Healthy Breakfast Egg Bake Casserole Recipe for Busy Mornings

Breakfast brunch Casserole Customizable dairy-free egg bake FAQs Gluten-Free healthy high protein low-sodium meal prep nutrition reheating Sausage storage Vegetables

Posted October 2, 2023 by: Admin #Kitchen

Packed with vegetables and sausage, this breakfast egg bake casserole is a healthy and high-protein meal to start the day. Whip it up as a meal prep idea for healthy weekday breakfasts or serve it up as part of weekend brunch.

If you love a full breakfast but struggle with busy mornings, this breakfast egg bake is for you! Not only is this casserole easy to make but it keeps well in the fridge and you can enjoy it hot or cold, making it perfect for busy mornings. Whether you want to eat it on its own or serve it with roasted potatoes or fruit, this dish is packed with protein and veggies so that you can start the day off right.

Plus, once you’ve got the concept down, you’ll realize that this breakfast casserole is easily customizable. It’s a great way to use up leftover potatoes and veggies from dinner, and perfect for a “fridge clean out meal” to use up straggler fridge ingredients.

Ingredients for breakfast casserole: eggs, sausages, potato, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, onion, oregano, red pepper flake, salt, olive oil, cheddar cheese

Ingredients for Breakfast Egg Bake Casserole

You’ll need the following ingredients for this breakfast casserole:

Eggs: As you may have guessed, eggs are the star of this baked egg casserole.
Sausage: To add a bit more protein, feel free to use pork sausage, turkey sausage, or chicken sausage. You can also use bacon or ham if you prefer.
Potatoes: I’ve added potatoes directly into the casserole to make the dish more well-balanced overall. Any type of white potato will work.
Bell Peppers: The recipe calls for one red bell pepper and one green bell pepper, but you can use any colors you have on hand.
Onion: I used white onion, but you can use a yellow or red onion if needed.
Cheese: Although optional, cheese helps to add a touch of protein, some healthy fats, and cheesy flavor. The recipe calls for sharp cheddar cheese, however, Swiss cheese, Monterey jack, and Colby jack cheese would all work well.
Spices: A bit of dried oregano and red pepper flakes to enhance the flavor of the sausages.
Salt and Pepper: To season the dish.

In addition to the above, I like to serve my egg bake with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and chopped green onion on top.

Dietary Adaptions

Make it Gluten-Free: No adaptations are needed, this recipe is gluten-free, just be sure to use gluten-free sausages.

Make it Dairy-Free: Omit the cheese.

Make it Low-Sodium: Use low-sodium sausages and limit or omit the amount of salt used during the cooking process. Cooked ground sausage in a pan

Cooked ground sausage with onion and bell peppers in a pan

How to Make an Egg Bake Casserole

Trust me when I say this recipe is easy to make, it just takes a bit of chopping, whisking, and time. Here’s what you’ll do:

Roast the potatoes. Place the diced potatoes into the casserole dish and roast until tender.
Cook the sausage. While the potatoes are roasting, brown the sausage meat.
Sauté the veggies. Add the chopped veggies to the sausage meat and cook until tender.
Whisk the eggs. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
Add everything to a casserole dish. Add the sausage and vegetable mixture to the casserole dish and pour the whisked eggs over the top.
Sprinkle with cheese. Sprinkle the casserole with grated cheese, this step is optional.
Bake in the oven. Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake until the eggs are set.
Slice and serve. Once cooked, removed the breakfast casserole from the oven, slice, and serve!

This dish can be served immediately or stored in the fridge if done as a meal prep idea. The full cooking instructions and storage instructions can be found in the recipe card below. Cook potatoes, ground sausage, onion, and bell pepper in a casserole dish

Breakfast casserole ready for the oven

Red’s Nutrition Tip

If you’re looking at the eggs and sausages in this recipe and concerned about cholesterol content, there is nothing to worry about. Research shows that dietary cholesterol is not directly linked to blood cholesterol, and dietary cholesterol is no longer considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption as of 2015. Cooked breakfast egg bake casserole in a dish sliced and ready to eat

FAQs

What’s the difference between breakfast casserole and frittata?

A breakfast casserole and a frittata are very similar, they are both baked egg dishes with veggies and meat. The primary difference between the two is that a breakfast casserole often includes a starchy ingredient, such as potatoes or bread, and is made in a casserole dish, while a frittata is made in a pan.

Do egg bakes need to be covered when baking?

Covering an egg bake with aluminum foil while cooking helps to prevent it from drying out while cooking, however, it is not essential.

Can you overcook an egg bake?

Yes, an egg bake can be cooked uncovered.

How long does egg bake last?

After baking, an egg bake casserole can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Cooked breakfast casserole with a slice missing

What to Serve with an Egg Bake Casserole

While you can certainly enjoy this breakfast casserole on its own, as it does contain protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy fats, if you want to serve it with sides, I would recommend:

Depending on your hunger level, pairing a slice of the egg bake with additional protein and fiber can help to make it an even more filling and balanced meal. If you want to eat it on its own, just make sure your slice is large enough to fill you up!

Slice of breakfast casserole with potatoes with sausage and bell peppers on a plate

Storage + Reheating

To Store: Once cooled, the casserole can be stored whole, covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or leftover pieces can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

To Freeze: Allow the casserole to cool completely, then cover it with aluminum foil and plastic wrap or a freezer-safe bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: To reheat whole, allow the casserole to thaw completely or reheat directly from the fridge, uncovered, by baking in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Individual pieces can be reheated in an oven-proof dish in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes or in a microwave-safe container in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

As I mentioned, this easy breakfast casserole recipe is very simple to prepare and incredibly versatile. It makes enough portions to feed you for the week (and then some) but can also easily be halved or quartered for a smaller baking dish and fewer servings.

Breakfast Egg Bake

Filled with potatoes, bell peppers, sausages, and a little cheese, this egg bake casserole is perfect for a hearty, healthy, and balanced breakfast, or brunch.

Ingredients

12 eggs
2 sausages, or 4 breakfast sausages, casings removed
1 onion, diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)
Salt
Black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400° F.
In a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, add diced potatoes, drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Using a spatula or your hands, toss the potatoes until well coated in oil and then transfer them to the oven to bake for 20 minutes or until they can easily be pierced with a fork.
In a large pan or cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat, warm the remaining tablespoon of oil. Once warm, add sausages (casings removed) and cook, breaking the meat up with a spatula.
When the sausage is halfway cooked, add the diced onion and bell peppers, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Then cook for a final 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender and sausage is no longer pink.
While the potatoes are finishing up, crack the eggs into a large bowl, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and whisk until well combined.
When the potatoes are cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven, and turn the oven down to 350°F.
Transfer the sausage and vegetable mixture into the baking dish, spreading it out evenly across the dish. Then pour the whisked egg mixture into the dish, sprinkle with grated cheese (optional), and then stir gently until everything is well incorporated.
Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the eggs are set in the middle and the sides are just turning golden brown.
Once cooked, the egg bake can be enjoyed immediately or cooled and stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.