Combine tater tots, eggs, and breakfast sausage in one skillet and you've got a hearty breakfast casserole that lasts the entire week. Whether you call it a hotdish or simply a tater tot bake, it's downright delicious.
Photography Credit: Aaron Hutcherson
Hand me sausage, eggs, potatoes, and cheese first thing in the morning, and I'm guaranteed to have an amazing day.
This tater tot bake brings all those beloved breakfast staples together in one satisfying dish. It works wonderfully for a leisurely weekend brunch, or you can work it into your weekly meal rotation and enjoy slices for breakfast over several days.
Some readers may recognize this style of casserole as a "hotdish" — a word rooted in the Upper Midwest cooking tradition. A traditional hotdish generally features a starch (often potatoes), some kind of protein, and vegetables.
This tater tot version keeps that classic formula intact. It calls for tater tots, breakfast sausage, sharp cheddar, and eggs. I left out the vegetable element to keep things simple, though you could absolutely toss in some diced bell peppers or sautéed mushrooms if you'd like extra color and flavor.
The whole thing comes together in one oven-safe skillet with hardly any prep work, making it ideal for feeding a group. It's also a fantastic option to prep ahead of time. Since I mostly cook for myself, I found myself warming up individual portions of this bake for breakfast during the week (and even sneaking a few slices for dinner) — reheated, it tasted just as good as fresh from the oven!
I should mention that some folks prefer to steer clear of overly processed ingredients. For this recipe, I used Ore Ida tater tots, but if you want a more organic alternative, Alexia offers excellent varieties that would substitute beautifully.
One quick note: the recipe calls for roughly three-quarters of a 32-ounce bag, leaving you with leftover tots you can stash for another meal — a nice little bonus!
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces ground pork breakfast sausage
- 6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra to sprinkle over top
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (whole) milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- One 32-ounce bag frozen tater tots
- Thinly sliced chives, for serving
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2 Brown the sausage: Set a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add the breakfast sausage. Break the meat up with a wooden spoon and cook until it's fully browned and no longer pink, roughly 5 to 7 minutes. Pull the skillet off the heat.
3 Build the casserole: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together with the milk, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Spread the cooked sausage evenly across the bottom of the skillet. Scatter the shredded cheese on top, then pour the egg mixture over everything.
Place the frozen tater tots on top of the egg mixture in concentric rings, beginning around the outer edge of the skillet and spiraling inward (or work from the center outward — whichever you prefer). You won't need the whole bag; tuck the remaining tots away in the freezer for later.
4 Bake the dish. Slide the skillet into the oven and bake until the eggs are completely set and the cheese has turned bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. If you'd like, scatter a little extra cheese across the surface during the last minute or two of baking, just until it melts.
5 Plate and serve: Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes before slicing it into wedges. Finish with a handful of sliced chives and bring it to the table. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Aaron Hutcherson
Aaron, better known as "Hutch," is the face behind The Hungry Hutch, a blog packed with a mouthwatering mix of savory and sweet dishes. Originally from the Midwest, he's been living in New York City for close to a decade now.
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