When I was first learning to cook, I used to think breakfast casseroles were out of my reach. I’d flip through cookbooks and magazines filled with long ingredient lists and photos of hearty breakfast bakes packed with sausage, bacon, or ham that required a lot of prep work. The smiling home chefs leaning over shiny countertops in their spacious kitchens didn’t match my world. So I resigned myself to only enjoying a scrumptious cheesy casserole at annual church and family potlucks.
Eventually, I realized that you don’t need a grand budget, lots of ingredients, or a dream kitchen to put together a flavorful casserole. You don’t even need to make a big casserole to feed an army (something else I used to believe!).
Whether you’re single or coupled, I’ve found a way to make an easy, small-batch version of the classic breakfast casseroles we all know and adore. Using six simple and affordable ingredients like pancake mix and frozen hash browns, this breakfast casserole for two is budget friendly and extremely tasty. No crust or layering needed for this small breakfast casserole; just mix, pour, and bake!
This small breakfast bake is made with Walmart ingredients!
For this recipe, I used mostly Great Value brand products sold at Walmart:
- Great Value Diced Ham (5 oz can)
- Great Value All Purpose Baking Mix (20 oz box)
- Great Value Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (8 oz bag)
- Great Value Southern Style O’Brien Hash Browns with Onions and Peppers (28 oz bag)
You won’t need the full amounts of every product for this dish, but you might use more than I did depending on your preferences.
How to Cook a Breakfast Casserole for Two
To kick things off, I coated a 2-quart rectangular glass dish with cooking spray. Then I drained the small can of diced ham and poured it into the bottom of the dish:
You’ll notice 5 ounces doesn’t give you a ton of ham. Feel free to use two cans if you want a meatier casserole, but I used one to keep this recipe affordable.
Next, I brought out my trusty skillet, heated a bit of oil, and added 2 cups of the frozen hash browns. I love the convenient mix of potatoes, onions, and peppers: no need to dice veggies! I also take the opportunity to season things up with a few of my favorite simple spices, like salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders, and paprika.
While the ice melted off the potatoes, I prepared the pancake mix by whisking in just 2 eggs and 1 cup of milk. In this economy, eggs can fluctuate in price, so keeping it to two is like a win.
Once most of the moisture has cooked out of the potato mix, pour it evenly over the diced ham in the dish. This is a good time to sprinkle some shredded cheese!
Finally, pour the pancake batter over everything, then add more cheese on top. Into the oven it goes!
Since the baking dish I used for this small breakfast casserole recipe was long, the pieces turned out smaller. If you have a square 2-quart dish, your portions will look much more generous. This ham, egg, and potato breakfast casserole for two could easily feed four, or you can call the extras by its magic word: leftovers. Leftovers reheat well, so it also works for easy breakfast or brunch meal prep!
If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it turned out, especially if you added your own twist!
Easy Breakfast Casserole for Two – Just 6 Ingredients
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 2 qt casserole dish
Ingredients
- 5 oz cubed ham (can)
- 2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (southern style O'Brien recommended)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar shredded cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup pancake baking mix
Instructions
- Grease baking dish. Add contents of canned ham to the dish. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cook frozen potatoes in skillet with a little oil. Add seasonings if desired. Cook until most of the moisture is evaporated. Add to dish and sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over meat and potatoes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, pancake mix, and any other seasonings you prefer. Pour over ingredients in dish. Add remaining cheese on top.
- Bake 30 minutes, or until the top of the casserole is golden.
Notes
- I like to use a mix of onion and garlic powders, as well as salt and pepper while I’m cooking the potatoes.
- If you like minced onion, I recommend sprinkling some at the bottom of the greased dish.
- The 5 ounce can of diced ham I use is the Great Value brand at Walmart. Feel free to use two cans if you prefer more meat in the casserole.
- If you don’t like ham, you may substitute it for at least half a pound of sausage, ground turkey, or ground beef. Crumbled bacon also works!
See some of my other casseroles:
Summer Squash Casserole with Cheese and Crackers Recipe
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