Recipe Background
The debate between hash browns and home fries for breakfast always had a secret third candidate: the humble yet delightfully crunchy tater tot. What better way to celebrate this beloved breakfast potato than with the Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole. The crispy yet fluffy tots form the crust of this delightfully heartwarming bake, with a fluffy egg interior loaded with more tater tots (they are the star of this show after all), spicy and savory pork sausage, melty and sharp cheeses, and refreshing bell peppers. The Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is basically a full breakfast in each slice, so it's an efficient and delicious way to cook a wonderful brunch for everyone!
The debate between hash browns and home fries for breakfast always had a secret third candidate: the humble yet delightfully crunchy tater tot. What better way to celebrate this beloved breakfast potato than with the Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole. The crispy yet fluffy tots form the crust of this delightfully heartwarming bake, with a fluffy egg interior loaded with more tater tots (they are the star of this show after all), spicy and savory pork sausage, melty and sharp cheeses, and refreshing bell peppers. The Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is basically a full breakfast in each slice, so it's an efficient and delicious way to cook a wonderful brunch for everyone!
Ingredients
For the egg mixture:
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 4 ounces green chilies diced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the layers:
- 1 pound of hot bulk pork sausage
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen tater tots divided and not thawed
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese freshly grated
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the eggs, the half-and-half, the green chiles, the parsley, the paprika, the mustard, the oregano, the salt, and the pepper in a large bowl or liquid measuring cup.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage, the onions, the red peppers, and the green peppers to the skillet and cook, crumbling the sausage until the sausage is cooked through and the onions are softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Drain the grease from the skillet.
- Add the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Add 1/2 of the tater tots to the baking dish with the sausage mixture.
- Add 1/2 of the cheddar and 1/2 of the pepper jack, stirring everything and spreading it into an even layer.
- Pour the egg mixture over the sausage mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining tater tots over the top.
- Bake until the eggs are set, about 70-80 minutes.
- Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining cheddar and the remaining pepper jack.
- Bake until the cheese melts, about 5-10 minutes.
- Serve.
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