Tater tot breakfast casserole is a full-flavored combination of all your favorite breakfast foods layered into a delicious one-dish meal perfect for a weekend breakfast, family brunch, or church potluck.
How many recipes do you actually make that are kid-requested and mom-approved? I have to tell those recipes are like gold to me. I mean, anytime I can score a double win like that, you better believe I take it.
This recipe is not only that, it’s easy to put together and produces a full-fledged over the top breakfast casserole. It’s also been a HUGE reader favorite recipe for years so don’t miss out on this one!
If you’re looking for a simple hashbrown casserole, this is your recipe! If you want to try a win-win dinner version, check out this chicken tater tot casserole when the time is right.
Let’s make breakfast!
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What I Love About This Recipe
- It’s quick and easy to make.
- Meaty, cheesy, and tater Tots….I mean!
- Can be made ahead of time.
- The crispy brown edges of the casserole!
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Video Tutorial
Recipe Notes
- Bacon: Instead of bacon, try ham, chicken sausage, or turkey bacon.
- Tater tots: You can add them straight from the freezer to the baking dish.
- Cooking: Be sure to preheat your oven and keep an eye on the baking time. You don’t want to overbake this one. Also, don’t skip the resting time before serving. It’s vital to the proper texture and flavor of this yummy dish.
- Add veggies: Diced bell peppers, tomatoes, fresh spinach, and even broccoli are just a few examples of fresh veggies that complement the taters…and please the totsa
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Once cooked, this casserole will stay fresh and yummy in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just let it cool completely and cover tightly with wrap before sliding into the fridge.
Can You Freeze This?
Yes! Casseroles make notoriously scrumptious freezer meals and this tater tot breakfast casserole is no exception. Once completely cooled, hotel wrap first then aluminum foil to protect against freezer burn. Just slow thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Sometimes I like to freeze individual pieces that we can grab one at a time as desired. The smaller pieces can be reheated in the oven or microwave. Leftover casserole with eggs can last up to 2 months in the freezer.
Make Ahead Tips
You can whip it up the day before you need it and slide it into the fridge, unbaked overnight, then bake it the next day.
Just be sure to keep it covered and separate from other foods because of the raw egg content. It can be stored this way for up to 48 hours, but I find it best to bake it within 24 hours of assembly.
Serving Recommendations
This savory decadent tater tot breakfast casserole is a rich delicious dish that can stand all on its own. That said, it does pair really well with a sweet bread item for a dynamic duo that’ll have them eating long after they’re full.
I love serving this dish with a moist blueberry coffee cake or sweet tangy lemon poppy seed muffins. Also, it’s perfect with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or a tall glass of orange juice.
Recipe Variations
- Use egg whites instead of whole eggs.
- Switch the Monterey jack to pepper jack to spice things up
- Cook in a crockpot. Follow the recipe instructions as listed below, but combine them in your slow cooker instead of a casserole dish. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 4-5.
More Breakfast Recipes
- Bisquick Quiche
- Chicken Stuffing Casserole
- Bisquick Banana Bread
- Blueberry Muffins
- Apple Coffee Cake
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 (9-ounce) packages breakfast sausage links
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 (32-ounce) package tater tots
- 12 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded~divided
- 2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the sausage in a skillet until cooked through. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and drain skillet of all fat. Slice into 1/2 inch pieces.
- Cook bacon in the same, defatted skillet until brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble.
- Arrange tater tots in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Whisk together eggs, milk, 1/4 cup green onions, salt, and pepper. Stir in cooked sausage and half the cooked bacon.
- Fold in 1 cup Monterey jack cheese and 1 cup of cheddar cheese into the egg mixture and pour egg mixture over tater tots
- Bake in the preheated oven until the egg mixture is set. Approximately 40-45 minutes.
- Sprinkle top evenly with remaining 1 cheddar cup cheese, pop back in the oven, about 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Allow to stand 10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with remaining half crumbled bacon and green onions and serve.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- You can add the tater tots straight from the freezer to the baking dish.
- Be sure to preheat the oven and keep an eye on the baking time. Avoid over baking.
- Don't skip the resting time before serving.
Nutrition
Perfect for my Valentine’s Day brunch
Wow! Thank you, Gina. Happy Valentine’s day! 🙂
OMG we made this for a weekend get together with my son and his family. It was a huge hit. We are making it again for this weekend. Thank you so much for this recipe. It’s a definite keeper!!
Hi, Stacy! I’m glad you and your family enjoyed this casserole! Thank you for your feedback 🙂
I cooked it in my smoker and it was phenomenal. It took a little longer (with smoker set to 350) – around and hour – but I recommend watching closely because all smokers work differently. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you Jane, I’m so happy you like it! I haven’t tried it in a smoker, but I will definitely try it! 🙂
We loved it!! I made it up the night before and since I’m not a morning person my husband got up the next morning and baked. Yummo!!!
This would be great for a weekend breakfast with friends
Going to have to try this, looks great.
I might use andouille sausage instead of breakfast sausage and maybe a dash of creole season mixed in with the egg mixture
Hope you enjoy it, Don! 💗
Can I make the casserole and then immediately bake it? Or do I need to refrigerate this overnight? I am hoping to be able to make it and then bake it right away, but I wasn’t sure if it would taste as good?
Hi Lisa! You can bake it right away 😀
Can the Tatar Tot Breakfast be made the day before & refrigerate till the next day
Hi Pam! Yes, you can 😀 Just make sure to bake it within 24 hours (or 48 hours, but the sooner the better). Hope this helps!
Oh my goodness !!! This is way better than I thought it would be. I made a much smaller version and baked it in my toaster oven and man !!! It’s good !!! I didn’t add the onion only because of all the onion recalls still going on but I sure would have liked to add them. I also added a salsa mixed equally with sour cream and put some on top holy cow was it all good so thank you very much for sharing your recipe I’m going to feed the rest to my mom dad and sister. Absolutely love it
You’re very welcome, Theresa! ❤️😀
Hi, Can I make this ahead of time, freeze it and then cook it frozen? My daughter is getting married and I need to feed out of town guests the next day and need to do this ahead of time
Hi Pamela. I’ve only frozen it after I have cooked it. Sorry can’t advise on how the raw casserole would do through the freezing then reheating process. 🙁
Made it with Morningstar veggie bacon and sausage. Delicious!!
Hi Kathleen,
Could you provide instructions on freezing and reheating? 🙂
It looks so delicious and yummy. I’ll definitely make it this weekend.
I hope you enjoy Varun!
That was a fantastic recipe. There’s just 2 of us, so we made it in a 9″ sq pyrex pan and reduced the eggs to 8. Cut out about 3/4 of the cheese to reduce the fat, and left out the sausage entirely. Added maybe 2 T of prepared salsa. The baking directions were perfect.
It was SO good!!! I’ve sent the recipe to friends and will definitely make it again. 5 thumbs up. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Julie! 😀 So happy you liked it!
When you freeze it, do you thaw it the night before? Also do you reheat in the oven or microwave?
Hi Marla! I usually thaw it around 35 minutes before heating. If you’re reheating the whole casserole, I recommend using the oven, but for individual servings, use the microwave. 😀 Hope this helps!
It turned out amazing and it tasted great!!! Just over cooked it a little need to keep and eye on it!! But can’t wait to cook it again!! ENJOY!!!🙏🥚🥓🍟🧀🧈👍
That’s so awesome, Pete! Glad you liked it! 😃
Are the tater tots thawed out or frozen when preparing in the baking dish?
Hi Chip. You can use the tater tots either way. 🙂
I made it, in fact I’m eating it right now and it’s good !!!
I added sautéed onions, red and orange bell peppers and garlic because why not.
Wow! That sounds great, Don! Love your twists ❤️
Could I use ground breakfast sausage rather than the links?
Absolutely!
This looks so good! What a great idea for a brunch!
Thank you Suzanne!❤️ Hope you enjoy 😋
How many eggs and how much milk.
Hi Karen! You’re going to need 12 large eggs and 1/2 cup of milk for this recipe. Please refer to the recipe card for more details. Happy cooking!
Big hit with my church! I made one with just sausage (I used precooked sausage links for convenience) and another vegetarian using whatever veggies I had available. People asked for a repeat performance! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Sherry!
I’m so glad everyone loved it. Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is great for potlucks and when family comes to town. It’s one of my go-to recipes also. Thanks for sharing!
It was delicious! Everyone at brunch said it was so yummy!
This sounds fantastic!
I have one question.
Do you have to thaw the tater tots or can you put them in frozen?
I didn’t see anywhere that it stated that.
Thanks!
No you do not 🙂
This recipe is a huge hit with my family! ❤️
Can this recipe be used as a freezer meal?
Hi! So happy to hear that Jaime! Yes, it works great from the freezer. <3
Should I assume you bake it completely before you freeze it?
Hi, Rick! Yes you are correct 🙂
Have you ever made it in a muffin pan? I was thinking of putting 2 tots at the bottom of each muffin cup and then following the recipe from there. I thought it might be nice to have it in individual portions. What do you think?
Nancy, I think that is genius! I love that idea. Eating little muffin sized casserole would be so much more fun. I’d love to know how they turn out! Thanks for sharing your great idea. <3
Does this reheat well if I were to make it today and have for bfast a few days in a row?
Hi kelly, Yes but the tater tots will likely be a little soggier.
This was so amazingly good! The only change I made was to use half the amount of sausage links. The family said I could make this everyday. I could probably have eaten the entire pan on my own. So good!
Oh, yeah Stephanie! I’m stoked it was such a hit with the family <3
Added this to our Easter Brunch menu this year and it was a big hit. Easy and delicious!!!
Hi, Lisa! So happy you add this to your menu! Glad you liked it 🙂
Love the recipe and how super easy it was. Ours was just made for a smaller casserole dish, we still had leftovers LOL Thanks for the recipe.
You’re so welcome Stephanie! I’m so happy you enjoyed <3
Great recipe! I baked my tatertot layer first for extra crispy potatoes, omitted the meat for veggies (kids not such meat fans) and served bacon country gravy over the top. So delicious!
Oh Mimi! Bacon country gravy makes everything better! 🙂
My family really enjoyed this dish. The second time I made this I put a Mediterranean tilt by using chopped spinach, feta cheese and Turkey sausage. It was even better. This one is going into my breakfast rotation.
Hi Mike! That sounds like a delicious version. So happy you and your family enjoyed 🙂
I took you at your word that substitutions would work. It turned out my cheddar was too far gone, so I had to use a bag of cheddar/jack and then move to a bag of Mexican Blend. Because I love veggies, I added some broccoli, but because my son loves bacon and sausage, we kept both. Even with all those changes, it was stellar. Both adult sons, my husband and I agree it’s our new favorite breakfast casserole. We did all the work at once, but I know that in the future, it’d be a piece of cake to mix up the egg mixture so that when I wanted to cook it, I’d only need to arrange the tater tots and pour in the egg mixture.
Wonderful recipe; thanks so much!
Carol, you are so welcome. I love to hear it was a hit with your whole family!! <3
I am very interested in making this for approx. 80 people!!! Can I just use the large foil pans, double the amounts and increase the bake time? Do you think that would work? Sure looks wonderful!!!!
Hi Diane! I must say, I haven’t made such a large quantity! Your plan sounds like exactly how I would do it. I’m not sure of the exact size of your foil pan. You may need to do a little math to make sure doubling is the best way to go.
Kathleen,
next time I will read through the whole article cuz I just did and yes you have instructions for making this in a crock pot. OOPS my bad. Am sending this off to my daughter cuz I know they will like this.
Hi Diane. No worries! Just was about to respond when I saw this. I hope you guys enjoy this yummy casserole!! <3
Quick question…do the tots need to be thawed?
Hi Tim. No, they don’t! 🙂
Kathleen,
could this be made in a crock pot? was thinking of my daughter and family and was going to pass this recipe on to her.
I made this for Christmas morning breakfast and it was a big hit! I simplified the recipe a bit and just used two bags of the Jimmy Dean turkey sausage crumbles instead of cooking my own sausage, and added no bacon. The green onions really add a nice flavor, and leftovers the next day were a big hit as well!
Hi, Allison! Yay, thank you! Your tweak is perfect! Glad it was a hit 🙂 Dare we say it’s your new favorite breakfast? 🙂
I made it for NewYears morning…it is the BEST, EASIEST and QUICKEST egg casserole I’ve found and EVERYBODY loved it!!!!!!!
Hi, Pamela! Thank you so much! Yay, So happy you like it! It’s the best! I hope you’ll make it often 🙂 <3
Thank you for the suggestion of using the sausage crumbles! My husband is going to try to make this for a men’s breakfast at church and he wants it to be the easiest possible!
Hi Maggie! I’m so happy he’s going to try this <3
I’m not all that fast in the kitchen so I am concerned about prep time. Not sure how you could cook sausage, then bacon, and throw it all together in 15 minutes…
What’s a realistic prep time?
Hi Pete! Well, to be honest, if you’re not fast in the kitchen then no, that would not be a realistic prep time for you. I do try to be realistic when I add those times, but we all do work at different speeds. I hope you make the casserole and enjoy the process and results! Best wishes 🙂
cook your bacon in the oven on parchment paper, doesn’t splatter, stays flat, crispy and done at the same time as the sausage. middle rack 375.
Great idea, Sharleen! 🙂
You can cook the bacon in the oven while you prep everything else and cook the sausage on the stove. That saved me some time.
This was a huge hit Christmas morning!! My new fav❤️
Hi, Kenzie! So happy you found your new favorite! Thank you for letting us know that it was a hit, yay! 🙂
Can you put this together the night before and then bake it the next morning
Yes, you can! 🙂
I’ m on Keto diet , rest of the family is not! Made casserole one side lined with tater tots other side with cooked sausage. Used ham rather than bacon and used onion, broccoli and red pepper. Turned out awesome. Had to cook a little longer
Hi, Sue! Your tweaks are perfect! That’s a genius idea!
I’m planning to make this for my crew as a Christmas breakfast meal. One question, can you use frozen tots or do they need to be thawed when you line them in the baking dish?
Hi Mike. Yes, you can use the tater tots frozen. 🙂
Hello. Do I put the tater tots in the pan frozen or thawed? Does it matter?
Hi Ben. The recipe works either way 🙂
Hi! Do you think this would work in a crockpot??
Hey Amanda. Yes, you can!! I have instructions in my article <3
I would like to assemble the casserole, not bake it, freeze it for travel thaw and bake it the next day. Have your tried this? Any suggestions?
Hi Helen. No, I haven’t. I’m not exactly sure how the raw eggs would do through the process.
Omg this recipe is amazing! I loaded mine with cheese it was perfect for a birthday brunch meal at the park! Thank you!
Hey Kiah! So happy to hear it worked for your brunch! Did you see our new video for this recipe?
Is this something you can prep the night before and throw it in the oven the next morning?
Yes, Jessica 🙂
This is a great recipe, even my picky eater likes it. I did change it around a bit, i removed the sausage all together, and i mixed all of the bacon and green onions into the baking mix. I also only put 2 cups of chesse total in the mix. I didn’t do the extra for topping, after it baked i let it set then we ate it like that. It was delicious. Thank you for your recipe.
You’re so welcome Melissa! I’m so happy even your picky eaters like this! Always so great to hear <3
Question and wasn’t sure where to ask. Only have the little tator tots, will it still work?
Hi Karli. It should work just make sure there’s enough to cover the bottom of the baking dish 🙂
Ii only have the little ones, would it work?
Loved this variation of tater tot casserole, less prep time than my other one with mushroom soup, sour cream and cheese, etc. This is more “breakfasty”. (Not a word!) Also, I didn’t have the tater tots but I did have the potatoe patties, so I lined the whole bottom of the casserole dish and the sides. (I love a good crust!) I partially baked the patties in the oven first to crisp them up a bit, then poured the egg mixture over the whole thing. The cool thing is the potato crust is showing around the edges a little and makes it look like a quiche.
Wow, Tama the potato patties sound like a delicious idea! I’m glad this recipe was easier and you loved it! Thanks for sharing all your tips <3
Awesomeness
Very good. I fed a full house of guests and they all loved it. Especially my husband who loves tater-tot casserole. Thank you
So happy everyone enjoyed it, Victoria! I hope you try more of our recipes <3
Do you cover it when you bake it?
Hi Lisa! No need to cover when you bake it <3
Looks delicious! Would like to try it this coming weekend…just wondering if you cover it when you bake it?
Vegetarian here- should i saute my red onion and green pepper before putting it in my egg mixture?
Thank you!
Hey Cori. Yes, saute them until they’re soft. Let them cool a bit before adding them to the egg mixture. Hope you enjoy! <3
Hi I think the carb content is way off. Recipe is good though.
Thank you! We are working with a new program. I’ll check it out!
For sure!! I just read 2g of carbs and started to enter the recipe into an app I have. One servings of tater tots is 9 tots and that is 20g of carbs, so one servings of this recipe is going to be more than that even….
Betty, we’re working with a new computer program to try to bring you the most accurate nutritional info we can. I’ll have this rerun to check for any errors. Thank you for letting me know there might be an error <3
I think I’ll try baking the Tator Tots like the oven directions, then, using them in this recipe. The extra crunch might be more interesting; I’m sure the egg custard will soften them a bit, too.
Thanks!
Yes, Connie, you’re absolutely right. Prebaking will yield a crunchier tater tot. I love the convenience of doing it all at once. I’d love to hear back from you if you prebake them and how you like it <3
Does this mean your out them in frozen?
Think this will be breakfast might throw is some sausage gravy over the tots
Gravy over Tater Tots is always a good idea!
I made this this morning and it was delicious! I skipped the bacon just because I didn’t want it. Cooking instructions were on par. My only complaint is that your nutrition information is WAY off. I made it with one 9oz pkg of sausage links and I omitted the entire pound of bacon, and even my recipe came out to be 591 calories per serving for 8 servings.
Hey Stacy, thank you so much for letting me know. We are working with a new program and trying to fix all the kinks! I’m really happy you found the instructions correct. I really work at them!!!
Can’t wait to make this but unsure about the sausage links? Do you mean breakfast sausage? Wish there was a photo of what you mean…
Hey Patti! Great question. Yes, you’re exactly right, I used breakfast sausage links. I added that clarification to the recipe. Thanks for leaving a comment and letting me know I was unclear! <3
Looks like it would work as muffins as well! Perfect for Christmas morning or out the door on a school day.
Wow, Really great idea Kathy!
This sounds delicious! Can’t wait to make it. ☺
Hey Kerri, hope you enjoy!
Hi! This looks amazing! I am serving a big breakfast tomorrow and was planning to make hash browns and eggs, but I think I’d like to try this instead. Do you think it would work with frozen has browns instead of tater tots?
Hi Bill, I bet it would. To be honest, I haven’t made it that way but it sounds like an interesting variation! Let us know if you try it!
I was wondering that myself..Thanks for asking..
Definitely takes longer then 40-45 minutes to cook. After 60 minutes the eggs were still runny in the middle.
Hi Nicole. Thanks for sharing that!
Are the tater tots frozen or thawed?
Hi Jen. You can make it either way. <3
If they are frozen, would the excess moisture then require a longer cook time? By the same token, would cooking them beforehand allow for a shorter cook time?
Hey Kim. Honestly, I haven’t found that the time changes much at all. I think it may be the way the tater tots are processed.
Looks great, I don’t care for that much meat, particularly bacon, so I think I will follow some of your suggestions & make a part veggie, part sausage casserole, I see mushrooms with some red pepper & onion. Looks like a great recipe, can’t wait to try. Hubby loves anything tatertot, particularly casserole, sure it will be a hit.
Hi Lara! I hope you enjoy the recipe. Can’t wait to hear what combo you decide to cook up <3
Best ever recipe… Everyone loved it. It is going to be sent around as the new family favorite .
So happy to hear that Donna! Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe <3
It looks good. But what did you do with the sausage? Eat it plain on the side or throw it away?
Hi Tim. Sorry about that. I really need an editor 🙂 Anyway, I’ve updated the recipe. You add the sausage and half the cooked bacon to the egg mixture before you pour it over the tater tots. Thanks for catching my error!