Skillet Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Tater tots for breakfast, absolutely! Crispy tater tots cover sausage, mushrooms and cheese with eggs to hold it all together. A fantastic one skillet breakfast that doesn’t have to refrigerate overnight. Change up the protein and veggies to make it your own.

Try a Tater Tot Casserole for Breakfast

Tater Tot breakfast casserole is a hearty and flavorful choice for breakfast or brunch or grab what’s in your fridge and have breakfast for dinner. There’s nothing that says comfort food like crispy tater tots so why not add them to your favorite omelette fillings.

While it this casserole has eggs, they just hold things together so it’s not like a frittata or omelette, more like a hash brown casserole. You get all the breakfast staples – potatoes, eggs, meat, veggies and gooey cheese.

The sausage and mushrooms provide tons of flavor, and the eggs bind everything together for the perfect sliceable texture. The best part is the crispy tater tots on top. The bottom half stays creamy from the egg mixture, and the top gets crisp and perfectly golden brown. This casserole is a great way to feed a crowd and only one pan for clean up.

With just a few simple prep steps, you can transform eggs, sausage, and potatoes into something truly special and exciting. This dish is also a great way to use up any lingering veggies or breakfast meats in your refrigerator – ham or bacon would be excellent choices to use for the casserole.

A sausage, egg, and cheese casserole is a fabulous breakfast to serve for overnight guests. It takes very little prep time and you can serve it with biscuits and fruit salad for a simple but hearty meal.

Do I need a cast iron skillet? 

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you only need one pan – that is if you have a cast iron skillet or oven proof skillet big enough for all of the ingredients. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet or other pan that can go from the stove to the oven, you can cook all of the ingredients on the stove in whatever pan you have and then assemble the casserole in your favorite casserole dish.

Cast-iron cooks things quicker than a baking dish, so it may need to cook a little longer if making in a glass baking dish.

Why You’ll Love Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

• An easy dish with minimal clean-up: This recipe won’t have you spending hours in the kitchen– it’s a straightforward, no-fuss dish that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort.

• Hearty and filling: Packed with eggs, breakfast sausage, mushrooms, and cheese, this casserole is a satisfying meal perfect for serving a hungry crowd. 

• Customizable and flexible: You can make this casserole your own by trying different meats or adding veggies like onions and green peppers to suit your taste buds. It’s a great way to use any leftover meats or wilting vegetables that need to be put to use.

What is a tater tot?

Tater Tots are made from grated potatoes mixed with flour and seasoning, which are formed into bite-sized cylinders before being baked to crispy perfection. Tater Tots were invented in 1953 by the Ore-Ida company in Oregon– the name Tater Tot is actually trademarked. In this recipe, the Tater Tots add a crispy topping to this casserole while soaking up all the delicious flavors from the eggs, sausage, and cheese.

Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Recipe Ingredients

• Eggs: Eggs hold the rest of the casserole ingredients together but it is not what I would consider an egg casserole.

• Milk: Adds extra creaminess and lightness to the egg mixture.

• Breakfast Sausage: Classic breakfast sausage has a satisfying, savory flavor that works perfectly in this casserole. You can switch it up with bacon, Italian sausage, bacon, or any other cooked protein.

• Mushrooms: Earthy, tender, umami mushrooms add flavor and texture.

• Frozen Tater Tots: Tater tots give this dish its name and distinctive texture. They are found in the freezer section.

• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Provides ooey-gooey cheesy texture and flavor – it just makes everything better.

• Green Onions: Fresh and flavorful green onions add a pop of color and a bright taste to the casserole. You can also top the casserole with chopped fresh herbs like parsley.

• Seasonings: Salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder 

What other ingredients can go into the casserole? 

There are so many ways to customize a breakfast potato casserole. Here are some ideas for substitutions and additions to make the casserole even tastier. 

• Substitute cooked meat like ground beef, diced ham, diced corned beef, crumbled bacon, or spicy Italian sausage for the breakfast sausage. 

• You can add any vegetables you like, consider bell pepper, onion, zucchini, chopped spinach, or finely chopped broccoli. Just cook with the mushrooms.

• Cheddar cheese is a classic to put in casseroles, but any cheese that melts reasonably well could work in this dish. Pepper jack, gruyere, Colby or Colby jack, or even parmesan cheese would all taste great in a tater tot casserole. 

How To Make a Savory Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Step 1: Prepare the sausage. 

Add sausage to a large cast iron or other oven-proof skillet and cook then remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Step 2: Cook the mushrooms. 

Add sliced mushroom to the skillet and cook until softened and brown. If you want to use other vegetables, cook them at this step as well. Add the sausage back to the skillet and mix thoroughly with the mushrooms, spreading it evenly over the bottom of the skillet.

Step 3: Prepare the eggs. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Step 4: Assemble and bake the casserole. 

Pour the egg mixture over the top. Place the Tater Tots over the egg mixture in a single, even layer. Sprinkle the cheese and green onions over the top.

Bake until the eggs are just cooked and tater tots are crispy.

Tips for Making a Potato Breakfast Casserole

• Thoroughly cook the mushrooms and any other vegetables you choose to use before adding them to the casserole.

• If you want your Tater Tots extra crispy, you can place the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes.

• For a Tex-Mex casserole, you can swap out the seasonings in the recipe for an equal amount of taco or fajita seasoning mix. 

Easy Breakfast Casserole FAQs

How can I prepare the casserole in advance?

The best way to prepare this dish in advance is to cook the sausage and mushrooms ahead of time and assemble the casserole just before baking.

Can I double this recipe to feed a bigger crowd?

This dish is so easy to make, and making two batches at once is equally simple. Just double the ingredients and divide them between two skillets.

What to Serve with a Breakfast Casserole