Biscuits, Gravy & Hashbrown Casserole

introduction & Inspiration

I’m always on the lookout for hearty, crowd-pleasing breakfast or brunch casseroles that bring all the best morning flavors together in one dish, and this Biscuits, Gravy & Hashbrown Casserole recipe immediately jumped out as a true champion! It layers crispy hashbrowns, savory breakfast sausage, creamy sausage gravy, melted cheddar cheese, and fluffy refrigerated biscuits into an incredible all-in-one bake. It sounded like the ultimate comfort food breakfast experience.

My inspiration came from wanting a simpler way to serve up all the components of a big Southern-style breakfast without juggling multiple pans and last-minute preparations. The idea of transforming classic biscuits and gravy, with sausage and hashbrowns on the side, into a single, shareable casserole was incredibly appealing for feeding a family or guests.

My goal is to guide you through creating this satisfying and surprisingly easy casserole. By using convenient ingredients like refrigerated biscuits and gravy mix, it streamlines the process while still delivering that delicious, homemade taste that makes breakfast or brunch feel special.

Let’s get ready to bake up this ultimate breakfast comfort dish!

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Food Connection

This Biscuits, Gravy & Hashbrown Casserole is pure breakfast comfort food nostalgia, deeply rooted in American (especially Southern) culinary traditions. “Biscuits and Gravy” on its own is an iconic dish, beloved for its fluffy biscuits smothered in rich, savory sausage gravy. This casserole takes that classic and elevates it by adding more beloved breakfast staples.

The combination of sausage, hashbrowns, cheese, and biscuits baked together evokes memories of hearty country breakfasts, diner specials, or satisfying weekend brunches. It’s a flavor profile that feels familiar, incredibly satisfying, and designed to please a crowd.

Using convenience items like refrigerated biscuits and gravy mix also adds a layer of familiar ease, reminiscent of quick, satisfying meals that busy home cooks have relied on for generations to bring comforting flavors to the table without extensive from-scratch effort.

Making and eating this casserole feels like indulging in the ultimate comforting breakfast feast, with all your favorite components baked together into one delicious, shareable dish.

Homemade Focus (Simple Layers, Big Breakfast Flavor)

While this Biscuits, Gravy & Hashbrown Casserole cleverly utilizes several convenient store-bought ingredients to save time, the process of assembling these components into a unique baked dish is entirely a homemade endeavor. The focus here is on layering familiar breakfast flavors and textures for a satisfying, all-in-one meal.

I love recipes that allow for easy assembly while still delivering a “wow” factor. Browning the breakfast sausage yourself ensures it’s perfectly cooked and crumbled. Seasoning the hashbrown base and preparing the simple gravy mix are straightforward homemade steps. The careful layering of hashbrowns, sausage, gravy, cheese, and finally the quartered biscuits, is key to the casserole’s structure and visual appeal.

Even though it uses shortcuts, you’re still creating a multi-component meal from individual ingredients. This homemade assembly results in a dish that tastes far more special and cohesive than simply serving the elements separately.

This recipe perfectly demonstrates how smart use of convenience items combined with simple homemade assembly can yield a hearty, flavorful, and impressive breakfast or brunch casserole.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal of this Biscuits, Gravy & Hashbrown Casserole is a rich, savory, cheesy, and comforting experience, capturing all the best elements of a classic American breakfast platter in one bake. It aims for fluffy biscuits, creamy sausage gravy, savory sausage crumbles, a cheesy hashbrown base, and balanced seasonings.

The bottom layer of frozen shredded hashbrowns, seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, bakes into a slightly crisp, savory potato base.

The cooked breakfast sausage (pork or turkey) provides the hearty, savory meat element.

The sausage gravy, made easily from a mix and milk, creates a creamy, savory, peppery sauce that infuses the layers.

The shredded cheddar cheese melts into the gravy and over the sausage, adding sharp, salty, cheesy goodness.

The refrigerated biscuits, cut into quarters and baked on top, become golden brown, fluffy, and perfect for soaking up the gravy.

The overall effect is a deeply savory, creamy, cheesy, and satisfying breakfast casserole with delightful textural contrasts.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s explore the key components of this hearty breakfast bake:

• Refrigerated biscuits (canned): The convenient topping. Standard size (16 oz can) is implied. Quartering them helps them bake through and create a nice top crust.
• Breakfast sausage (pork or turkey): Provides the savory meat element. Use your favorite kind – mild, sage, spicy.
• Frozen shredded hashbrowns: The easy potato base. No need to thaw before using.
• Sausage gravy mix (packet, 2.75 oz specified): The shortcut to creamy, savory gravy.
• Milk: Used to prepare the gravy mix. Whole milk recommended for richness, but others work.
• Shredded cheddar cheese: Adds cheesy flavor and a melty topping. Sharp cheddar or a Colby Jack/Mexican blend would also be delicious.
• Salt, Black pepper, Garlic powder: Basic seasonings for the hashbrown layer and potentially to adjust gravy.

Convenience items make this casserole quick to assemble.

Essential Equipment

You’ll need standard tools for browning sausage and baking a casserole:

• A 9×13-inch baking dish: The standard size for this type of casserole.
• Butter or cooking spray: For greasing the baking dish.
• A Large skillet: Essential for browning the breakfast sausage.
• A Medium bowl: For whisking together the gravy mix and milk.
• A Whisk:
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• A knife or kitchen shears: For cutting the biscuits into quarters.
• A spatula or large spoon: For layering and serving.

Basic kitchen equipment is all that’s needed.

List of Ingredients with Measurements

Here’s the complete list of ingredients, with precise measurements:

• 1 (16 oz) can refrigerated biscuits
• 1 lb breakfast sausage (pork or turkey)
• 3 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns
• 1 packet (2.75 oz) sausage gravy mix
• 2 cups milk (whole milk recommended)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• (Implied: Butter or cooking spray for greasing dish)

These quantities create a substantial casserole, serving about 6-8 people.

No need to thaw frozen hashbrowns before using.

Step-by-Step Instructions (Easy Layering & Baking!)

Let’s assemble and bake this ultimate breakfast casserole:

1. Prep Oven and Baking Dish:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

2. Cook the Sausage:

• In a large skillet, cook the breakfast sausage over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon or spatula as it cooks.
• Continue cooking until the sausage is fully browned and no longer pink.
• Drain off any excess grease from the skillet and set the cooked sausage aside.

3. Layer the Hashbrown Base:

• Spread the frozen shredded hashbrowns evenly over the bottom of your greased baking dish.
• Season the hashbrowns uniformly with the ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
• Distribute the cooked, crumbled sausage evenly over the seasoned hashbrowns.

4. Mix and Pour the Gravy:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the sausage gravy mix powder into the milk until the mix is fully dissolved and there are no lumps.
• Pour the prepared gravy mixture evenly over the sausage and hashbrown layer in the baking dish.

5. Add Cheese and Biscuits:

• Sprinkle the 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the gravy layer.
• Open the can of refrigerated biscuits. Cut each biscuit into quarters.
• Distribute the biscuit quarters evenly across the top of the cheese layer in the casserole.

6. Bake:

• Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes. The casserole is done when the biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through, and the gravy is bubbly.
• If the biscuits are browning too quickly before the casserole seems fully heated, you can loosely tent the dish with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.

7. Rest and Serve:

• Carefully remove the hot casserole from the oven. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set slightly and makes serving easier.
• Slice into squares and serve warm.

A hearty, comforting breakfast bake ready to enjoy!

Troubleshooting

Casseroles are generally forgiving, but here are potential fixes:

• Problem: Biscuits are doughy on the bottom or burnt on top.
  • Solution: For doughy bottoms, ensure the casserole baked long enough for heat to penetrate fully; consider slightly separating biscuit pieces for better air circulation. For burnt tops, loosely tent with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking if they are browning too quickly.
• Problem: Casserole is too dry.
  • Solution: Ensure correct amount of milk was used for the gravy. Don’t overbake. If serving leftovers, they may absorb more liquid; add a splash of milk when reheating.
• Problem: Casserole is too greasy.
  • Solution: Thoroughly drain the sausage after browning. Use a leaner breakfast sausage if preferred.
• Problem: Gravy is lumpy.
  • Solution: Whisk the gravy mix into the cold milk very thoroughly until completely smooth before pouring it into the casserole.

Ensure biscuits are cooked through before removing from oven.

Tips and Variations

Let’s customize this hearty breakfast casserole:

• Tip: Use your favorite type of breakfast sausage – pork, turkey, mild, sage-flavored, or spicy.
• Variation: Add a layer of sautéed vegetables like diced bell peppers or mushrooms on top of the sausage before adding the gravy.
• Tip: For extra flavor, use a sharp cheddar cheese or a blend of cheeses like cheddar and Monterey Jack.
• Variation: Make it a “Denver Omelet” style casserole by adding diced ham and green bell peppers along with the sausage.
• Tip: If you prefer homemade gravy, prepare about 2-2.5 cups of your favorite sausage gravy recipe and use that instead of the mix and milk.
• Variation: Whisk 2-3 beaten eggs into the gravy mixture before pouring it over the sausage for a more “eggy” casserole, though this will change the texture and may require slightly longer baking.
• Variation: Sprinkle with chopped green onions or fresh parsley after baking for a pop of color and freshness.

Endless ways to make it your signature breakfast bake!

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

This Biscuits, Gravy & Hashbrown Casserole is a very hearty, all-in-one breakfast or brunch.

Serving: Serve warm, cut into generous squares.

Pairing:

• Standalone Meal: It’s incredibly satisfying on its own, containing starch, protein, and fat.
• Fruit: A side of fresh fruit salad or sliced melon provides a refreshing contrast to the richness.
• Beverages: Perfect with coffee, tea, orange juice, or milk.
• For a Crowd: Ideal for holiday brunches, weekend family breakfasts, or potlucks.

It’s a complete breakfast comfort experience in a dish!

Nutritional Information

This is a very rich and indulgent breakfast casserole. Nutritional info is approximate and depends heavily on specific brands of biscuits, sausage, gravy mix, cheese, and milk used (per serving, assuming 6-8 servings):

• Calories: 500-700+
• Fat: 30-45+ grams
• Saturated Fat: 12-20+ grams (High from sausage, cheese, biscuits, gravy if made with whole milk)
• Cholesterol: 60-100+ mg
• Sodium: 1000-1500+ mg (Sausage, gravy mix, biscuits, cheese can be very high in sodium)
• Total Carbs.: 35-50+ grams (from hashbrowns, biscuits, gravy mix)
• Dietary Fiber: 2-4 grams
• Sugars: 5-10 grams
• Protein: 20-30+ grams

Definitely a hearty, indulgent meal, high in calories, fat (especially saturated), and sodium. Use turkey sausage, lower-fat cheese/milk, and low-sodium gravy mix options to adjust the profile, but it will remain a rich dish.

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Let’s conclude with a summary and common questions:

Recipe Summary:

Biscuits, Gravy & Hashbrown Casserole is a hearty breakfast bake. It features a base layer of seasoned frozen shredded hashbrowns, topped with cooked breakfast sausage crumbles, a creamy sausage gravy (made from a mix and milk), and shredded cheddar cheese. Refrigerated biscuit dough, cut into quarters, is arranged on top and baked until golden brown and cooked through. ¹  

Q&A:

Q: Can I make this casserole ahead of time? A: Yes. You can assemble the entire casserole (up to adding the biscuits), cover, and refrigerate it overnight. Add the biscuit pieces just before baking. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if starting from cold.

Q: How do I store leftovers? A: Store leftover casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Q: How do I reheat leftovers? A: Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through. For larger amounts, cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until heated. The biscuits may be softer upon reheating.

Q: Can I freeze this casserole? A: It’s generally best not to freeze this casserole after baking due to the texture changes in the biscuits and gravy upon thawing. You could freeze components like cooked sausage.

Q: Can I use homemade biscuits or gravy? A: Absolutely! If you have favorite recipes for homemade biscuits or sausage gravy, feel free to substitute them. Adjust quantities as needed. Homemade will likely make it even more delicious