Sausage and Hash Brown Casserole

Name: Sausage and Hash Brown Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 pound breakfast sausage (mild or hot); 1 (30–32oz) bag frozen shredded hashbrowns; ½ cup unsalted butter (melted); 1 cup sour cream; ½ cup diced onion (optional); 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup chicken broth; ½ cup whole milk or heavy cream; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Hectic mornings and busy weeknights in our house call for easy, one-pan meals that feed a group. This sausage and hash brown casserole is just that, plus you can assemble it ahead of time too. Our family enjoys it for brunch on the weekend or even as breakfast-for-dinner on a weeknight. It’s the perfect comfort food creation with simple, satisfying ingredients.

Creamy, cheesy, and packed with savory sausage flavor, this breakfast casserole with sausage and hash browns is a favorite with kids and adults alike. It’s also so easy to customize with other spices and proteins too! If you like this recipe, try these savory French toasts, or these make ahead breakfast burritos.

A wooden spoon is lifting up sausage and hash brown casserole from a white baking dish. — 📸 Photography by **Kendra Reeder**

Why you’ll love this recipe

Comforting casserole: With a cheesy filling and creamy texture, this is comfort food at its finest. A golden top and crispy edges make it unbelievably satisfying.
All-in-one meal: Savory sausage, melty cheese and hearty hash browns make this casserole filling and satisfying for whatever meal it’s served for, whether it’s breakfast, dinner, or brunch.
Customizable: Add in any favorite veggies, cheeses or ingredients to make it the way you like.
Feeds a crowd: Bake one dish and feed a hungry group all at once. It’s a fan favorite with adults and kids.

Tips for Busy Cooks

I like to keep a bag of frozen hash browns on hand for when you need to throw together a quick meal in minimal time. They’re affordable, versatile, and outright delicious for breakfast, as a side, or in a casserole.

Ingredients for sausage and hash brown casserole.

Key Ingredient Notes

For the Casserole:

Breakfast Sausage: Mild or hot both work, use whatever your family prefers.
Shredded hashbrowns: Find these in the freezer section. No need to thaw ahead of time.
Butter: I use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
Sour cream: Cool and tangy, plus adds even more creaminess.
Onion: Adds aromatic flavor. This is optional, but we suggest it.
Cheddar Cheese: Sharp and melty, freshly grate your own.
Salt and Pepper: Always season generously.

For the Cream Sauce:

Butter: The base for any rich, cream sauce.
Flour: Use all-purpose, to thicken and build the sauce.
Chicken broth: Store-bought or homemade, adjust the amount as needed, depending on how thick or thin you like the sauce.
Whole milk or heavy cream: Adds a rich, creaminess.
Salt, pepper and garlic powder: Seasoning and flavor.

How to make sausage and hashbrown casserole

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.

A black skillet with sausage mixture cooking.

Brown the sausage in a large skillet. Then drain excess grease.

A small black saucepan with creamy mixture cooking.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then the milk or cream. Cook 2–3 minutes until thickened.

Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

A glass bowl with hash brown and cheese mixture.

Mix together the hash browns, melted ½ cup butter, homemade cream sauce, sour cream, onion, 1 cup cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and cooked sausage in a large bowl.

Spread into the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

More shredded cheese on top of cheesy sausage hash brown casserole.

Add remaining cheese and bake 5–10 minutes until bubbly.

Baked sausage and hash brown casserole in a white baking dish with a plaid linen underneath.

Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Expert Tips:

Remove excess liquid: If you want to go the extra mile for a non-soggy casserole, thaw and squeeze out the hash browns before adding them in. This will get rid of a lot of excess moisture. However, we find the ease of simply adding them from frozen to work completely fine. You can always mix in slightly less sauce, and bake for a few additional minutes to prevent a watery casserole.
Top with cheese: Add the last bit of cheese to the casserole in the last 10 minutes of baking for the best gooey melt. If you add it too early in baking, the cheese could get leathery and overcook.
Lighten it up: Swap in Greek yogurt for sour cream or heavy cream in the hash brown mixture and cream sauce to lighten up the casserole. It’s just as creamy and delicious, we promise.
Swap milk for cream: Both create a rich sauce for the casserole, but milk is slightly lighter, while heavy cream makes it extra creamy and indulgent.
Crisp up the top: Pop this under the broiler for a few minutes after baking for an even crispier, golden brown top.

What to serve with sausage and hash brown casserole

This casserole is hearty and delicious on its own, but here are some simple sides to serve with it:

Fresh fruit or fruit salad
Simple green salad
Biscuits or toast
Strawberry walnut salad
Oven roasted mixed vegetables

A small white plate of sausage and hash brown casserole with a larger white baking dish in the back.

Storage

Store any leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. Cover it, if reheating in the oven, so it doesn’t dry out.

This is a great make-ahead meal. Assemble the casserole, cover and store in the fridge, then when you’re ready to cook, bring to room temperature as you preheat the oven. Bake as instructed.

If you’ve got extra time on your hands and want to make this overnight, you can store the cream sauce separately from the hashbrowns and cooked sausage, and mix together just before baking the next day, to ensure nothing is soggy.

FAQs

What other proteins can I use instead of sausage?

Cubed ham, chopped bacon, and even crumbled or sliced chicken sausage would be delicious in this casserole.

Can I add eggs to this sausage and hash brown casserole?

Absolutely. Adding eggs would make this casserole light, fluffy and and delicious. Just mix in a few beaten eggs into cream sauce, then pour over the hash brown mixture.

How do I keep hashbrown casserole from getting soggy?

Be sure to fully drain the sausage after browning, and blot with paper towels. This will keep the casserole from being greasy. Also be sure to cook the casserole until the sides pull away from the edges, the center is set, and the top is golden brown.