Ham Hash Brown Casserole
Ham Hash Brown Casserole has all the breakfast favorites—savory ham, shredded hash browns, melty cheese, and eggs. A whole meal in one!
A Simple, Filling Breakfast Casserole
I love this Ham Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole that’s perfect for weekend mornings, brunch, or even meal prepping for the week. This could even just be a side dish if you want. Remove the ham and use cooked ground beef or leave the meat out entirely! It comes together in no time and will have everyone asking for seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes. Assemble the casserole the night before, cover it tightly, and refrigerate. In the morning, bake it fresh, adding an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time since you’re cooking it from cold.
This recipe is great using leftover ham from other recipes. But you can buy a ham steak and dice it up or you can check the grocery store and find packages of already diced ham (which is what I used). I’d check where your store normally stocks the ham or check where the luncheon meat is located.
Swap out the ham for cooked bacon, cooked and crumbled sausage, or even leftover cooked turkey for variety. If you want to make this with sausage, check out my Sausage Breakfast Casserole recipe.
The center of the casserole should not jiggle when it’s fully cooked. Use a toothpick or knife to check; it should come out clean.
Yes, you can use fresh potatoes. Shred them and pat them dry with a towel to remove excess moisture before using them in the recipe.
You can use Swiss, Monterey Jack, Colby, or pepper jack cheese for added flavor. A mix of cheeses also works great for a richer taste.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Absolutely! Assemble and bake the casserole as instructed, then let it cool completely. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake at 350°F until heated through (about 20-30 minutes).
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- frozen hash browns– I used the Great Value Shredded Hash Browns (not a paid affiliate link), but any thawed ones will work. For even cooking, make sure the hash browns are fully thawed and pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
- diced ham – you can use any meat or make it meatless. Cooked and crumbled bacon tastes so good too!
- shredded cheddar cheese – you can definitely use any cheese you enjoy. I think pepper jack is good for a little kick. Gruyere or even mozzarella work.
- eggs
- sour cream – if you don’t like sour cream, you can omit it. It won’t change the texture.
- heavy cream– helps bring more moisture to the dish. You could use milk, but, I would use a whole milk for that added fat that will help.
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder – you can’t go wrong with this seasoning combo but please feel free to play with the seasoning and use what you enjoy!
How To Make Ham Hash Brown Casserole:
Prepare hash brown mixture
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the thawed hash browns evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the diced ham and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the hash browns.
Prepare egg mixture
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, heavy cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth.
Add egg mixture to hash browns and bake
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the hash browns, ham, and cheese. Gently press down with a spatula to ensure the ingredients are well coated. Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the casserole is set and golden brown on top.
Allow the casserole to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.
Craving More Recipes?
Ham Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
- 26 ounce bag frozen hash browns, thawed (patted dry with a paper towel)
- 8 ounce package diced ham (1 cup)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided use)
- 8 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Spread the thawed 26 ounce bag frozen hash browns, thawed evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the 8 ounce package diced ham and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the hash browns.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 8 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon onion powder until smooth.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the hash browns, ham, and cheese. Gently press down with a spatula to ensure the ingredients are well coated.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the casserole is set and golden brown on top.
- Allow the casserole to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- I went with 2 cups of cheese because most bagged cheese is 2 cups. However, if you are a cheese lover like myself, please feel free to use more!
- I prefer to pat the hash browns with a paper towel to ensure no excess moisture is released into the casserole as it bakes (and you don’t have liquid pooling under the casserole.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: January 2025
Updated photos and republished: June 2026
Can this be made the night before. Then bake in the morning?
I answer that question in more detail above in the Frequently Asked Questions section 🙂
This recipe needs moisture some milk needs to be added to egg mixture. The potatoes were very dry and casserole was flat.. It sort of ruined my brunch, not saving this recipe!!
Love your recipes!
Thanks for sharing with all of us your creativity!
You are so kind Dianna! Thanks so very much!! That means a lot!
does it matter if u use cubed or shredded hash browns?
I find shredded potato seem to be mushy
We generally shun away from casserole because around 95% of casserole contain ‘cheeses’. (We don’t like the taste and odor of chesses.)
This recipe looks like it might work without any cheese. I’m willing to increase the portion of sour-crèam for moistness.
Your opinion please.
Hi Doug! I honestly couldn’t tell you. It seems like it should work but I have never personally tested it and I would never want someone to waste ingredients because I said it would work. This may just need to be an experiment on your part. If you try it, I’d love to know how it goes for you!
We made the hash brown casserole and it fantastic. Really enjoy all of your recipes.
Thanks so very much Kathy! That really means so much to hear!
Ingredients list calls for 2 cups shredded cheese (divided); directions call for 3 cups – which is it?
I fixed it! 🙂
The way the recipe reads is putting 1 cup of cheese over the ham, then mixing in 2 cups of cheese with eggs and finally topping the casserole with 1 more cup of cheese…is this correct?