Slow-Cooker Overnight Breakfast Casserole
There's nothing better than waking up to a full breakfast made and ready to eat, especially around the holidays or when you have people staying the night. This crowd-pleaser layers hash brown potatoes, bacon, sausage, tomatoes, chiles and spices for a Southwest spin.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 pound breakfast sausage, casings removed, broken up
- nonstick cooking spray
- one 2-pound bag frozen shredded or diced hash brown potatoes (not patties)
- two 10-ounce cans tomatoes and chiles, such as ro-tel
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded whole-milk mozzarella
- 12 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- chopped cilantro, hot sauce and lime wedges, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the bacon and sausage onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing halfway through with a flat metal spatula, until their fat renders and both are golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to paper towels to drain and discard their fat.
- Coat the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Layer half the hash brown potatoes with half the bacon and sausage. Place the canned tomatoes and chiles in a sieve and press as much liquid out of them as possible; discard the liquid. Transfer the tomatoes and chiles to a bowl and toss with the pepper Jack cheese, red onion and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Layer half the mixture over the meats, then repeat the layering with the remaining potatoes, bacon and sausage and cheese and vegetable mixture.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then pour over the casserole mixture. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella, then cover and cook on low until the eggs are set and have become a custard, about 7 hours. Turn off the heat, uncover and let rest for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce and lime wedges.
