Hawkeye Casserole–an overnight breakfast casserole with sausage, eggs and green chiles that is perfect for an early tailgate.
Hawkeye Casserole
Hawkeye fan Barb Bonnet named this recipe “609 Melrose Hawkeye Tailgate Egg Casserole” after her favorite tailgate spot. It’s perfect for those early football games.
This dish is an overnight breakfast casserole, meaning you prep everything the night before, refrigerate overnight and then cook in the morning. This allows the egg mixture to really soak into the bread and form a nice custard-y type of layer on the bottom. The addition of cream cheese gives creaminess and indulgence. The green chiles add lots of flavor without a lot of heat.
Overall this is a really delicious breakfast casserole (you can also make it for dinner!). You’re going to love yourself in the morning if you’ve done all the work the night before! I struggle to do this (I have no energy after 8 pm) but it was soooo worth it. Have fun tailgating or eating this at home!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- White bread–or french bread
- Ground breakfast sausage–I used Jimmy Dean brand
- Monterey jack cheese
- Cream cheese
- Diced green chiles–I used mild
- Eggs
- Milk–or half and half
- Dry ground mustard
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
Steps
Spray the Instant Pot or Crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. This is important! Or else everything will stick to the bottom and be very hard to get off. Cube the bread and place it in the bottom of the crockpot. (I used whole wheat bread that had seeds in it…it’s what I had on hand.)
Layer on top the sausage…
Then the cheese, cream cheese, green chiles.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the mixture over the top.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning use the slow cook setting on your Instant Pot to cook the casserole for about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Check for doneness and serve.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with fresh fruit, orange juice and a side of hashbrowns.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot. The recipe card below has oven instructions as well as slow cooker instructions. You choose which method works best for you!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Try using ham cubes in the place of sausage.
- You can use your Instant Pot to brown the sausage first. Just use the saute setting and drain off the excess grease when finished cooking.
More Breakfast Casseroles…
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Loaded Overnight Breakfast Casserole
Loaded Overnight Breakfast Casserole is a winning breakfast! It has eggs, hashbrowns, bacon crumbles and cheddar cheese. Prep it the night before and then bake it in the morning in your Crockpot, Instant Pot or in the oven!
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An easy way to make french toast! With pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and streusel brown sugar pecan topping this is the perfect fall breakfast or treat. You can make this in the Instant Pot, slow cooker or the oven and can be prepped the night before and baked in the morning.
Instant Pot Breakfast Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese with sausage, bell peppers and hot sauce…and the best part is the topping of crispy hashbrowns.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Hawkeye Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2.5 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
An overnight breakfast casserole with sausage, eggs and green chiles that is perfect for an early tailgate.
Ingredients
- 4 slices of white bread or french bread
- 1/2 pound ground breakfast sausage, browned and drained
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp dry ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
This is an overnight breakfast casserole, meaning that you will prepare it the night before and bake it in the morning.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Spray the Instant Pot with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cube the bread and place it in the bottom of the pot.
- Layer on top the sausage, cheese, cream cheese, green chiles.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the mixture over the top.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning use the slow cook setting on your Instant Pot to cook the casserole for about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Check for doneness and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cube the bread and place it in the bottom of the crockpot.
- Layer on top the sausage, cheese, cream cheese, green chiles.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the mixture over the top.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning slow cook for about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Check for doneness and serve.
Oven Instructions:
- Spray a 9×9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cube the bread and place it in the bottom of the pan.
- Layer on top the sausage, cheese, cream cheese, green chiles.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the mixture over the top.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker or Oven
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
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