The History
Casseroles first gained popularity during the Depression due to their frugality. By the 1950’s the introduction of lightweight oven proof cookware and Campbells Soup created a cooking revolution. Today casseroles are such an integral part of our lives we can’t imagine our life without them.
My Story
Pakistani food is as far removed from casseroles as possible and until I moved to the United States of America the only casserole I had ever made was probably lasagne. As time passed, I added Shepherds Pie (A great way to use leftover mashed potatoes), Moussaka and eventually my ultimate favorite that’s featured here on my website the best-ever-sweet-potato-casserole. Some years ago I was tasked with making a breakfast casserole for a Christmas Brunch at one of my kids schools. Completely clueless as to what a breakfast casserole entails I asked a friend of mine, Heather, if she could help me with a recipe. She gave me her go to recipe for Ham and Cheese Brunch Squares. I switched up the ham for Turkey sausage as I don’t eat any pork products and over the years I’ve made a few more changes to the original recipe. But no matter what I add or minus it turns out amazing every single time and is always a crowd pleaser!
The Turkey Sausage Hash Brown Casserole Recipe
A basic rule for a good casserole is to have five main ingredients; a protein, a starch, a vegetable, some form of liquid and cheese. This casserole has all these elements! The crumbled hash brown patties and cheddar cheese make a delicious crispy crust. This makes the base for the fluffy egg and cream cheese mixture.
While the crust is baking, I prep the vegetables and the egg and cheese mixture. SInce raw vegetables tend to sweat, I like to cook them down a little bit before adding them to my casserole. This prevents the eggs from being runny.
It’s important to have everything ready and on hand. As soon as the hash browns are crispy, remove them from the oven. Spread the cooked sausage and vegetables on top of the hash browns in an even layer.
Pour the egg mixture on top and sprinkle with the cheese. Add a dash of pepper and green onions and place back in the oven to finish cooking.
The hash browns and cheese make a crispy crust which is the perfect base for the soft and fluffy egg and cheese mixture that goes on top. The Turkey Sausage lends a delicious smoky taste and the vegetables add both fibre and texture.
You have a healthy, nutritious meal that’s super easy to make. it’s perfect for a large group and reheats even better the next day for leftovers. I love eating this Turkey Sausage hash Brown Casserole for breakfast, lunch and even dinner at times!
Happy Cooking! I hope you like this recipe. Drop a comment below to tell me how it went!
