Crack Breakfast Casserole is loaded with crispy bacon, savory sausage, cheesy hash browns, and ranch seasoning that makes it absolutely irresistible! This hearty make-ahead breakfast is perfect for feeding a crowd and will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Love More Breakfast Recipes? Try My Breakfast Butter Swim Biscuits or this Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Hearty, cheesy, and loaded with flavor, this Crack Breakfast Casserole is the perfect way to start your day. Made with eggs, bacon, cheese, and hash browns, it bakes into a golden, satisfying dish that’s both comforting and easy to prepare. Ideal for brunches, holidays, or meal prep, it’s a guaranteed crowd favorite.
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Crack Breakfast Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 (9×13-inch) casserole
Description
This irresistibly delicious Crack Breakfast Casserole combines crispy bacon, savory sausage, creamy eggs, hash browns, and ranch seasoning in one easy make-ahead dish. Topped with bubbly cheddar cheese, it’s the perfect hearty breakfast for holidays, brunch gatherings, or meal prep. Can be assembled the night before and freezes beautifully!
Ingredients
Meats:
- 1 pound pork sausage
- 1 pound bacon, chopped
Dairy and Eggs:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Seasoning:
- 1 packet dry ranch seasoning mix
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Base:
- 1 (30-ounce) bag frozen hash browns, thawed and drained of excess water
Instructions
Oven to 350°F. Spray that 9×13 pan really well or you’ll be scraping stuck cheese off it later and hating yourself.
Throw the sausage and bacon in a big skillet on medium-high. Break up the sausage while it cooks. Takes about 10 minutes for everything to brown. Drain ALL the grease – I pour it in an old soup can, then actually press paper towels into the meat to get out every last bit.
Cream cheese has to be soft for this. Beat it with the sour cream until smooth with no lumps. I use my hand mixer because my arm gets tired otherwise.
Crack in the eggs, pour the milk, dump the ranch packet and other seasonings. Whisk until mixed and foamy on top. Kitchen smells incredible right now and my kids start showing up asking when breakfast is ready.
Stir in your cooked meat (cooled down a bit), those squeezed-dry hash browns, and 1 cup cheese. Mix until even – nobody wants the sad piece that’s all potato and no bacon.
Pour it in the pan, spread it even. Top with the other cup of cheese, get the corners and edges because those are the pieces everyone wants.
Cover with foil, bake 50-60 minutes. I check at 50 by shaking the pan – if the middle’s really jiggly, give it 10 more minutes.
Take foil off, bake another 8-10 minutes until cheese bubbles and browns in spots. Don’t skip this – it makes the top crispy.
Wait 5 minutes before cutting. Hard to do because it smells amazing but if you cut it right away it just falls apart.
Notes
- Save time: Use pre-cooked bacon crumbles and pre-browned sausage crumbles from the freezer section
- Perfect portions: Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut clean squares
- Extra crispy top: During the last few minutes, turn on the broiler (watch carefully!) for an extra-golden cheese crust
- Not too salty: If you’re watching sodium, use reduced-sodium bacon and low-sodium ranch seasoning
- Common mistake to avoid: Don’t skip covering the casserole for most of the baking time – it needs that steam to cook through evenly
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
Meats:
- 1 pound pork sausage
- 1 pound bacon, chopped
Dairy and Eggs:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Seasoning:
- 1 packet dry ranch seasoning mix
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Base:
- 1 (30-ounce) bag frozen hash browns, thawed and drained of excess water
Substitution Notes:
- Turkey stuff works if you want it lighter, just not as good
- Pepper jack makes it spicy – my son Ethan loves it that way
- I use Hidden Valley ranch but store brand is fine
- Out of milk? Heavy cream works and makes it even richer
Why These Ingredients Work
Cream cheese and sour cream make this thick and custardy instead of just regular scrambled eggs with junk mixed in. Ranch seasoning is tangy and herby and honestly kind of addictive – people literally cannot stop eating this once they start.
Both meats seems like a lot but bacon does one thing (smoky and crispy) and sausage does another (rich and meaty). Hash browns soak everything up and get soft inside with crispy edges. Cheese on top melts and bubbles and gets those crusty brown bits on the edges that everyone scrapes off the pan and eats.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Large skillet for cooking the meats
- 9×13×2-inch baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk or hand mixer
- Aluminum foil
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Colander (for draining meats and hash browns)
How To Make Crack Breakfast Casserole
Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pan
Oven to 350°F. Spray that 9×13 pan really well or you’ll be scraping stuck cheese off it later and hating yourself.
Step 2: Cook the Meats
Throw the sausage and bacon in a big skillet on medium-high. Break up the sausage while it cooks. Takes about 10 minutes for everything to brown. Drain ALL the grease – I pour it in an old soup can, then actually press paper towels into the meat to get out every last bit.
Step 3: Make the Creamy Base
Cream cheese has to be soft for this. Beat it with the sour cream until smooth with no lumps. I use my hand mixer because my arm gets tired otherwise.
Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients and Seasonings
Crack in the eggs, pour the milk, dump the ranch packet and other seasonings. Whisk until mixed and foamy on top. Kitchen smells incredible right now and my kids start showing up asking when breakfast is ready.
Step 5: Combine Everything
Stir in your cooked meat (cooled down a bit), those squeezed-dry hash browns, and 1 cup cheese. Mix until even – nobody wants the sad piece that’s all potato and no bacon.
Step 6: Transfer to Baking Dish
Pour it in the pan, spread it even. Top with the other cup of cheese, get the corners and edges because those are the pieces everyone wants.
Step 7: Bake Covered
Cover with foil, bake 50-60 minutes. I check at 50 by shaking the pan – if the middle’s really jiggly, give it 10 more minutes.
Step 8: Brown the Cheese
Take foil off, bake another 8-10 minutes until cheese bubbles and browns in spots. Don’t skip this – it makes the top crispy.
Step 9: Rest and Serve
Wait 5 minutes before cutting. Hard to do because it smells amazing but if you cut it right away it just falls apart.
You Must Know
SQUEEZE THOSE HASH BROWNS. Put them in a clean towel and wring it like you’re strangling it. I didn’t do this once because I was late getting started and made hash brown soup with eggs floating in it. Completely disgusting. Dave brings it up every time I make this now.
Drain the meat right. First time I made this I didn’t and there was orange grease pooled at the bottom. Gross. Now I drain it AND press paper towels into it.
Cream cheese sits out 30 minutes minimum. Cold cream cheese won’t mix smooth, you’ll get chunks.
Personal Secret: When I’m making this for company I cook the meat the night before. Cool it, put it in the fridge. Morning comes and I just mix everything cold, takes 10 minutes total. Kitchen doesn’t smell like bacon grease at 7 AM either.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Those bacon bits from the salad section work when you’re lazy
- Bench scraper cuts cleaner squares than a knife
- Broiler the last 2 minutes for extra-crusty cheese but don’t walk away or it burns
- Low-sodium bacon and ranch if you’re watching salt
- Cover it most of the time or top browns before middle cooks
Flavor Variations & Suggestions
Southwest Style: My sister Amy does pepper jack, adds green chiles, tops with avocado and cilantro. So good.
Veggie-Loaded: I sneak vegetables in for my picky eaters – sauté peppers, mushrooms, onions first, mix with hash browns. They never notice. Sometimes spinach too.
Italian Twist: Italian sausage, Italian seasoning not ranch, mozzarella and parmesan. Different but good.
Lighter Version: My friend Sarah who’s always dieting uses turkey everything, low-fat dairy, only 1 cup cheese total. She makes it all the time so must be decent.
Spicy Kick: Jalapeños, hot sausage, hot sauce on the table.
Make-Ahead Options
Best thing about this recipe. Make it completely the night before – fully mixed, sitting in the pan ready to go. Plastic wrap then foil on top, fridge overnight. Morning, pull it out while oven heats, let sit 20 minutes on counter, bake. Might need 10 extra minutes covered because it starts cold.
My friend Lisa does hers in the slow cooker. Everything in except the last cup of cheese, low for 8 hours overnight, cheese on top last 10 minutes. She brings it to every potluck and it disappears first.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- Check at 50 minutes, ovens are different
- Puffs up baking then goes back down cooling – normal
- Parchment paper in the pan makes cleanup easier
- Better on day two after flavors sit
- Two for a crowd? Two separate pans, don’t make one huge one
Serving Suggestions
Pretty much a meal by itself. I put out whatever fruit we have. Sometimes biscuits if I’m feeling it but not necessary.
Brunch means mimosas for adults, orange juice for kids. Hot sauce, salsa, sour cream on the table. Emma puts green onions on hers, I drown mine in hot sauce.
How to Store Your Crack Breakfast Casserole
Refrigerator: Cover with foil, keeps 4 days. Usually gone by day three here.
Freezer: Cut pieces, wrap in plastic, bag them. Date the bag. Good 2 months but we eat it way before.
Reheating:
- One piece: Microwave 90 seconds to 2 minutes
- Whole thing: Foil cover, 350°F oven, 25 minutes
- Frozen: Thaw overnight first, or microwave frozen 3-4 minutes flip halfway
Allergy Information
Contains:
- Dairy (cream cheese, sour cream, milk, cheese)
- Eggs
- Gluten (check ranch packet)
- Pork
Substitution Suggestions:
- Dairy-free: Dairy-free versions of everything – never tried it
- Gluten-free: Gluten-free ranch or mix dried herbs
- Egg allergy: Can’t do it, eggs hold it together
- Pork-free: Turkey or chicken sausage, turkey bacon
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I use fresh hash browns instead of frozen?
Yeah, 4 cups shredded potatoes but squeeze them REALLY dry. Fresh has more water than frozen. Squeeze till it hurts then squeeze more or it’ll be watery.
My casserole turned out watery – what happened?
Hash browns not dry enough, meat not drained enough, or didn’t cover it baking. Happens to everyone once.
Do I have to use both bacon AND sausage?
No, 2 pounds of whichever. My dad hates sausage so Father’s Day breakfast is all bacon. Works fine.
How do I know when it’s done baking?
Shake the pan. Middle wet and jiggly = needs more time. Done when center barely moves. Knife in middle comes out mostly clean.
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me how it went! Did everyone love it? Change anything? Want to know!
