Easy Make-Ahead Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

This easy make-ahead tater tot breakfast casserole is a scrumptious, convenient breakfast choice because it can be made in advance and easily adapted to suit your family’s taste.

The leftovers reheat well so you can whip this up on the weekend and have a hearty, satisfying breakfast all week long.

Don’t like sausage? Try using bacon or ham. Switch up the veggies and cheese combinations. The options are endless so you can create a new dish every time you make it!

Breakfast casseroles are great because they are an all-in-one hearty meal that can be made ahead of time. They feed a crowd, reheat well, and make great leftovers. They are a great option for brunch too. Invite your friends over, whip up some mimosas, and sit back and enjoy spending time with your guests because you did all of the work the day before.

This Easy Make-Ahead Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Is

• Super versatile. Use whatever vegetables, meats, cheeses, and herbs you have on hand.

• Easy to make ahead of time.

• Quick to throw together.

• Great as a quick weekday meal or a weekend or holiday brunch.

• Excellent for entertaining a crowd.

• Made with tater tots to soak up moisture, but bread would work too.

• Can be jazzed up with toppings such as salsa, pico de gallo, green onion, fresh herbs, sour cream, avocado, hot sauce, etc.

I just love the convenience of using tater tots in casseroles. If you want some great DINNER options, try this Chicken Tater Tot Casserole. You can’t go wrong with the flavors of chicken, bacon, ranch, and cheese.

Or this Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole that combines the yumminess of crispy potatoes and a Big Mac into one delicious meal!

Let’s get cooking

Have you guys seen the price of eggs lately??!! I was just thrilled to find these beauties at my local Brookshire Brother’s grocery store. By shopping locally, not only are we supporting small businesses, but these eggs were over a dollar cheaper than the chain brands! They came from Around the Farm, LLC in Pilot Point, Texas.

Fundamental Components

When gathering ingredients for this recipe, there are 4 basic components to consider. From there, you can let your imagination run wild.

1. Vegetables
2. Meat 
3. Starch for soaking up moisture
4. Egg, cheese, & milk mixture

The Add-ins & Flavor Options Are Endless

• Vegetables: Choose which vegetables your friends and family enjoy when deciding which ones to add to the dish. Some good options would be zucchini, broccoli, kale, mushrooms… Again, the options are endless, but try to stick to 3–4 cups of vegetables total. Saute the vegetables with onion and garlic to enhance the flavors.

• Meat: My family prefers meat in the casserole, so I add sausage, but you could try using ground turkey, diced bacon, ground beef, or ground chicken. I use uncooked sausage for this recipe so that I can get the extra flavor from browning the meat with Italian seasoning, but you could definitely skip that step and use pre-cooked meat, such as diced ham or shredded chicken. Just mix it with the cooked vegetable mixture before layering it into the dish.

• Starch: I love to use frozen tater tots when making this dish. They are quick and convenient and I usually have them in the freezer. But you could also substitute bread or fresh potatoes. You would just need to cook the potatoes in advance. (Leftover roasted potatoes would work really well here). If you use bread it needs to be slightly stale so it can soak up all of the moisture. Some good options would be french bread, sourdough, plain bagels or even day-old croissants!

• Eggs, milk, & cheese: Whisk the eggs up with the half-and-half or milk and mix in some shredded cheese. Just like with the vegetables and meat, use whatever cheeses your friends and family like best. Some ideas are sharp cheddar, Monterey jack, pepper jack, Gouda or Fontina.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a smaller portion of tater tot casserole for fewer people?

• Yes, you can easily adjust the recipe to make a smaller casserole by halving the ingredients or using a smaller baking dish.

Do I Have to Use a Starch?

• Yes. This breakfast casserole needs structure at the bottom. When eggs bake, they release a lot of liquid. The starch soaks up the liquid so the casserole is chunky and textured, not flat and wet. If you’re looking for something without this starchy addition, try making a crustless quiche.

Can I freeze tater tot casserole for later?

• Yes, you can freeze a fully cooked tater tot casserole. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or place it in an airtight container. Label it with the date and store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

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Here’s How to Make This Easy Make-Ahead Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

First, place the frozen tater tots in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch or any 3–4-quart oven-safe dish.

Set that aside and pre-cook your vegetables and meat (if the meat is not cooked already). You can do this all in 1 big skillet on the stove, adding onion, garlic, and optional herbs like dried rosemary or your favorite seasoning blend. As that’s sizzling on the stove, whisk the eggs, milk, and cheese together:

To assemble, spoon all of the vegetables/meat mixture on top of the Tater Tots. Then, pour the egg mixture over the top of that:

Tips for success: Refrigerate overnight. At this point, refrigerate the casserole overnight. During this time, the flavors mingle together and the tots have a chance to soak up some of the liquid and flavor. When you wake up all you have to do is pop it into the oven. If you’re in a hurry, try to at least leave it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.

Bake until the edges are golden brown. Because of all of the eggs, the casserole puffs up in the oven and then sinks back down as it cools. Cool for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Your friends and family will love this delicious casserole, especially if you serve it with these Utah Scones covered with powdered sugar and honey butter!

If you want more easy breakfast options, next time try these Sausage Stuffed French Bread Boats or this Air Fryer Breakfast Casserole. Both can be whipped together in a flash with no need to wait overnight.

If you decide to make this breakfast casserole or any of my other recipes, please be sure to give it a rating and let me know how yours turned out. I love hearing your feedback and I will do my best to answer any questions you have as quickly as I can. 

As always, I will be back next week with more delicious recipes from my RV kitchen to yours!