Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Wake up in the morning to a flavorful, filling, and (best of all) easy breakfast the whole family will love.
- Tater tot breakfast casserole is a great recipe for busy mornings and lazy weekends—especially when you have overnight guests!
- Using a bag of frozen bell peppers and onions makes meal prep even simpler.
Step aside, soggy breakfast burritos, because hearty tater tot casserole is in town!
With crispy tots, gooey cheese, and salty ham, it’s no wonder why this
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Swap the ham for cooked thick-cut bacon, Canadian bacon, savory breakfast sausage, ground beef, pork sausage, or turkey sausage.
- Use your favorite kind of cheese! Monterey jack, mozzarella cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, parmesan, and Swiss cheese are great options.
- Use fresh red bell peppers and diced yellow onion instead of frozen if you have some you need to use up.
- Whole milk or 2% reduced fat milk both work just fine in this classic tater tot recipe. Use what you've got!
- Replace the milk and half-and-half with a cup of heavy cream to make this delicious meal even richer.
- Add a little bit of cajun seasoning, a dash of red pepper flakes, diced jalapenos, or green chilies for a spicy kick.
- Feel free to garnish your serving of tater tot casserole with a dollop of sour cream, sliced green onions, hot sauce, or even a runny fried egg.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Add half of the tater tots to the crockpot and then a layer of diced ham.
- Top the ham with the frozen peppers and onions.
- Mix large eggs, milk, half and half, and half of the cheese in a large bowl and pour the creamy cheese mixture over the veggies.
- Place the remaining tater tots in an even layer overtop and cook.
🍴 Equipment
You’ll need a standard-size crock pot with a 6-7 quart capacity (and a lid!) to make this
🥫 How to store leftovers
Let leftover tater tot breakfast casserole cool at room temperature before storing.
Refrigerator
Once cooled, refrigerate the extras in an airtight container or a casserole dish covered tightly in plastic wrap for up to three days.
Freezer
For longer storage, freeze leftovers for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating. Here's more information on how to freeze tater tot casserole.
Reheat
You can easily reheat individual portions in the microwave. However, large portions can be warmed in the oven in a casserole dish covered with foil.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: The ham must be cooked when you add it to the crockpot. Raw meat won't fully cook by the time the rest of the casserole is done! You can use leftover ham or ask for thick, half-inch slices from the deli.
- Cut the ham into small pieces so it’s not a choking hazard for little kids!
- You don’t need to thaw the frozen tater tots or veggies before adding them to the crock pot—just toss 'em in straight out of the freezer.
- Grease the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray or olive oil to prevent your casserole from sticking to the bottom of the
slow cooker . - Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-packaged shredded cheese. It melts much better this way.
- Save half the cheese to spread on the top layer of tater tots 15 minutes before serving so you get a mouthful of gooey cheese in every bite!
- To reduce the cooking time on busy mornings, you can cook this on high for about two hours.
- I like to portion leftovers into individual containers for easy-to-go breakfasts the next day!
👩🍳 FAQs
The best part of this easy recipe is that you can assemble most of the ingredients ahead for easier prep the next morning. Cut the ham, shred the cheese, and combine the creamy egg mixture in advance.
Store everything in separate containers in the fridge. Keep the peppers/onions and tater tots frozen. Then, all you have to do the next day is dump everything in, and voila!
For sure! Savory breakfast sausage, chorizo, ground beef, leftover Thanksgiving turkey, or shredded chicken all work great. Just be sure the meat is fully cooked and you can toss it right in!
It's simple! Just leave out the ham and add a few more veggies—chopped spinach, sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, and broccoli are all delicious choices.
Sometimes frozen tater tots are called hashbrowns. Those will work, as well as any other type of small, frozen potato product. Just don't use raw potatoes—it can throw the cooking time off.
📚 Related recipes
- Christmas Breakfast Casserole is an easy
slow cooker recipe full of potatoes, cheese, sausage, and eggs—perfect while opening presents! - Delicious, fun, and a favorite among kids, Leftover Pizza Breakfast Casserole is a great way to use up leftovers from Friday night pizza.
- Kickstart your day with Sausage Gravy Breakfast Pizza, made with eggs, bacon, and lots of cheese on top of soft, buttery crescent roll dough.
🍽️ Serve with...
Candied Jalapenos are the perfect sweet-and-spicy topping for savory breakfast recipes. Sprinkle a handful on this amazing casserole for a tasty Southern kick!
Don't be scared off by its name—my Summer Fruit Salad is a great dish to serve with hearty breakfast casserole any time of year. Feel free to toss in whatever fruit you can get your hands on.
Then, serve your special brunch with a large Salted Caramel Latte. This Starbucks copycat latte is creamy and sweet, just like the original—but without the hefty price tag!
📞 The last word
I love a good crockpot breakfast anytime but especially for the holidays. It's nice to be able to enjoy time with the family without being the one in the kitchen flipping pancakes!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
Print Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound diced ham
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots, divided
- 12 ounces frozen bell peppers and onion mix
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup half-and-half
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese, divided
- green onions, sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray.
- Mix the two cheeses together in a bowl.
- Pour half of the tater tots into the bottom of the prepared slow cooker.
- Add the ham on top.
- Sprinkle with the bell pepper mix.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, and half the cheese mixture.
- Pour the egg mixture over the tater tots, ham, and peppers layer.
- Top with the remaining tater tots.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- 15 minutes before serving top with the rest of the cheese and put the cover back on.
- Sprinkle with green onions and serve.
Notes
-
- Be sure to use cooked ham.
-
- You don’t need to thaw the frozen tater tots or veggies before adding them to the crock pot—just toss 'em in straight out of the freezer.
-
- Grease the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray or olive oil to prevent your casserole from sticking to the bottom of the slow cooker.
-
- Grate your own cheese instead of buying pre-packaged shredded cheese. It melts much better this way.
-
- Save half the cheese to spread on the top layer of tater tots 15 minutes before serving so you get a mouthful of gooey cheese in every bite!
-
- To reduce the cooking time on busy mornings, you can cook this on high for about two hours.
-
- I like to portion leftovers into individual containers for easy-to-go breakfasts the next day!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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