Christmas morning breakfast presents a dilemma. You either spend hours standing over the stove while everyone else opens gifts, or you make a massive 12-egg casserole that leaves you eating leftovers until New Year's. For smaller households, or anyone who wants a festive breakfast without the week-long commitment, I have the perfect solution.
This Make-Ahead Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole fits beautifully into a 2.5-quart oval baking dish (about 11 x 8 inches). It yields enough for a festive brunch for six to 8, or a generous breakfast for 2 to 4 with just enough leftovers for Boxing Day.
But the real magic is the styling. As shown in the picture, the frozen tots are arranged in concentric rings, with bright red and green bell peppers tucked between them.
The finishing touch uses two sprigs of rosemary and red and green bell pepper cut into the shape of a bow to transform this dish into a stunning "Christmas Wreath."
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works (And Why It's Perfect for Christmas)
- The "Right Size: Unlike standard 9 x 13-inch recipes that serve 12, this uses a 2.5-quart oval baking dish, creating a casserole that's substantial without being overwhelming.
- Texture Contrast: By layering ⅓ of the tots on the bottom and the rest on top, you create a savory, dumpling-like crust on the bottom and a crispy "wreath" on top.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can assemble the wreath on Christmas Eve and bake it on Christmas morning while the presents are being opened, or do the same thing for New Year's.
- Holiday Styling: The concentric oval arrangement of tater tots mimics a wreath, and the red and green bell pepper "ornaments" roast in the gaps like little jewels.
Ingredients: Here's What You'll Need
- The Potatoes: You'll need 20-24 ounces of frozen Tater Tots. I used 8 ounces (2 cups) for the base and the rest for the top design.
- The Sausage: I used Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage for a little kick, but mild or maple sausage works perfectly, too.
- The Veggies: Onions provide flavor, and a mix of red and green bell peppers provides both flavor and that classic holiday color.
- The Cheese: I used a mixture of extra-sharp cheddar cheese and low-moisture mozzarella.
- The Custard: For the custard, I used eggs, whole milk, and half-and-half, seasoned with Kosher salt and black pepper.
Step-by-Step: Making the Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Cook the Sausage: Brown and crumble the sausage in a skillet over medium heat. When done, drain well on a paper towel-lined plate. This takes 8 or 9 minutes.
- Cook the Veggies: In the same skillet, add the onions, red bell peppers, and green bell peppers. Cook over medium heat until the veggies start to soften. This takes 7 to 8 minutes.
- Cool the Veggies: Once the veggies are tender, transfer them to a bowl to cool slightly.
- Make the Custard: Whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, salt, and pepper in a large measuring cup to make pouring easier
- Layer the Casserole: In a 2.5-quart casserole dish lightly coated with nonstick spray, layer the ingredients as follows: 8 ounces (2 cups) of frozen tater tots, the cooked and drained sausage, cooked veggies, shredded cheddar cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Add the Custard: Pour the egg, milk, and half-and-half custard evenly over the ingredients in the casserole.
- The Art: Arrange the remaining 12 ounces of frozen tater tots in tight, concentric ovals on top of the cheese. Depending on the size of your casserole dish, you may need a few more tater tots.
- The Jewels: Tuck reserved raw red and green bell peppers into the gaps between the tater tots. This keeps them bright red and green during cooking.
- Make-Ahead Magic: At this point, the casserole is ready to refrigerate overnight or bake immediately. If making it in advance, cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate it.
- Bake: Bake the casserole uncovered in a preheated 350°F oven for 50 to 55 minutes if not refrigerated or 60 to 70 minutes if refrigerated. The casserole should reach 160°F. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
Talk about amazing. All of the Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole flavors perfectly complemented one another, and the presentation was show-stopping. The leftovers were equally amazing. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer Jimmy Dean Hot sausage in this casserole, but feel free to use whatever sausage you like.
Half-and-half adds richness to the casserole. However, you can definitely substitute milk for the half-and-half.
The cheese used in this casserole is a personal preference. I like the tang of extra-sharp cheddar cheese and the contrast Mozzarella provides. However, regular cheddar cheese can also be used. You can also use a single type of cheese in the casserole. If you'd like more zip, you could use pepper jack cheese. Bottom line: Use whatever type of cheese you like.
Can I use pre-shredded cheese?
It's best to shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains an additive that can inhibit its melting.
Leftovers are excellent. I like to warm the leftovers in the toaster oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes to recrisp the tater tots. However, you can also use the microwave for a minute or two.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- I'm a huge fan of Tater Tots and prefer this breakfast casserole to the more traditional one made with bread.
- This recipe is easily customizable. For example, you can substitute bacon or diced ham for the sausage. You can also mix and match the cheeses. For a spicier casserole, use Pepper Jack cheese. You can also use Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese. Make sure you use quality cheeses that melt easily.
- If you make this casserole ahead of time, cover it with aluminum foil and refrigerate it. Remove it from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking it, and add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time.
Other Delicious Breakfast Recipes
If you're looking for more great breakfast ideas, check out these tried-and-true recipes. They are some of my favorites!
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Make-Ahead Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet
- 2.5 quart oval (11 x 8-inch) baking dish
- Nonstick spray
Ingredients
- 16 ounces breakfast sausage (See Tip 1)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped (about ½ cup), divided (See Tip 2)
- 1 mecium red bell pepper, finely chopped (about ½ cup), divided (See Tip 2)
- 5 large eggs
- ¾ cup (6 ounces) milk
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) half-and-half (See Tip 3)
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
- 20 ounces (about 5 cups) frozen tater tots (See Tips 4 and 5)
- 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (See Tip 6)
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (See Tip 6)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a shallow 2 ½-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Brown sausage over medium heat, about 9 minutes. Drain well on paper towels.
- Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the green and red bell peppers. Add the onions, green bell peppers, and red bell peppers, and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl to cool.
- Whisk together eggs, milk, half-and-half, salt, and pepper in a large measuring cup or bowl.
- Add 2 cups (8 ounces) of tater tots to the prepared casserole dish. Top with cooked sausage and cooked veggies. Sprinkle with the shredded cheddar and shredded Mozzarella cheeses. Evenly pour the custard over the top of the casserole.
- Arrange the remaining frozen tater tots in tight, concentric ovals on top of the cheese. Tuck the reserved raw peppers into the gaps between the tater tots. May be prepared in advance up to this point - cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 55 minutes, adding 10 to 15 minutes if made in advance, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- After baking, garnish the bottom curve of the casserole with fresh rosemary sprigs and a "bow" cut from red bell pepper strips.
- Yield: 8 servings. (See Tip 7)
Video
Tips/Notes
- I like to use Jimmy Dean Hot sausage, but feel free to use whatever sausage you like.
- Reserve about 2 tablespoons each of the finely chopped green and red bell peppers for garnish once the casserole comes out of the oven.
- You can substitute ¼ cup of milk for the half-and-half, bringing the total to 1 cup of milk.
- Do not cook or thaw the tater tots. They should be added frozen.
- You may need more or fewer tater tots for the top, depending on your casserole dish.
- I like the tang of extra sharp cheddar cheese, but feel free to use whatever cheese you prefer. Feel free to substitute your favorite cheese for Mozzarella.
- The leftovers are excellent. I like to warm the leftovers in my toaster oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes to re-crisp the top. You can also reheat leftovers in the microwave for a minute or two.
Nutrition
Janet Dean says
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole (Easy and Flavorful)
I love your web-site! Can you tell me how to customize the above recipe to make it in muffin cups instead of the casserole dish? thanks Janet Dean
Chula King says
Hi Janet,
Sorry for the delay in responding. I've not made this in muffin cups, but think that it would work well. Based on similar things I've made in muffin cups, I would add the tater tots and then sausage to the muffin cups and pour on the liquid. Bake at 350°F for 22 to 23 minutes or until the eggs are set.
I'd love to know if you try making these in muffin cups and how they turn out.
Chula