Name: Sausage Potato Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 lb ground sausage; 1 onion ((finely diced)); 30 oz package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes; 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; salt and pepper to taste

Jump to Recipe

This sausage potato casserole has been our Christmas morning breakfast for years, and we’re not messing with a good thing! It’s loaded with savory sausage, shredded hash browns, onions, and plenty of melted mozzarella cheese. We put it together the night before, pop it in the oven Christmas morning, and breakfast is handled. It’s also great for brunch, feeding a crowd, or serving as a hearty side dish.

A slice of sausage potato casserole on a pink plate with melted cheese and cooked sausage pieces, served from a baking dish.

Serves: 10-12
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Bake Time: 30-45 minutes
Total Time: 45-65 minutes

Ingredients

2 lb. ground sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
30 oz bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

a bag of shredded mozzarella, on onion, a tube of pork sausage, and a bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes on a counter.

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: Finely dice the onion. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion, breaking the sausage into smaller pieces as it cooks. Cook for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned and cooked through. No additional oil is needed.

raw pork sausage and onion being browned in a pan on a stove

Step 2: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the frozen shredded hash browns and stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes have softened but aren’t browned. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, reserving some for the top.

shredded mozzarella cheese being added to sausage potato mixture in pan

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Transfer the sausage and potato mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the cheese is melted and golden.

Baked sausage and potato casserole topped with shredded cheese in a white baking dish.

🍋 Simply Made Suggestions

Choose your baking dish: A 9×13-inch baking dish works perfectly, but any similarly sized, oven-safe casserole dish will do.
Make it ahead: Assemble the casserole the night before, including the cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove it from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Add 15–20 minutes to the baking time, depending on how browned you like the top.
Make cleanup easier: We usually use a disposable 9×13-inch aluminum pan for Christmas morning. One less dish to wash!
Keep an eye on the cheese: If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil. We like ours a little crispy and well done!

🥔 Before You Go…

Looking for more breakfast ideas? Try our Sausage, Sweet Potato & Egg Breakfast Casserole for another hearty option, or switch things up with our French Toast Casserole. Planning your holiday menu? Check out our Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas for more ways to feed the family without spending all morning in the kitchen.

Sausage Potato Casserole

A hearty sausage potato casserole made with shredded hash browns, onions, and mozzarella cheese. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or making ahead for Christmas morning.

Beth

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Ingredients

2 lb ground sausage
1 onion (finely diced)
30 oz package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Finely dice the onion. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion, breaking the sausage into smaller pieces as it cooks. Cook for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned and cooked through. No additional oil is needed.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the frozen shredded hash browns and stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes have softened but aren’t browned. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, reserving some for the top.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Transfer the sausage and potato mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the cheese is melted and golden.

Notes

Use a 9×13-inch baking dish or a similarly sized oven-safe casserole dish.
To make ahead, assemble the casserole, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Remove it from the refrigerator while the oven preheats, then bake for an additional 15–20 minutes.
A disposable aluminum baking pan makes holiday cleanup easier.
If the cheese browns too quickly, loosely cover the casserole with aluminum foil.