Overnight breakfast recipes are a must for busy cooks. They help when you’re looking for breakfast ideas for overnight guests or figuring out a way to make morning mealtime effortless. You can assemble a slow-cooker breakfast casserole in the evening and pop it in the oven in the a.m. Anything to catch a few more winks of sleep before the house wakes up, right?

Featuring layers of hash browns, sausages, onions, green chiles, cheese and eggs, this recipe is one of the best hearty breakfast casserole recipes around. It takes less than half an hour to throw together, and the results are gloriously cheesy and filling. You’ll want to have the recipe in your back pocket for busy weekends or as an overnight breakfast recipe for the holidays.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Breakfast Casserole

• Hash browns: Frozen hash browns are ideal for this recipe. If you’re worried about your casserole turning out soggy, thaw the hash browns before you get started.
• Sausages: Breakfast sausages are the natural choice, but feel free to use your favorite sausages. To avoid greasiness, fry and drain them before putting the casserole together.
• Onion: Onions bring texture and flavor to this easy slow-cooker breakfast casserole. When it comes to types of onions, opt for yellow, which is the most standard variety.
• Green chiles: Of all the types of peppers, there are two popular canned green chiles: Anaheims have a mild heat, while Hatch chiles are hotter still. Jalapenos are the next step up, falling somewhere in the middle, and serranos are quite hot.
• Cheese: Versatile cheddar is the cheese of choice here. Sharp and extra sharp cheddar are a must for that extra bite, but we love the creamy, subtle flavor of mild cheddar too.
• Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients together while giving the slow-cooker breakfast casserole a serious protein boost to kick off your day.
• Milk: Adding milk enhances the fluffiness of the eggs. Full-fat milk yields richer eggs, but skim is excellent if you’re not keen on whole milk.
• Seasonings: A simple sprinkling of salt and pepper is all you need to season the eggs. You can always add a few extra shakes tableside.

Taste of Home