Hash Brown and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

• 30 oz frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 12 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 green onions, sliced

Before you cook

• Thaw the hash browns and squeeze them dry in a clean kitchen towel.
• Dice the onion and bell pepper.
• Slice the green onions.
• Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Toss the dried hash browns with the vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and half the black pepper.
3. Press the potatoes into the greased dish in an even layer, pushing them slightly up the sides.
4. Bake the potato crust uncovered for 25 minutes, until the edges are golden and crisp.
5. Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles.
6. Lift the sausage out with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
7. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until soft.
8. Lower the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until smooth.
10. Whisk in the milk, the remaining salt and pepper, the garlic powder, and the smoked paprika.
11. Scatter the sausage and the cooked vegetables over the crisped potato crust.
12. Scatter 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar over the sausage.
13. Pour the egg mixture evenly across the whole dish.
14. Bake for 35 minutes, until the eggs are nearly set but still soft at the very center.
15. Scatter the remaining 1 cup of cheddar over the top.
16. Bake for 8 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and the center no longer jiggles.
17. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes, then scatter the green onions over the top and cut it into squares.