Start your day right with the easy air fryer breakfast casserole. For meat lover's this breakfast casserole is loaded with protein-rich breakfast sausage, bacon and cheese. The hash browns give it a wonderful crunch, while the milk and eggs add a smooth texture. A sprinkle of garlic powder gives it an extra boost of flavor.
When it comes to breakfast, convenience and taste are everything. Nothing is better than a breakfast casserole that is hearty, delicious, easy to make, and loaded with meat.
If you have tried other air fryer recipes, you know that the air fryer is a perfect solution when you want to cook something quickly. If you enjoy a tasty tater tot breakfast casserole, you are going to fall in love with air fryer hash brown breakfast casseroles after trying this great recipe.
I like to serve this easy recipe with bowls of fresh fruit and berries, making my whole breakfast preparation simple and delicious.
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⭐ Why You’ll Love It
Who doesn't love breakfast? Now you can make a breakfast casserole that is packed with flavor and easy to prepare. This Air Fryer Breakfast Casserole is loaded with meat, cheese, and hash browns, making it an ideal breakfast choice when you need a hearty breakfast.
Easy to make. You mix the ingredients in one bowl, pour them into a cake pan and air fry until done.
Can make-ahead. This is a great meal prep recipe for busy mornings, holidays, and when friends and family are visiting. The best part is you can make it the night before and pull it out the next morning, let it come to room temperature and you are ready to air fry it. So on a hectic Christmas morning, you can spend time doing other fun things.
A hearty healthy breakfast all in one dish - yes please.
🥘 Ingredients
Large Eggs. The eggs in this Air Fryer breakfast casserole are the perfect base for a hearty breakfast. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and provide us with essential nutrients like vitamins A, D, E and B12. They are also packed with antioxidants that help protect our cells from free radical damage. The eggs act as a binding agent to hold all the other ingredients together while cooking in the air fryer. By adding them to this breakfast casserole, you get all these amazing health benefits along with a delicious breakfast meal!
Milk. Milk is an essential component of this breakfast casserole. It adds richness and creaminess to the dish while also providing extra protein and calcium. The milk helps bind all the other ingredients together, giving you a breakfast that is both tasty and nutritious.
Shredded hash browns are a breakfast staple in many households, and for good reason. Refrigerated hash browns add the perfect crunch to breakfast dishes, from breakfast casseroles to breakfast tacos. They’re also an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, providing us with energy throughout the day.
Shredded cheddar cheese is a must have in any breakfast casserole, at least in my ideal. Not only is it a delicious flavor, but it adds that gooey, creaminess that we love in melted cheese. Cheddar cheese is an excellent source of calcium and protein, both essential nutrients for our bodies.
Ground pork sausage provides a savory flavor and meaty texture that can’t be beat. Sausage is also high in protein and loaded with flavor, rounding out the other ingredients.
Bacon adds the perfect amount of smokiness and crunch to this breakfast casserole dish. Bacons unique flavors are what we expect in a delicious breakfast.
Exact measurements of these ingredients in in the recipe card below.
🔪 How To Make a Breakfast Casserole
- Begin by preheating your air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I always prefer to preheat my air fryer so I'm confident I have the correct temperature and timing.
- Next, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and cook the bacon until it’s crisp. Once cooked, transfer the bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the ground pork sausage. Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it’s browned and just cooked through. Do not overcook. Drain the sausage and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Add the hash browns, cooked sausage, bacon, shredded cheese and seasonings. Mixing everything together until it’s well combined.
- Pour the egg mixture into a greased baking dish and spread it out evenly. Place the breakfast casserole in the preheated air fryer and cook for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.
- Once the breakfast casserole is cooked, let it cool for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve your breakfast casserole with bowls or fresh fruit.
💭 Cook's Tips
The best size pan for this dish is an 8-inch round cake pan that is 2 inches high. If you are using a different size, make sure the dish will hold 6 cups or 1.4 liters. Cooking times may vary.
If you are using a cake pan with a removable bottom, line the pan with parchment paper before filling with the egg mixture.
If you’d like a crispier breakfast casserole, pre-cook the hash browns for a few minutes before adding them to the mixture.
📖 Variations
This breakfast casserole is a great base recipe that can be adapted to suit your tastes and dietary preferences. With a few simple adjustments you can easily make it to suit your tastes.
- You can use frozen shredded hash browns if you prefer, just defrost them completely before using. For leftover frozen hash browns, you will want to know how to cook frozen hash browns in the air fryer.
- For a breakfast casserole with even more flavor, add in about one-half cup of your favorite veggies such as diced red peppers, green bell peppers, onions or mushrooms. You will want to sauté these in the same skillet along with your bacon and breakfast sausage.
- Swap out the ground pork sausage for breakfast turkey sausage, ground chicken sausage, Italian sausage, chorizo, ham or other breakfast meats. You can use a variety of meats in this breakfast casserole to customize the flavor and texture.
- For an extra cheesy breakfast casserole, top it with additional cheese before cooking.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
- Serve with bowls of fresh fruit or berries. Serve some heavy cream to drizzle on top of the berries.
- You can also serve with Frank's Original hot sauce alongside for those who like a dash of hot sauce on their breakfast foods.
- Sour cream or yogurt are also nice options for dolloping on the wedges.
🥡Storage
- Since one of the best things about this dish is that you can make it ahead of time, you will need to refrigerate it up to 3 days before use. Cover the casserole tightly in plastic wrap until ready to use.
- You can also store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the breakfast casserole in your air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 5 minutes.
- For a quick freezer meal, store individual servings in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the meal overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Alternatively, you can thaw and reheat the individual serving at 250 degrees in the air fryer.
This Air Fryer breakfast casserole is a great way to start off your day on the right foot. From its delicious combination of meat, cheese and hash browns to its customization options, you are going to love this recipe.
📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Meat Lover's Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1-½ cups milk
- 10 ounces refrigerated hash browns ½ bag Simply Potatoes hash browns
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ pound ground pork sausage, cooked
- 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Then, whisk in the milk.
- Stir in the hash browns, cheese, cooked sausage, crumbled bacon, garlic powder, salt and pepper; mix well.
- Pour mixture into an 8-inch round cake pan.
- Air fry for 25 minutes. Cover pan with foil during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Remove from the air fryer and let stand 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
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