This easy hash browns ham and cheese casserole is a hearty breakfast bake made with eggs, potatoes, and ham—great for holidays or weekends.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time50 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Casserole, Make Ahead, loaded potatoes, cracker barrel hash brown casserole, cheesy potatoes, hash brown casserole, breakfast casserole, ham and hashbrown casserole, hash browns ham and cheese
30ounces (1 bag)shredded hash browns, fresh or frozen (thawed)(I prefer Ore Ida frozen or Simply Potatoes fresh)
8large eggs, beaten
2cupscheddar cheese or Colby jack cheese, shredded
2cups (about 8 ounces)precooked ham, diced
1cup (8 ounces)sour cream
1cuponions, chopped(1 small onion)
1cupevaporated milk or half-and-half
½cup (1 stick)melted butter
1½teaspoonsall-purpose seasoning
¼teaspoonpepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
Prepare a 9"x13" casserole by spraying it with cooking oil spray. In a large bowl, mix together hash brown potatoes, eggs, 1/2 of the cheese, ham, sour cream, onions, milk, melted butter, and seasonings.
Pour hash brown casserole ingredients into the prepared casserole dish and top with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and golden on top, and the edges of the breakfast casserole are puffy.
Notes
Do not rinse hash browns (fresh or frozen)! The potatoes will soak up the water and it will make your casserole soggy.
Recipe Variations:
Veggie lover’s hashbrown casserole: Stir in sautéed mushrooms and diced bell peppers before baking. This adds color and a tender bite to the egg mixture. Don’t forget to sprinkle in a little salt, black pepper, and a dash of garlic powder for even more savory flavor.
Cheesy green onion twist: Add chopped green onions to the mixture along with shredded mozzarella or pepper jack cheese. A light touch of onion powder in the base gives it that extra pop of flavor with minimal effort.
Spicy southwest style: Mix in green chilies or diced jalapeños with the hashbrown casserole base. Use a Mexican cheese blend and add black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. Garnish with cilantro before serving.
Meat-free morning casserole: Skip the ham and bulk it up with roasted veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, or spinach. Use the same cheesy base and stir well to combine everything evenly before baking. Add a little extra seasoning with salt, pepper, and your favorite herb blend.
Storing Instructions:
Let the casserole cool completely and transfer it to a sealed container before placing it in the fridge.
Leftover cooked potato casserole will keep for up to 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator.
Make Ahead Instructions:
This recipe is the perfect overnight egg casserole with hash browns recipe! Prepare it the night ahead, pop it in the oven, then bake in the morning.
Just prepare the ham hashbrown breakfast casserole as directed in steps 2 and 3 of the recipe.
Cover with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Then follow the baking directions and bake for 50 minutes.