Description
A hearty and delicious Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole featuring savory sausage, colorful bell peppers, melted sharp cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses, all bound together with a flavorful egg mixture. Perfect for a satisfying brunch or breakfast with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 32-ounce bag frozen Tater Tots®, divided (DON'T THAW)
- 1 pound hot bulk pork sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated pepper Jack cheese
Egg Mixture
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 4 ounces diced green chilies
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook Sausage and Vegetables: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, diced onions, and chopped red and green bell peppers. Cook while crumbling the sausage until the sausage is fully cooked and the onions are softened. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Drain excess grease and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Allow to cool slightly.
- Mix Egg Mixture: In a large bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, diced green chilies, dried parsley, paprika, ground mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Assemble Casserole Base: Add half of the frozen tater tots and half of each cheese (¾ cup sharp cheddar and ¾ cup pepper Jack) to the baking dish with the sausage mixture. Stir everything to combine evenly, then spread the mixture into an even layer.
- Add Egg Mixture and Tater Tots: Pour the egg mixture evenly over the sausage and tater tot layer. Then, sprinkle the remaining tater tots over the top, keeping them frozen for best texture.
- Bake Casserole: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 70 to 80 minutes or until the eggs are fully set and the tater tots are cooked through and golden.
- Add Remaining Cheese and Finish Baking: Remove casserole from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the top. Return to the oven and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove casserole from oven and optionally sprinkle with chopped chives or green onions for added freshness and color. Serve warm.
Notes
- Turkey Variation: Substitute hot bulk pork sausage with turkey sausage and add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Additionally, 1 teaspoon of beef bouillon can enhance flavor.
- Cheese Options: Use freshly grated sharp cheddar and pepper Jack cheese for best melting. Alternatively, substitute pepper Jack with Mozzarella, Gruyere, Swiss, Monterrey Jack, Colby Jack, Fontina, or Gouda. Avoid packaged pre-shredded cheese due to anti-clumping agents affecting melt quality.
- Variations: Feel free to swap the sausage and vegetables with your favorites but maintain similar proportions to ensure sufficient egg mixture coverage.
- Storage: Store leftover casserole tightly covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Microwave individual servings for about 1 minute until warm, cutting slices in half for even heating. To reheat the entire pan, cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
- Overnight Preparation: Assemble casserole without adding the top layer of tater tots, keep those frozen, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove wrap and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature before adding frozen tots and baking. You may need to add 10 to 15 minutes to baking time when cooking from chilled.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 215 mg
