Description
This super easy, Breakfast Casserole recipe is loaded with hearty elements like smoky bacon and breakfast sausage, sautéed veggies, spinach, and diced potatoes. A simple egg + cottage cheese mixture ups the protein here which makes this breakfast delight so filling! It’s the perfect make-ahead meal for busy mornings, holiday get-togethers, and everything in between. You’ll love this cheesy and delicious casserole!
Ingredients
- 1 lb (16-ounces) thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 lb (16-ounces) breakfast sausage (we use Jimmy Dean)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 (5-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon Creole Cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought, plus more to taste
- 12 large eggs
- 1 (16-ounce) container cottage cheese (we use Good Culture)
- ¼ cup half and half
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper- to taste
- 2 cups refrigerated diced potatoes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, preferably hand-grated, divided
- Sliced scallions & sour cream, for garnish/serving- optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Crisp bacon. Add the chopped bacon into a large deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the bacon starts to sizzle, stir the bacon every so often until the pieces are broken up, cooking until golden and crisp, about 10-15 minutes. The bacon will render a lot of fat. Use a slotted utensil to transfer the crisp bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Then carefully pour the majority of the rendered fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan, out into a small ramekin- set aside.
- Brown the breakfast sausage. Add the sausage to the same pan and use a wooden utensil to break the sausage apart into crumbles. Cook the sausage, stirring often, until golden brown and lightly crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
- Sauté the veggies. Add the bell pepper and onion into the same pan, stirring with the sausage, and sauté until the veggies become tender and golden, about 3-4 minutes. If your pan looks dry, add a teaspoon or two of the reserved bacon fat into the pan, only if needed! Then stir in the garlic paste and continue cooking for 1 minute.
- Add the spinach & finish. Add the spinach into the pan and toss; it might look like a whole lot at first but the spinach will wilt down significantly. Once the spinach has wilted down, season the sausage mixture with Cajun seasoning and stir well to combine. Add the crisp bacon back into the pan and stir well to combine with the sausage mixture. Then remove from heat.
- Combine the egg mixture. In the body of a high-speed blender, add the eggs, cottage cheese, half and half, and salt/pepper- to taste. Blitz the mixture until well combined and smooth and set aside.
- Assemble breakfast casserole. Add the diced potatoes in an even layer to the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Season the potatoes with Cajun seasoning and use your hands to briefly toss to coat the potatoes. Sprinkle a little shredded cheese in an even layer over the potatoes. Next, add the sausage/spinach mixture in an even layer over the potatoes. Lastly, pour the egg mixture over everything and then sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top in an even layer.
- Bake the casserole at 375°F for 25-35 minutes or until mostly set with slightly crisp edges and a barely jiggly center. After baking, set the casserole aside to cool down and set before slicing, about 15-20 minutes.
- Serve. Slice the breakfast casserole into squares and garnish with freshly sliced scallions and a topping of sour cream, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Freezing leftovers: Make sure the baked casserole has cooled to room temperature. Wrap leftover wedges tightly in foil. Then transfer the leftovers into a freezer-safe container, it’ll keep for up to 2 months. When ready, let the casserole servings thaw in the fridge overnight or until completely thawed.
- Reheating: Bake the leftovers in the oven at 300°F for 15-20 minutes or in the microwave until warmed through.
- Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.