Description
This Healthy Breakfast Casserole is a delicious and nutritious way to start your day, featuring sautéed bell peppers, green onions, spinach, eggs, dairy, and feta cheese baked to fluffy perfection. It's easy to prepare, customizable with different vegetables, and perfect for meal prep or family breakfasts.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 medium red bell peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)
- ¾ cup thinly sliced green onion (about 1 small bunch)
- 5 ounces roughly chopped spinach (about 5 cups)
Egg Mixture
- 12 eggs
- 3 tablespoons full-fat dairy (heavy cream, half-and-half, whole milk, sour cream or yogurt)
- Several dashes of your favorite hot sauce, like Cholula
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces (1 cup) crumbled feta or goat cheese
- Butter for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan generously with butter instead of cooking spray for better results.
- Sauté vegetables: In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped red bell pepper and sliced green onions, cooking for about 8 to 10 minutes until the peppers are tender and cooked through.
- Cook spinach: Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and stir while cooking for about 2 minutes until wilted. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare egg mixture: Crack the 12 eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Add the 3 tablespoons of your chosen full-fat dairy, several dashes of hot sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk just until the egg yolks and whites are blended.
- Combine cheese and veggies: Stir half of the crumbled feta or goat cheese into the egg mixture. Then transfer the cooled sautéed vegetables from the skillet into the bowl and mix everything together thoroughly.
- Assemble casserole: Pour the combined egg and vegetable mixture into the prepared greased pan. Evenly scatter the remaining cheese on top to add a flavorful crust.
- Bake the casserole: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, keeping an eye on the dish. The casserole is done when the eggs are puffed and cooked through, with the center just barely jiggling. You can also test doneness by inserting a fork about ¼-inch into the center; it should come out clean.
- Cool and serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and place it on a cooling rack until ready to serve. Slice with a sharp knife and enjoy warm. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to four days and enjoyed chilled, at room temperature, or gently reheated.
Notes
- Prepare in advance: You can cover and refrigerate the mixed egg and vegetable mixture for up to two days before baking. If baking from cold, expect a few extra minutes of cooking time.
- Vegetable variations: Feel free to replace the vegetables with others such as kale or chard, noting that more hearty greens may require longer cooking times.
- Freezing: Freezing leftover breakfast casserole is not recommended as it can become watery and rubbery upon thawing. For freezer-friendly egg dishes, consider breakfast burritos instead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 330 mg
