Breakfast Casserole
User Reviews
5
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Servings
12 servings
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Calories
267 kcal
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Cuisine
gluten-free
Breakfast Casserole
Description
The recipe begins by browning Italian sausage, then cooking diced potatoes until tender and golden, sometimes steaming with water to speed cooking. These are combined with sautéed diced bell peppers and onions. Beaten eggs mixed with milk and seasoning are poured over the meat and vegetables in a greased baking dish, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, and baked at 350°F until set and lightly browned. The cheese melts into a golden crust enhancing the savory flavors.
The resulting casserole is tender but structured, with juicy sausage pieces and tender, flavorful vegetables. The mixture provides a balanced, filling breakfast dish with a combination of textures from the browned edges to soft eggs and melted cheese. Serving with sliced green onions adds a fresh note.
It can be adapted for vegetarians by replacing sausage with crumbled vegetarian substitutes or mushrooms and using butter or oil instead of sausage fat. Leftovers store well refrigerated and reheat quickly in the microwave. The dish can also be made in a slow cooker for hands-off preparation.
Additional notes suggest adjusting salt depends on the sausage's seasoning level, using grated potatoes for faster prep, and tenting with foil during baking to prevent over-browning. Using cauliflower instead of potatoes offers a lower-carb alternative.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground sausage Italian mild or hot pork sausage works great, casings removed if needed.
- 1 cup potato I used about 2 small red potatoes diced into small, 1/4" pieces, diced
- 1 bell pepper diced (any color)
- 1 onion diced
- 10 egg large
- 2 cups cheddar cheese or similar, shredded
- 1 cup milk preferably whole
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- green onion for serving, optional, sliced
Instructions
- If baking right away, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Cook the sausage (1 lb.) in a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling finely as you go (about 3-5 minutes). Use a spoon to transfer the cooked, crumbled sausage to a large bowl, leaving behind about 1-2 tablespoons of the grease (reserve any extra beyond that).
- Add the diced potatoes (1 cup) to the skillet along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are browned and tender, about 7-10 minutes. (You can stick a fork in them to tell if the are tender. To speed up the cooking process, you can add a little splash of water to the skillet and put a lid on it, which will trap the steam and result in faster cooking, adding water as needed between stirring.) Transfer the cooked potatoes to the bowl with the sausage.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved grease to the skillet (or just some butter or oil if you don't have any) if the skillet seems dry. Then, add the diced peppers and onions and cook until browned and soft (about 3-5 minutes). Add them to the bowl with the sausage and potatoes.
- In another medium-large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs (10), the shredded cheddar cheese (2 cups), milk (1 cup), and 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper (see notes). Pour into the bowl with the sausage and veggies and stir to combine everything.
- Use about 1 tablespoon of the cooking grease or butter/oil to grease a 9x13 (or similar) baking dish. Pour the mixture into the dish and spread out to make sure everything is distributed evenly.
- At this point, you can bake right away or cover with foil and refrigerate (for up to 48 hours). When you are ready to bake, cook it at 350 degrees on the center rack for about 45 - 55 minutes, or until the casserole is set and doesn't jiggle when you shake it (it will take on the longer side of things if it's cold out of the fridge). Allow the casserole to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing it into 12 pieces and serving. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.
Notes
- If using a salty sausage, reduce or omit additional salt and pepper in the egg mixture to control sodium.
- Vegetarian versions can use meat substitutes or sautéed mushrooms; use butter or oil for cooking and greasing.
- Leftovers keep for 3-5 days refrigerated and reheat well in the microwave.
- Slow cooker option: cook ingredients then mix, place in greased cooker with cheese on top, and cook low 7-8 hours or high 2.5-3 hours.
- Grating potatoes can speed cooking compared to dicing.
- Cover casserole loosely with foil if browning too quickly during baking.
- Replace potatoes with cauliflower for a lower-carb version.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 267 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 267kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 4g | 1% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 185mg | 62% |
| Sodium | 420mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 252mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 758IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 185mg | 19% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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