Farmer’s Casserole
Our farmer’s casserole is the best hearty and filling breakfast recipe. It’s made with hash browns, pepper jack cheese, and Canadian bacon baked with a mixture of evaporated milk and eggs. This recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and is a great make-ahead meal!
💌 Don't forget to save this recipe!
You’ll Love this Canadian Bacon Casserole Recipe
This farmer’s casserole is one of my favorite breakfast recipes to make on Christmas morning! It’s right up there with a pan of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. I like to think that it’s similar to an egg and cheese quiche except there’s no crust. It bakes in 3-quart dish (a 9×13-inch pan or round pan works great), and it’s loaded up with lots of goodies.
It has plenty of eggs, hash browns, shredded cheese, Canadian bacon, and a couple of cans of evaporated milk. It bakes up perfectly fluffy and makes a great breakfast if you have a crowd to feed.
We like to make it for holidays when the entire family is together. You can even prep it ahead of time, pop it in the fridge, and bake it when you’re ready for breakfast the next morning.
Made with love,
My Best Tips
- Don’t forget to grease the pan! This keeps the eggs from sticking, and trust me, they can stick.
- If you notice the top of the casserole browning too quickly before it’s fully baked, cover it loosely with a foil tent and continue to bake until it’s completely set.
How to Make a Farmer’s Casserole
- Start by preheating your oven to 375°F, and greasing a 9×13-inch pan or 3-quart dish.
- To the baking dish add the hash browns, pepper jack cheese, Canadian bacon, chili powder, salt, and pepper. You can mix the ingredients together right in the dish. I like to use cubed hash browns, but shredded work, too.
- Pour the beaten eggs and evaporated milk into the dish, and stir until the ingredients are fully combined. Make sure that the Canadian bacon and hash browns are evenly distributed.
- Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes for a 9×13-inch pan. It will take over an hour for a deep, round baking dish. I’d start checking the casserole at the 40 minute mark to make sure it doesn’t overcook. You should be able to stick a butter knife in the center and remove it without raw or undercooked egg attached.
Serving Suggestions
I love to garnish this casserole with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of freshly chopped green onions. It’s a full meal on its own, but a fresh fruit salad is one of my favorite things to serve on the side. If you happen to be having it for dinner, it’s delicious with some oven-roasted broccoli or brioche rolls!
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups hash brown style potatoes, frozen
- 8 ounces pepper jack, or mozzarella cheese, shredded off the block
- 6 ounces Canadian bacon, diced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 large eggs, beaten
- 24 ounces evaporated milk, 2 (12 ounce) cans
💌 Don't forget to save this recipe!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, and lightly grease a 9×13-inch dish or 3-quart baking dish.
- Add the hashbrowns, cheese, Canadian bacon, chili powder, salt, and pepper to the prepared pan. Toss to combine.3 ½ cups hash brown style potatoes8 ounces pepper jack6 ounces Canadian bacon½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon black pepper½ teaspoon chili powder
- Pour in the eggs and evaporated milk. Stir to combine.8 large eggs24 ounces evaporated milk
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes if using a 9×13-inch pan. If using a deep, round 3-quart dish, bake for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours. The center may have a slight jiggle but not be watery. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Let it cool for at least 20 minutes to let it set before serving.
Notes
- The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 cup of casserole. Actual calories will vary.
- There is a large gap in the cook time due to the type/size of pan options. Start checking the casserole about 5 to 10 minutes before it should be finished. A 3-quart dish will take longer to bake than a 9×13-inch dish. The 3-quart is deeper, so it could take 1 hour to 1 ½ hours depending on the depth of the dish.
- You can swap the Canadian bacon with diced ham, use your favorite shredded cheese, and cubed or shredded hash browns.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze the fully baked casserole for up to 3 months.
- To make the casserole ahead of time, assemble it but don’t bake. Cover it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Bake it when you’re ready for breakfast the next day.
This sounds like a perfect breakfast for company. Is that the 30-ounce bag of hash browns? I use the rehydrated, so am trying to figure out how much I need. Probably add some chopped-up onion and half a pepper too.
Hi Barbara!
Yes, it is! It would be similar to the diced Ore-Ida O’brien Potatoes with Onions and Peppers. I’ve seen it sold in both 28-ounce and 30-ounce bags depending on the brand, so either amount would probably work. 🙂
Hi, I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m wondering if I could freeze this in a muffin tin for single servings and how long to heat in a microwave. I love your recipes!
Diki
Hi Diki!
Thank you so much! We haven’t tried to bake this casserole in a muffin pan, but I think it should work fine. The cook time needs to be reduced quite a bit. I’d start checking at them at around 30-35 minutes and add additional time from there.
In regards to freezing, the individual, baked muffins would probably freeze best wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil and dropped into a large plastic bag. To reheat, remove the foil and plastic wrap and wrap the muffin in a damp paper towel. Microwave on half power in 30 second intervals until it’s warmed through.
If you want to freeze an entire muffin tin of unbaked casserole, that might work, too. Although, I’m not 100% sure. Allow it to sit flat in the freezer until frozen, then wrap it in plastic wrap and foil. It would need to thaw in the fridge before being baked. Hope all that helps! Have a wonderful week! 🙂
@Kimberly,
Thank you for replying so quickly! I will try as you suggest. Have a wonderful day!
Diki