Ham, Egg & Cheese Casserole
Filled with ham, melted cheese, and hashbrowns, this ham, egg, and cheese casserole recipe is the perfect low-carb and protein-rich breakfast to make the morning after a big holiday feast.
Hey friends! Today I’m sharing a recipe from my second book, Come Home To Supper (page 155). This ham, cheese, and egg casserole is a favorite for a low-carb and protein-rich supper, weekend brunch, or breakfast for a group over the holidays or any celebration. Christmas and Thanksgiving morning will be here before you know it!
It’s overflowing with all the good stuff you need to make the perfect brunch. This includes ham (the perfect recipe to make with ham leftovers), cheddar cheese, golden hashbrowns, and eggs, of course. Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest casseroles to make – just what you want after a big celebration. Simply combine the ingredients and cook in the kitchen appliance of your choice.
I’m using my Instant Pot to make my ham, cheese, and egg casserole. However, it is a slow cooker or oven recipe as well. Instructions for the different cooking methods are in the printable recipe at the bottom of this post. I’ve had tons of people ask me for Instant Pot recipes since I first mentioned having one, so here we go!
Recipe Ingredients
- Onion
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Frozen cubed hash browns
- Diced ham or meat of your choice
- Milk
- Eggs
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Ham, Egg, and Cheese Casserole
Layer 1/3 of frozen hash browns, 1/3 of onions, 1/3 of ham, and 1/3 of shredded cheese in your insert. Repeat this two more times until it is all used up.
Beat eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together and pour over layers.
Instant Pot Instructions
The instant pot has several settings. Personally, I’m just tossing all this in and using the slow cooker setting.
I press “slow cooker” and then press “adjust” until it goes to the “less” light on the display screen.
I now have it slow cooking on low. From there I use the plus or minus sign to move the time up to 7 hours. If you want to cook this on high, just press “slow cooker” and it is automatically on high. Then adjust your time to anywhere between 3 to 4 hours.
You could probably adapt this recipe for a pressure cooker, but I usually reserve pressure cooking in my instant pot for roasts, chickens, stews, dried beans, boiled eggs, and potatoes.
Dig in!
Storage
- Store breakfast casserole leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze this ham, egg, and cheese casserole, wrap it up tight and freeze it unbaked for up to 3 months (learn how to freeze a casserole the right way!). To bake, completely thaw in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and then follow the baking instructions as shown above.
Recipe Notes
- You can chop the onions yourself and shred the cheese if you like but I just love buying these frozen chopped onions for a great shortcut on the days when I just want to make my life a tiny bit easier.
- This breakfast casserole recipe is wonderful with crumbled turkey breakfast sausage. I recommend the Jenn-O brand because that is our favorite. Another option is bacon, of course.
- See the Instant Pot I have by clicking here.
- Want to add more flavor? Opt for a teaspoon of Dijon mustard added to the egg mixture or a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. You could also add some fresh herbs, like chopped fresh parsley, chives, thyme, or rosemary.
- If you’d like to add vegetables, opt for thinly diced bell pepper, zucchini, or mushrooms. Another option is spinach, which pairs perfectly with the casserole.
- You can use any cheese in this recipe or a combination. Other options include Swiss, Colby, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and Gouda.
- If you decide to oven bake your casserole, you can also add layers of cubed bread (I recommend between 4 to 6 slices of bread cut into pieces). They just won’t crisp up as well in the Instant Pot.
- Serve your ham, , and casserole with salsa, hot sauce, or sour cream and chives.
You might also enjoy these Instant Pot recipes:
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen cubed hash browns 32 ounces
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1-2 cups cooked ham or crumbled turkey breakfast sausage
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 10-12 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Spray the insert of a slow cooker, instant pot, or 5-quart Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1/3 of hash browns in the bottom. Top with 1/3 onions, 1/3 ham, and 1/3 cheese. Repeat two more times.1 bag frozen cubed hash browns, 1 large onion, diced, 1-2 cups cooked ham or crumbled turkey breakfast sausage, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until well blended. Pour over the ham and potato layers.10-12 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper
To make in the oven
- Bake, uncovered, at 325 for 90 minutes, or until the eggs are set.
To make in the slow cooker
- Place the crock in the slow cooker, cover with the lid, and bake on low 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
To make in an Instant Pot
- Place the insert in the Instant Pot. Press "slow cooker", then "adjust" until the light comes on under "less". Adjust the time using the plus and minus sign to get it to 7 hours. If you'd like to cook it faster, press "slow cooker", don't adjust to less, then adjust the time to 3-4 hours.
Nutrition
7 hours in the IP? Is that a typo?
Nope. That’s correct. If you have time please read my post where I talk about how the instant pot is designed to be many appliances in one and then you’ll note that this recipe has you using it as a slow cooker. I’m thinking you’re thinking of it being a pressure cooker only in this case.
Christy, I tried your recipe today in my instant pot for 4 hours and my eggs didn’t set? Wondering what I have done wrong? Do I need to use a different lid like the glass one?
I had the same problem tonight. Nowhere close to being done.
I’ve made this in the oven and it turned out great. Will have to keep doing it that way from now on.
Is there a high pressure way to cook this? Not using the Slow cooker function?
I haven’t made it that way but it is possible. However, it will take some trial and error on your part, I’m afraid. For starters, you may want to put your ingredients in a smaller crock, place that inside the Instant Pot, and put water around it so that the pressure cooker is actually steaming it. Again, this is trial and error and the only method I’m sharing is the one I have used myself. 🙂
Have you ever tried this with cooked sausage instead of ham? I’m thinking of trying it.
It would work wonderfully. I’ve made it lately with turkey sausage.
My dear friend, Kat, used this recipe with turkey sausage for a Craft Guild Mothers Day Brunch. She cooked it overnight in a crock pot and it was wonderful.AND SO EASY!
If you double the recipe, do you have to adjust the time at all? Thanks!
Do you think I can cut up my own potatoes for this recipe instead of using frozen? Or will the cook time be too long for nonfrozen potatoes? Thanks!
You can cut them but if blanch them a bit first so the dish is done in time. The eggs cook pretty quickly.
I have often found with the instant po as a slow cooker, that I cook on high NOT overnight so I can test the recipe out and keep an eye on it all day. Once I know how it works and tweak it to correct any fails, it becomes an overnight recipe. Just a tip
Great idea Rue!!!