Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is so easy and can be made ahead with your favorite meats! Crispy tots are baked to perfection with ham, cheese, and the best creamy egg mixture. This casserole is fluffy, cheesy, easy to customize and always satisfies!

breakfast tater tot casserole in baking dish

Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

I’m a sucker for a good breakfast casserole on the weekend – especially recipes like this one that are so incredibly easy. Whether I’m just hanging out at home with my family or hosting a brunch with friends, a good tater tot casserole goes a long way! Fluffy, creamy, seasoned eggs bake to perfection with cheese, tater tots, and whatever meat you like best. I tend to use ham, but sausage or bacon also work well. You can alter this easy casserole in so many ways to best fit your needs!

Speaking of tater tot casseroles, you’ve got to try more of my favorite recipes like the Best Ever Tater Tot Casserole, this fun Tater Tot Chili Dog Casserole and Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole.

Can I Make This Breakfast Casserole Ahead?

Yes! Nothing quite like having breakfast ready to go on an early morning, right? You can make this breakfast casserole ahead and refrigerate it overnight or for up to 12 hours unbaked. If you want to freeze this casserole, you will want to bake it first. Then let it slowly thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed in the recipe card.

How to Make this Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Add the first few ingredients. Place the tater tots, diced ham, (or cooked bacon or sausage) 1 cup of cheddar, and 1 cup of mozzarella into the dish. Toss with your hands to combine.
Make the egg mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, seasonings, and hot sauce if using.
Pour the eggs into the dish. Pour the egg mixture all over the tater tot mixture. Try to make sure everything is evenly spread out.
Bake. Bake the casserole for 45 minutes. Then, top it off with the remaining half cup of cheese, return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes until melted.
Enjoy! Let the casserole cool for just a few minutes, then slice and serve!

ingredients to make tater tot breakfast casserole

Storing Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Once the casserole has cooled to room temperature, you can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating leftovers in the oven until warmed through, not the microwave.
You can also freeze this baked casserole to keep it good for even longer! Bake as directed, allow to cool completely, then cover tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.

Ingredient and Recipe Notes:

Diced Ham – This is a great recipe if you have any leftover holiday ham you need to use before it goes bad! You can also swap it for bacon or breakfast sausage if preferred.
Cheese – I like to use a combination of cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Feel free to use any other cheese you prefer, like monterrey jack, gouda, or parmesan.
Seasonings – A simple blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder give the creamy egg mixture the very best flavor. You can add other spices for even more flavor if you’d like! Something like smoked paprika would add a delicious unique flavor.
Sour Cream – I recommend using sour cream that has its full fat content. Low fat sour cream won’t create the same thick, creamy consistency we’re aiming for with our eggs.
Eggs – If possible, try to use some eggs that have deep golden yolks. They usually yield the best results.  But, any eggs will work totally fine, you can even use a liquid egg substitute if that’s what you have!

slice of tater tot breakfast casserole on a plate

Enjoy!

~Nichole

5 from 76 votes

Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole with Ham - This tater tot ham and cheese breakfast casserole is perfect for weekend breakfast and brunch, especially during the holidays!  Or, you can make it ahead and have a great breakfast meal prepped ahead for the week!  Full of tater tots, ham, and cheese - simply mouthwatering!
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 50 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Place the tater tots, diced ham, 1 Cup of cheddar, and 1 Cup of mozzarella into the baking dish. Toss with your hands to combine.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, seasonings, and hot sauce if using.
  • Pour the egg mixture over the tater tot mixture in prepared pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Top with remaining 1/2 Cup of cheese and return to oven for 5 more minutes until melted.

Video

Notes

NOTE:  Oven temperatures do vary, this casserole will be golden brown, puffy, and set in the middle when it's finished.
NOTE ON MEAT:  You can also use 1 pound of Cooked/crumbled bacon or 1 pound of cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage instead of ham.  Or, skip the meat and add beans or veggies for a vegetarian option.
NOTE:  This casserole can be assembled and refrigerated unbaked for up to 12 hours.  After baking, it is good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
NOTE:  You can make this casserole and freeze it.  Bake as directed, allow to cool completely, then cover tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Like this? Rate & review this recipe below!


Hey! Nice to meet you! I'm Nichole!

Welcome to The Salty Marshmallow! I'm a mom, animal lover, photographer, & kitchen mess-maker. Here you will find the result of my decades-long passion for chasing the best flavors in the kitchen, all meant to be cooked by regular people with busy lives just like you and me.

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52 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made this for a club brunch and it was so good! Got lots of compliments! This will be my new breakfast casserole! Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    Yum! My favorite breakfast casserole to-date. I tried others using hash browns and only milk and they were good, but I like this recipe much more. I didn’t use the whole bag of tater tots, just enough to fill the bottom of the pan. I used 10 eggs, 1.5 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper, added a small amount (approx. 1 c.) sautéed onions and bell peppers. I used oat milk because that’s what I had on-hand. I used the full cup of sour cream and think that’s what makes this stand out from the others. I refrigerated overnight. Baked at 375 for 1 hr 10 minutes plus extra 5 for melting cheese. It was delicious!

  3. I have looked through the comments and don’t see any explanation for how long to cook it after freezing and thawing it, and some confusion about the terms of baking vs reheating. If I have baked it fully following the recipe and then freeze it & let it thaw overnight to reheat the next morning, how long do I reheat it for?

  4. 5 stars
    This was really good!! I like that the cheese topping wasn’t added too early and that the tater tots were nice a crispy! Good texture. I added a teaspoon or so of spicy brown mustard to complement the ham. Best breakfast casserole recipe I’ve tried so far!! Thanks! 😊