Breakfast Casserole Recipe (Easy, Delicious, and Healthy)

Made with savory sourdough bread, crispy bacon, colourful bell peppers, flavorful mushrooms, and creamy eggs, this breakfast casserole is a crowd-pleaser that’s positive to change into a breakfast staple in your house.

How to Make Breakfast Casserole

Breakfast casserole in my view is without doubt one of the best breakfast dishes to make.  There isn’t an over mixing difficulty, or burning of something on a griddle, or over cooking eggs on a pan.  It all simply does its suppose proper within the pan when you get to run round doing all of your morning issues. This is one in every of our favourite issues to make on holidays – particularly Christmas morning! 

To make this casserole, begin by preheating your oven to 350°F. Then, cook dinner the bacon in a big skillet till it’s crispy, and set it apart to chill. Next, cube the bell peppers, onions and mushrooms, and sauté them in the identical skillet till they’re tender.

While the greens are cooking, whisk collectively the eggs, cottage cheese, milk and shredded cheddar cheese in a big bowl.   Layer the sourdough bread, frozen hash browns, and veggie combination in a 9×13 baking dish.   Pour the egg combination over all the pieces and stir to mix. 

The beauty of breakfast casserole is which you can make it forward after which let it sit in your fridge till you’re able to bake it.  The longer it sits, the extra the flavors mix and so at the very least half-hour is beneficial.  But you possibly can let it sit in a single day after which bake within the morning!  

Ingredients Needed for this Recipe

These elements are scrumptious, however you possibly can swap them out to your preferences and dietary wants. You can use several types of bread, meats, greens, and cheese, or add in extra elements like spinach, ham, or tofu. Feel free to get inventive and make the casserole your individual!

• Sourdough Bread – I want sourdough bread as a result of it has a dense crumb that holds up properly in a breakfast casserole and likewise provides a scrumptious taste
• Bacon – thick lower bacon provides that scrumptious salty taste and holds up its texture with out getting soggy
• Hash browns – frozen hash browns work greatest
• Onion – yellow or white
• Bell Pepper – I like to make use of purple bell pepper so as to add a pop of coloration
• Garlic – pre-minced or cloves are nice
• Mushrooms  – you need to use any form you want, however i like to make use of white button on this recipe
• Eggs – giant eggs are what is known as for
• Cottage Cheese – small curd works greatest
• Milk – you need to use any kind of unsweetened milk for this, however the next fats share provides you with a richer taste and texture. 
• Cheddar Cheese – you need to use medium or sharp cheddar.  

Best Veggies for Breakfast Casserole

There are numerous greens that work properly in a breakfast casserole, and actually it comes right down to your private preferences.   Here are a couple of greens which might be generally utilized in breakfast casseroles and the way they’ll add taste and vitamins to your dish:

• Bell peppers: Bell peppers add a pop of coloration and a candy, delicate taste to a casserole. They’re additionally a very good supply of vitamin C and different antioxidants.
• Onions: Onions add depth of taste to a casserole and might help to stability out the richness of the eggs and cheese. They’re additionally a very good supply of vitamin C, potassium, and different vitamins.
• Spinach: Spinach provides a lift of vitamins to a casserole, together with nutritional vitamins A and Ok, folate, and iron. It’s additionally a great way so as to add extra greens to your weight loss program.
• Mushrooms: Mushrooms add a savory, earthy taste to a casserole and are a very good supply of vitamin D and different vitamins.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes add a burst of taste and coloration to a casserole, and so they’re a very good supply of nutritional vitamins A and C, potassium, and lycopene.
• Broccoli: Broccoli provides a crunchy texture and a lift of vitamins to a casserole, together with nutritional vitamins C and Ok, fiber, and antioxidants.
• You can use any of those greens on their very own or combine and match to create a casserole that’s tailor-made to your style. Don’t be afraid to experiment and take a look at new greens to see what you want greatest!

Do You Have to Refrigerate Breakfast Casserole Overnight?

There are a couple of the reason why some breakfast casseroles name for letting it refrigerate in a single day earlier than cooking:

1. To permit the flavors to mix and deepen: When elements are mixed and left to sit down for a time period, their flavors mix leading to a extra flavorful casserole.
2. To save time within the morning: If you’re quick on time within the morning, making a breakfast casserole the night time earlier than permits you to pop it within the oven and have a sizzling, scrumptious breakfast prepared whenever you get up.
3. To make meal prep simpler: Preparing a breakfast casserole prematurely could make meal prep simpler for the week. You could make a big batch and portion it out for breakfast all through the week, or freeze particular person servings for a fast and simple breakfast choice.

Do You Cover a Breakfast Casserole When Baking it?

It relies on the particular recipe and the kind of casserole you’re making. Here are some things to think about when deciding whether or not or to not cowl a breakfast casserole:

• The kind of casserole: Some breakfast casseroles, akin to these made with bread or different elements which might be vulnerable to drying out, could profit from being lined whereas baking to maintain them from turning into too dry. On the opposite hand, casseroles made with elements which might be vulnerable to turning into soggy, akin to eggs, could not must be lined.
• The desired texture: If you favor a crispy, golden brown prime in your casserole, you might need to go away it uncovered whereas baking. Plenty of breakfast casserole recipes name to cowl it for almost all of the baking time, after which take away the foil and let the highest get browned and crispy. 
• The baking time: If the casserole is baking for a very long time, it is going to assist to cowl with foil to forestall the highest from turning into too brown.

How Do you Know When Breakfast Casserole is Done?

There are a couple of methods to inform when a breakfast casserole is completed cooking:

• The edges of the casserole are golden brown and the highest is barely crispy: This is an effective indication that the casserole is cooked by means of and the elements are absolutely heated.
• The casserole is about and doesn’t jiggle whenever you shake the pan: This is one other signal that the casserole is cooked by means of and the eggs are absolutely cooked.
• The inner temperature of the casserole reaches at the very least 165°F: Using a meals thermometer is probably the most correct solution to decide if a casserole is absolutely cooked. Insert the thermometer into the middle of the casserole and ensure the temperature reaches at the very least 165°F.

If you’re not sure if the casserole is completed, you possibly can all the time lower into it and examine the middle to verify it’s absolutely cooked. If the casserole remains to be undercooked, you possibly can return it to the oven and cook dinner it for a couple of extra minutes till it’s carried out.

Why is My Breakfast Casserole Runny? 

There are a couple of the reason why a breakfast casserole could end up runny:

• The eggs have been overcooked: If the eggs are overcooked, they’ll change into rubbery and launch extra liquid, leading to a runny casserole. To keep away from this, be sure you observe the recipe and cook dinner the eggs for the beneficial period of time.
• The casserole was underbaked: If the casserole is underbaked, the eggs might not be absolutely cooked, leading to a runny consistency. To make sure that the casserole is absolutely cooked, be sure you bake it for the beneficial period of time and use a meals thermometer to examine the interior temperature.
• The casserole was made with an excessive amount of liquid: If the casserole comprises an excessive amount of liquid, it may end up in a runny consistency. To keep away from this, be sure you observe the recipe and measure the elements precisely.

If your breakfast casserole seems runny, you possibly can strive returning it to the oven and cooking it for a couple of extra minutes to see if that helps to agency it up. Alternatively, you possibly can strive including a couple of tablespoons of breadcrumbs or shredded cheese to the casserole to assist take in a few of the extra liquid.

How To Store and Reheat Breakfast Casserole

To retailer a breakfast casserole:

1. Let the casserole to chill fully. If the casserole remains to be sizzling, it will probably increase the temperature of the fridge and probably spoil different meals.
2. Cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. 
3. Store the casserole within the fridge for not more than 3-4 days. After that, the casserole could begin to lose its high quality.

To reheat a breakfast casserole, observe these steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Remove the plastic wrap or aluminum foil from the casserole.
3. Cover the casserole with foil and bake it for 15-20 minutes, or till it’s heated by means of.
4. If the casserole remains to be chilly within the middle after 15-20 minutes, proceed baking for an extra 5-10 minutes, or till the casserole is sizzling and the highest is crispy.

If you simply need to reheat a small portion of the casserole, you are able to do it within the microwave. Place a single serving of the casserole in a microwave-safe dish, cowl it with a paper towel, and microwave it for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or till it’s heated by means of.

How Long Does Breakfast Casserole Last within the Fridge?

Once your casserole is baked, it is going to keep good within the fridge as much as about 4 days.  After that, the feel or taste would possibly begin to get a bit off.

What goes with breakfast casserole?

• Fresh fruit: A fruit salad or sliced contemporary fruit can add a refreshing and wholesome component to a breakfast casserole. Berries, oranges, apples, and pears are all good choices.
• Yogurt or smoothies: Yogurt or a smoothie can present a cool and creamy distinction to a savory casserole. You may add some fruit or greens to the smoothie for an additional enhance of vitamins.

If you want make-ahead breakfast dishes, strive these too:

• 1/2 loaf sourdough bread 5 cups cubed
• 1 pound bacon thick lower
• 1 medium purple bell pepper diced
• 1/2 medium onion diced
• 1 cup mushrooms diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups frozen hash browns
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• 12 giant eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese small curd
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper floor

• Preheat oven to 350 levels F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish; put aside.

• Cut bacon in chew measurement items. Heat a big skillet over medium warmth, and add bacon items. Cook till crispy after which drain the grease and set bacon apart.

• Add diced onion, peppers, mushrooms and garlic. Saute till all the pieces has barely softened, about 5–6 minutes.

• Cut bread into cubes and layer on the underside of your baking dish. Top with the sauteed veggies, bacon items, frozen hash browns and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Stir in order that the elements are evenly distributed.

• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk collectively eggs, milk, cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Pour egg combination over all the pieces within the pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese on prime.

• Cover casserole with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at the very least half-hour and as much as 24 hours. (When able to bake, permit to sit down at room temperature for 10–quarter-hour as oven preheats.)

• Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour eradicating the foil 15-20 minutes earlier than ending.

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 255mg | Sodium: 1438mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 747IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 1mg