This casserole is built from diced potato cubes rather than shredded hash browns, so every square has soft, distinct pieces of potato through the egg.
The bacon is cooked first and its drippings soften the red pepper. Everything goes into a 9-by-13-inch dish, the seasoned eggs are poured over, and cheddar and green onion bake on top.
Ingredient Notes
- Yukon Gold potatoes
- A pound and a half cut into 1/2-inch cubes, small enough to cook through in five minutes of simmering.
- Bacon
- Eight ounces chopped before cooking; keep a tablespoon of the drippings for the pepper.
- Green onions, divided
- Half bake on the cheddar and half go on fresh after resting.
Checking the Center Before It Comes Out
Baked eggs look set at the edges long before the middle is done.
- Bacon cooked firstBacon is fully cooked and crisp before it goes into the dish.
- Potatoes par-cookedThe potato cubes have been simmered and drained.
Check before you continue
160°F in the center — Instant-read thermometer
Insert the probe into the middle of the dish, away from the pan sides, after 35 minutes of baking.
- RestRest the casserole 10 minutes.
- Finish and cutAdd the remaining green onions and cut into squares.
How to Make It
Oven at 375°F, potatoes par-cooked
Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Simmer the diced potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes, then drain well.
Bacon crisped, pepper softened
Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp and move it to a plate. Cook the red bell pepper in 1 tbsp of the bacon drippings for 2 minutes.
Filling spread, eggs poured over
Spread the potatoes, bacon and red pepper in the dish. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, black pepper and garlic powder and pour it over the filling.
Cheddar on top, baked to 160°F
Top with the cheddar and half the green onions. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is set and reads 160°F.
Rested and cut into squares
Rest 10 minutes, scatter over the remaining green onions and cut into thick squares.
Success Tips
- Let the drained potato cubes steam off for a minute so extra water does not loosen the egg custard.
- Drain the cooked bacon on paper towels so the casserole does not turn greasy around the edges.
- Check the breakfast casserole with a thermometer in the very center; the edges set well before the middle does.
Serving Ideas
Lift out thick squares with a spatula so the potato, bacon and pepper show on the cut sides, with fresh green onion on top.
Why This Recipe Works
- Simmering the potato cubes for five minutes means they finish tender in the oven instead of staying firm inside the egg.
- Cooking the pepper in a spoonful of bacon drippings carries the smoky flavour through the whole dish.
- Eight eggs to one cup of milk sets into a custard firm enough to cut clean squares.
- Resting ten minutes after baking lets the center finish setting before it is sliced.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Cool, cover and refrigerate leftover squares, then reheat them until hot all the way through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use shredded hash browns?
The recipe is written for diced Yukon Gold cubes, par-cooked for 5 minutes, which is what gives each square its separate potato pieces.
How do I know the eggs are cooked?
The center should be set and read 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, usually after 35 to 40 minutes.
