Description
This Egg Bake Overnight Breakfast Casserole is a hearty and customizable dish featuring sausage, fresh vegetables, eggs, and cheese. Perfect for busy mornings or feeding a crowd, it can be baked immediately or prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 10 to 12 ounces sausage (casing removed)
Vegetables
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 2 large bell peppers (diced)
- ½ medium yellow onion (diced)
Dairy & Others
- Olive oil (for sautéing)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 12 large eggs
- ½ cup milk (any type)
- ½ cup shredded cheese (any flavor; divided)
Instructions
- Prepare the Casserole Dish: Spray a 7 x 11 or 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray and set it aside. If baking immediately, preheat the oven to 375ºF (191ºC).
- Brown the Sausage: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage until cooked through. For fully cooked sausage, browning is optional but recommended for extra flavor. Transfer the browned sausage evenly into the prepared casserole dish and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add a little olive oil to the skillet if needed. Sauté the minced garlic, fresh spinach, diced bell peppers, and diced onion over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and the spinach is wilted, about 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper during the last minute of cooking. Remove from heat.
- Combine Sausage and Vegetables: Add the cooked vegetable mixture to the sausage in the casserole dish and stir roughly to distribute the mixture evenly. Set aside.
- Prepare the Egg Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 12 large eggs, ½ cup milk, and ¼ cup shredded cheese. Pour this egg mixture evenly over the sausage and vegetable mixture in the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup shredded cheese on top and add a little more salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake the Casserole: If you haven't preheated the oven, set it to 375ºF (191ºC). Bake the casserole for approximately 45 minutes or until the edges start to brown and the center is set. Allow the casserole to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Store and Reheat: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave as needed. The baked casserole can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat at 350ºF (177ºC) for about 20 minutes or until heated through.
- Freezing Before Baking: To freeze unbaked casserole, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and proceed with the baking step.
Notes
- This casserole is fully customizable with your preferred vegetables and cheese varieties.
- You can prepare the casserole the night before and refrigerate it overnight for a quick morning bake.
- For added flavor, consider adding herbs like thyme or parsley to the vegetable mix.
- If using fully cooked sausage, browning is optional but adds texture and flavor.
- Use any type of milk you prefer, including dairy-free alternatives.
- Leftover casserole can be frozen and reheated without losing texture or flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 197 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 303 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 223 mg
