I first made this Sausage, Egg, and Cream Cheese Hashbrown Casserole for a family reunion brunch, panicking that I wouldn’t have enough food to feed a crowd. I threw together what I had in the fridge and freezer, whispered a prayer, and put it in the oven. An hour later, my kitchen smelled like the most decadent, savory breakfast dream imaginable—a mix of toasty potatoes, fragrant sausage, and baking eggs. When I pulled out that golden, bubbling pan and saw the hungry faces light up, I knew it was a winner. It’s the ultimate no-fuss, feed-an-army comfort food that tastes like you spent all morning cooking, when really, you just did some very satisfying stirring.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground breakfast sausage (I use a spicy blend for a kick, but mild is perfect too)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (optional, but adds great color and flavor)
- 32 oz (1 bag) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed (trust me on the thawing!)
- 16 oz (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Cooking spray or butter for greasing
Let’s get personal about a few of these. That 2 lbs of sausage is not a typic—it seems like a lot, but it shrinks as it cooks and you want that meaty goodness in every bite. Using a flavored sausage (like sage or hot) builds your seasoning base. The cream cheese must be truly softened. I’ve tried to shortcut this with cold cream cheese, and you end up with unmelted lumps in your custard. Leave it on the counter for a few hours. For the hashbrowns, the thawed state is critical. I made the mistake of using them frozen solid once, and it threw off the baking time and moisture balance, leaving a soggy layer at the bottom.(See the next page below to continue…)