How long should I cook on high?