Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large skillet, cook the breakfast sausage, onions and garlic over medium heat, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain off any fat. 16 ounces breakfast pork sausage, 1 yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
In a large bowl, combine the thawed hash browns, cooked sausage, sautéed onion and garlic, 1 cup of shredded Colby Jack cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Mix well to combine. 30 ounces frozen shredded hash browns, 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Transfer the hash brown mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded Colby Jack cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
Cover with foil and bake the casserole for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 20-25 minutes until the top is lightly browned bubbly. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired.
Notes
Substitute breakfast sausage with turkey sausage or crumbled bacon.
Use a blend of cheeses like sharp cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese.
Substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 8, with 1 serving being 1/8 of the breakfast casserole. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **