Breakfast Casserole Recipe (Straightforward, Scrumptious, and Wholesome)

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 turn out to be a breakfast staple in your house.

Find out 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 subject, or burning of something on a griddle, or over cooking eggs on a pan.  All of it simply does its assume proper within the pan when you get to run round doing all of your morning issues. That is one in all 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. Subsequent, cube the bell peppers, onions and mushrooms, and sauté them in the identical skillet till they’re tender.

Whereas 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 every part and stir to mix.

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

Elements Wanted for this Recipe

These elements are scrumptious, however you possibly can swap them out to your preferences and dietary wants. You should use various kinds of bread, meats, greens, and cheese, or add in extra elements like spinach, ham, or tofu. Be at liberty to get artistic and make the casserole your individual!

• Sourdough Bread – I want sourdough bread as a result of it has a dense crumb that holds up effectively in a breakfast casserole and likewise offers 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 finest
• 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 should use any variety you want, however i like to make use of white button on this recipe
• Eggs – giant eggs are what known as for
• Cottage Cheese – small curd works finest
• Milk – you should use any sort of unsweetened milk for this, however the next fats proportion provides you with a richer taste and texture.
• Cheddar Cheese – you should use medium or sharp cheddar.

Finest Veggies for Breakfast Casserole

There are many greens that work effectively in a breakfast casserole, and actually it comes all the way down to your private preferences.   Listed here are a number 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, gentle 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 may also 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 Okay, 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, they usually’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 Okay, fiber, and antioxidants.
• You should 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 finest!

Do You Need to Refrigerate Breakfast Casserole In a single day?

There are a number of explanation 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 take a seat for a time frame, their flavors mix leading to a extra flavorful casserole.
2. To avoid wasting time within the morning: Should you’re quick on time within the morning, making a breakfast casserole the night time earlier than means that you can pop it within the oven and have a scorching, scrumptious breakfast prepared once you get up.
3. To make meal prep simpler: Getting ready a breakfast casserole upfront could make meal prep simpler for the week. You may make a big batch and portion it out for breakfast all through the week, or freeze particular person servings for a fast and straightforward breakfast possibility.

Do You Cowl a Breakfast Casserole When Baking it?

It relies on the precise recipe and the kind of casserole you’re making. Right 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, equivalent to these made with bread or different elements which might be liable to drying out, could profit from being coated whereas baking to maintain them from changing into too dry. Alternatively, casseroles made with elements which might be liable to changing into soggy, equivalent to eggs, could not must be coated.
• The specified texture: Should you want a crispy, golden brown prime in your casserole, you might need to go away it uncovered whereas baking. A whole lot 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’s going to assist to cowl with foil to stop the highest from changing into too brown.

How Do you Know When Breakfast Casserole is Executed?

There are a number of methods to inform when a breakfast casserole is finished cooking:

• The sides of the casserole are golden brown and the highest is barely crispy: It is a good indication that the casserole is cooked by way of and the elements are totally heated.
• The casserole is ready and doesn’t jiggle once you shake the pan: That is one other signal that the casserole is cooked by way of and the eggs are totally cooked.
• The inner temperature of the casserole reaches at the very least 165°F: Utilizing a meals thermometer is probably the most correct strategy to decide if a casserole is totally cooked. Insert the thermometer into the middle of the casserole and ensure the temperature reaches at the very least 165°F.

Should you’re not sure if the casserole is finished, you possibly can at all times lower into it and examine the middle to ensure it’s totally cooked. If the casserole continues to be undercooked, you possibly can return it to the oven and cook dinner it for a number of extra minutes till it’s performed.

Why is My Breakfast Casserole Runny? 

There are a number of explanation why a breakfast casserole could prove runny:

• The eggs have been overcooked: If the eggs are overcooked, they’ll turn out to be rubbery and launch extra liquid, leading to a runny casserole. To keep away from this, make sure you comply with 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 totally cooked, leading to a runny consistency. To make sure that the casserole is totally cooked, make 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 accommodates an excessive amount of liquid, it can lead to a runny consistency. To keep away from this, make sure you comply with the recipe and measure the elements precisely.

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

How To Retailer and Reheat Breakfast Casserole

To retailer a breakfast casserole:

1. Let the casserole to chill fully. If the casserole continues to be scorching, it may elevate the temperature of the fridge and probably spoil different meals.
2. Cowl the casserole tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
3. Retailer 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, comply with these steps:

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

Should 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 way of.

How Lengthy Does Breakfast Casserole Final within the Fridge?

As soon as your casserole is baked, it’s going to keep good within the fridge as much as about 4 days.  After that, the feel or taste may begin to get a bit off.

What goes with breakfast casserole?

• Contemporary fruit: A fruit salad or sliced contemporary fruit can add a refreshing and wholesome ingredient 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 as well add some fruit or greens to the smoothie for an additional enhance of vitamins.

Should you like 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.
• Reduce bacon in chunk measurement items. Warmth a big skillet over medium warmth, and add bacon items. Prepare dinner till crispy after which drain the grease and set bacon apart.
• Add diced onion, peppers, mushrooms and garlic. Saute till every part has barely softened, about 5–6 minutes.
• Reduce bread into cubes and layer on the underside of your baking dish. Prime 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 every part within the pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese on prime.
• Cowl 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, enable to take a seat at room temperature for 10–quarter-hour as oven preheats.)
• Cowl with foil and bake for 1 hour eradicating the foil 15-20 minutes earlier than ending.

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