This Loaded Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is an easy breakfast or brinner that’s ready in just 60 minutes. Plus, it’s excellent overnight company fare!

This recipe serves 12 and costs $11.12 to make. That’s just 93¢ per serving!!

Breakfast is the most important part of the day. For more breakfast recipes try this Sherry, Ham, and Cheese Brunch, these Overnight Breakfast Enchiladas, and this Easy Broccoli Quiche. 

Finished Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole recipe with text overlay for Pinterest.

Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole Recipe

To make this casserole, you need Tater Tots, eggs, half and half, BACON, ham, cheese, and seasonings. That’s it. That’s all that you need to make this delicious, creamy, and tasty breakfast casserole. 

You can make the casserole in one hour, or you can opt to make it the night before, place it in the refrigerator, and then bake it in the morning. Either way, you’ll have a delicious tater tot casserole on the table in no time! 

I love a good hearty breakfast. But honestly, during the week, I just do not have the time to make it. Luckily we have the weekends where time slows down just a bit. The weekends give me a chance to breathe, relax, and spend some time cooking the most important meal of the day.

This Loaded Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole works for breakfast, brunch, and even brinner! If I have the time to eat a big breakfast during the week, this is one of those breakfast casseroles that can be made beforehand and left overnight in the fridge. Score!

My extended family often has a gathering for brunch, and you better believe I am showing up with my Tater Tot Casserole. Everyone loves it, and it’s the first dish to go every time.

Slices of Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole on white plates.

What’s not to love? This breakfast casserole has bacon, ham, tater tots, and cheese. These are all of my favorite breakfast foods. It’s cheesy and a classic comfort meal. 

Ron Swanson, from Parks and Rec, said it best when he said:

“There has never been a sadness that can’t be cured by breakfast food.”

Yes! I agree, Ron! Breakfast casseroles are the key to happiness! Especially breakfast casseroles made with ham AND bacon! 

INGREDIENTS AND COST

Per Serving Cost: $0.93

Recipe Cost: $11.12

  • 1 (32 oz) bag of frozen tater tots – $2.96
  • 15 eggs  – $1.50
  • ¼ cup half n half  – $0.19
  • 6 slices bacon – $1.26
  • 1/2-pound deli or dinner ham – $1.47
  • 8 oz bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese – $2.56
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese – $1.11
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt – $0.01
  • Dash of pepper – $0.01
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder – $0.02
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder – $0.02
  • 1/8 Creole Seasoning – $0.01

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. 

HOW TO MAKE TATER TOT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

  1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray, and set the dish aside. 
  2. Next, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, and seasonings in a large mixing bowl. 
  3. Then, evenly place the diced ham on the bottom of the dish. Cover the ham with ¾ of the cheeses. 
  4. Arrange the tater tots in rows over the cheese. 
  5. Pour the egg mixture over the tater tots. 
  6. Place the casserole into the fridge overnight or until ready to bake. 
  7. Bake the dish for forty-five minutes. Top with the remaining cheese and crumbled bacon and then bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.  
  8. Finally, let it cook for five minutes on a wire rack before serving. 

A picture collage showing how to make this recipe.

***For complete instructions see the recipe card below!

RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS

Substitutions are always welcome to fit your family’s needs, and of course, if you are short on a few ingredients, this recipe is flexible. Common substitutions for this recipe include: 

  1. Half n Half – you can sub milk or heavy cream. 
  2. Bacon bits vs. Cooked bacon – I get it, you are short on time or just do not keep bacon on hand. You can use bacon bits, but you may lose some of the savory flavors that freshly cooked bacon provides. 
  3. Sub Bacon/Ham for Chicken/Turkey bacon/sausage 

STORAGE TIPS

SERVE: As with most recipes with dairy products in them, you shouldn’t leave this casserole out for longer than 2 hours. 

STORE: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days. Make sure you cover it with foil or plastic wrap. 

FREEZE: Once cooled, cover the the Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole in two layers of plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

THAW: Thaw in refrigerator overnight.

REHEAT: Bake at 350ºF for about 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Close up picture of the baked Tater Tor Breakfast Casserole in a white casserole dish.

RECIPE FAQ’S

Can this be prepped the night before?

YES! It’s an excellent Breakfast Casserole recipe and one of my favorite ways to make it! To make this an overnight breakfast casserole, all you need to do is complete steps 1-7. After that, Bake time will remain the same.

Should I cover the tater tot casserole with foil?

This recipe will not need foil while it bakes. By leaving off the foil, your tater tots will crisp up on the top slightly, and you will not need to worry about the top layer of cheese burning since the last layer goes on at the end.

What is the difference between quiche and breakfast casserole?

While both can have similar ingredients, a quiche is more pie-like with a pastry crust. While a casserole does not have a crust. The ingredients are layered in a baking dish.

COOK’S TOOLS 

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk 
  • Wire rack
A close up slice of tater tot breakfast casserole.

MORE BREAKFAST RECIPES

A close up of the finished Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole in a casserole dish with a piece taken out of it.
4.91 from 11 votes

Loaded Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Author A Food Folks and Fun original!
Recipe Cost $ $11.12
Serving Cost $ $0.93
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
12 people
This Loaded Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is an easy breakfast or brinner that’s ready in just 60 minutes. This recipe serves 12 and costs $11.12 to make. That’s just 93¢ per serving!

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • mixing bowl
  • whisk
  • wire rack

Ingredients
 
 

EGG MIXTURE:

  • 15 large eggs
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ⅛ Creole Seasoning optional but highly recommend for flavor

FILLING:

  • ½ pound deli or dinner ham sliced or cubed into small pieces
  • 8 oz bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

TOP LAYER:

  • 1 32 oz bag of frozen tater tots
  • 6 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled into pieces

TOPPINGS: (all optional)

  • Diced tomatoes
  • Sliced mushrooms
  • Diced bell peppers
  • Chopped fresh spinach
  • Chives
  • Salsa
  • Sour cream

Instructions

PREHEAT OVEN AND PREP CASSEROLE DISH:

  • Move oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease a 9 x 13in casserole dish with cooking spray.

MAKE EGG MIXTURE:

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, half n half, and seasonings until combined.

ASSEMBLE CASSEROLE:

  • Arrange the diced ham on the bottom of the dish and spread to cover evenly. Cover the ham with ¾ of the cheeses.
  • Arrange the tater tots in neat rows to completely cover the cheese.
  • Pour egg mixture over the tater tots and then refrigerate overnight or until ready to bake. If you're baking right away, then you don't need to refrigerate the casserole.

BAKE:

  • Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
  • Top with the reserved cheese and crumbled bacon and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

COOL AND SERVE:

  • Let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Serve with toppings (all optional).

Video

Notes

You can cut this recipe in half and prepare it in a smaller 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. You will reduce the cooking time by 5-10 minutes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 280mg | Sodium: 583mg | Potassium: 198mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Calcium: 248mg | Iron: 1mg

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A piece of tater tot casserole on a white plate that's topped with sour cream, tomatoes, and chives.

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I’m Jillian, the creator behind Food Folks and Fun. I have over 30 years of experience cooking for others. There’s nothing I love more than cooking for my family. Food is love, and cooking isn’t just putting a meal on a plate: It’s putting a little part of myself into that meal.

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Recipe Rating




15 Comments

  1. This sounds sooo good!

    Reply

  2. Just made this while my parents are visiting and OMG where has it been all my life? So easy to make and SO darn good! There aren’t any leftovers…

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad everyone loved the recipe! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  3. Nellie Tracy says:

    This is one of my new favorite things to make for breakfast, fairly easy and my family loves it!

    Reply
  4. Antoinette M says:

    Delicious! My family would love this!

    Reply
  5. Cheryl Everitt says:

    Thank you, thank you! This is a hit with my grands!

    Reply

  6. Oh every now and then we have a breakfast get together, everyone brings something. I’m always on the lookout for something different and tasty, and this is perfect! I’ve not heard of tater-tots for breakfast, this is cool way to use them! And the dish looks scrumptious!

    Reply
  7. Suzanne Greene says:

    Wow, this looks so good. Can’t wait to try it this weekend!

    Reply

  8. Delicious! We love tater tots, but they aren’t easy to get hold of here in the UK, so I am quite picky about how I use them :D. This was a brilliant recipe! We made this for early lunch yesterday and both I and my husband enjoyed it immensely! Highly recommended!

    Reply

  9. Yum! This looks super comforting and delicious. It would definitely get me out of bed in the morning.

    Reply

  10. I love how loaded this breakfast casserole is; my kids loved it. We didn’t have bacon and I used sausage and it was it incredibly delightful.

    Reply

  11. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew my kids would love this tater top breakfast casserole and it didn’t disappoint. Thanks for this great dish!

    Reply
  12. Claudia Lamascolo says:

    I cant wait to try this I am a huge fan of tater tots and this is going to be a great addition!!

    Reply