Sometimes, you need a healthy make-ahead breakfast. Whether you’re serving a crowd or trying to ease busy weekday mornings, this breakfast casserole is just the ticket.
Typically, breakfast casseroles includes sausage and potatoes. I loaded this one up with fresh veggies and greens instead, including red bell pepper, green onion and spinach.
Creamy feta or goat cheese rounds it all out. You don’t need a ton of dairy to achieve a lovely, luxurious texture. This is a lightened-up dish that seems more indulgent than it really is.
This healthy breakfast casserole is the perfect addition to a holiday breakfast spread. Since it offers some protein and vegetables, it’s a great way to help balance those delicious carb-heavy treats, like muffins and pancakes. I’d be thrilled to find this option alongside bagels and cream cheese. Leftovers are good for lunch, too.
To develop this recipe, I followed my foolproof frittata formula. It’s easy to make, colorful and delicious!
How to Make Breakfast Casserole
You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a brief summary:
- Sauté the bell peppers and green onion until tender, then add spinach and cook until wilted. Set the pan aside for a few minutes to cool, so the warm veggies don’t cook the eggs when we stir them together.
- Whisk together the eggs with a dash of full-fat dairy, like whole milk or Greek yogurt, plus some salt and pepper. Stir in half of the cheese (we’re reserving the other half for topping the casserole).
- Transfer the veggies into the egg mixture, stir to combine, then gently pour it all into a buttered baking dish. Top with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake until the eggs are cooked through. That’s it!
How to Prepare This Casserole in Advance
Prepare the mixture as instructed, but refrigerate the egg and veggie mixture in a mixing bowl or in the buttered baking dish for up to two days.
Bake as directed, knowing that your dish may require a few extra minutes in the oven since it’s starting off cold (especially if you refrigerated in the baking dish).
Watch How to Make Healthy Breakfast Casserole
Breakfast Casserole Serving Suggestions
This breakfast casserole would fit in nicely with any breakfast spread. Here are some general suggestions:
- Avocado Toast or any other toast
- Bagels with cream cheese and toppings
- Crispy Hash Browns, which you can make in a skillet while the frittata cooks
- Muffins, pancakes and waffles
- Salads, for an all-around healthy meal
Please let me know how your breakfast casserole turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Healthy Breakfast Casserole
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Make this healthy breakfast casserole recipe for the holidays or busy weekday mornings! Featuring red bell peppers, spinach and creamy cheese, this casserole is wholesome, hearty and full of fresh flavor. Recipe yields 8 generous servings.
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
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2 medium red bell peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)
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¾ cup thinly sliced green onion (about 1 small bunch)
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5 ounces roughly chopped spinach (about 5 cups)
- 12 eggs
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3 tablespoons full-fat dairy (heavy cream, half-and-half, whole milk, sour cream or yogurt)
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Several dashes of your favorite hot sauce, like Cholula
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½ teaspoon fine salt
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10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
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4 ounces (1 cup) crumbled feta or goat cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with butter (don’t be tempted to use cooking spray; it doesn’t work nearly as well).
- In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the bell pepper and green onion and cook until the pepper is tender and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach to the skillet and cook, while stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Set the pan aside to cool for a bit while we prepare the egg mixture.
- Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Add your dairy of choice, several dashes of hot sauce, plus the salt and pepper. Whisk just until the egg yolks and whites are blended.
- Stir in half of the cheese (we’re reserving the other half for topping the frittata before baking). Transfer the lightly cooled veggies into the bowl, and stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Evenly disperse the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (keep an eye on it), until the eggs are puffed and appear cooked, and the center of the frittata just barely jiggles when you give it a gentle shimmy. For good measure, insert a fork about ¼-inch into the center of the eggs and make sure the fork comes out clean
- Place the frittata on a cooling rack until you’re ready to serve. Slice with a sharp knife, and serve. Leftovers will keep well for about four days in the refrigerator. Enjoy leftovers chilled, at room temperature, or gently reheat in the microwave or oven.
Notes
Prepare in advance: Cover and refrigerate the mixture until you’re ready to bake (it should keep well for up to two days). Bake as directed, but know that your dish may require a few extra minutes in the oven since it’s starting off cold.
Change it up: I love the flavors you see here, but you can definitely use other vegetables in similar quantities. More hardy greens like kale or chard will require a bit more cooking time. Find other flavor variations on my frittata post.
Can I freeze it? I don’t recommend freezing leftover breakfast casserole. When I defrosted my frozen slices, they turned very watery and slightly rubbery. If you’re looking for a good egg-based freezer recipe, check out my breakfast burritos.
