This Healthy Breakfast Casserole has something for everyone. Made with zesty Italian sausage, hash brown potatoes, melty cheese, and a heap of fresh veggies, it’s hearty, colorful, and sure to keep the peace at breakfast time.
Our family holidays center around food, and “eating healthy” tends to go on the back burner.
The last thing that will pass our food-loving family is food that tastes too healthy (and our opinionated bunch will not hesitate to let you know as much).
At the same time, however, by the time we’ve hit our third or fourth day of non-stop decadence, a few members of my family (myself included) appreciate a healthy breakfast recipe to provide some nourishment and reprieve.
That’s where this healthy breakfast casserole with potatoes and spinach comes in (or this Pesto Quiche).
5 Star Review
“Excellent! We all loved it! Easy to make, baked at times listed, absolutely delicious! Just enough cheese and spinach.”
— Janet —
LOADED with vegetables and paired with classic hearty additions like hash brown potatoes and sausage, this is a healthy breakfast casserole that even the diner-style breakfast purists at your table will also approve of.
- Like my other favorite healthy breakfast bakes (Whole30 Breakfast Casserole and Crockpot Egg Casserole), this recipe can be assembled the day before to make your morning easy-breezy.
- When you wake up, just preheat the oven, put on the coffee, and slip this easy breakfast casserole into the oven.
Without fail, the scent of melting cheese and zesty sausage will lure your family into the kitchen, as will any of my other breakfast casserole recipes!
The Best Easy Breakfast Casserole – A Shortcut
Since the holidays are busy enough as it is, I wanted to take any time-saving measures I could find to speed this recipe along.
Frozen veggies are one of my go-time time savers, so I decided to see if I could make a healthy breakfast casserole with frozen hash browns, like the ones that I use for Hash Brown Casserole.
TOTAL SUCCESS.
Rather than dice the potatoes, I swapped in thawed frozen diced hash brown potatoes.
They tasted absolutely perfect, to the extent that I may never make a breakfast casserole the old way again (I’ll save fresh potatoes for this Potato Frittata).
How to Make Healthy Breakfast Casserole
This healthy breakfast casserole with sausage is filling, flavorful, and offers big-time appeal for everyone at the table.
In fact, don’t even mention the “h”-word. Your family will never suspect it!
The Ingredients
- Eggs. The “glue” that holds all of our delicious casserole ingredients together. Packed with protein, choline, and numerous vitamins, eggs are an incredibly healthy ingredient.
- Italian Sausage. With added spices, Italian sausage is an especially scrumptious and flavorful addition. Using either Italian turkey or chicken sausage also helps to keep this recipe on the healthy side.
- Bell Pepper. Adds a wonderful pop of color and added nutrition. Bell peppers are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C.
- Baby Spinach. An easy way to sneak some greens into your breakfast! When you add the spinach to the skillet, it will seem like far too much. However, it will cook down significantly and be just the right amount.
- Hot Sauce. Add a little of your favorite hot sauce for a mild touch of heat.
- Hash Browns. The ultimate crowd-pleasing casserole ingredient that helps make this recipe extra satisfying. Plus, using frozen hash browns keeps things quick and easy.
- Cheddar Cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese won’t get lost amongst other ingredients in this casserole, and its flavor wonderfully complements them too.
The Directions
- Brown the sausage. Transfer it to a mixing bowl.
- Saute the vegetables.
- Combine the veggies, sausage, hash browns, and part of the cheese.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, hot sauce, and seasoning together.
- Stir everything together, pour it into a baking dish, and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake, covered, at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Finish with green onions, slice, and serve. ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate the casserole in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or individual slices in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze the casserole in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make Ahead Tips
Fully assemble the casserole up to 1 day in advance, and store it unbaked and covered in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, let the casserole come to room temperature while you preheat the oven, then bake it as directed.
What to Serve with Breakfast Casserole
In addition to being a peace-keeping, wholesome breakfast, this healthy breakfast casserole is feels at home for easy lunches and even dinners. Serve it with fruit salad, green salad, or other breakfast favorites.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Baking Dish. Perfect for making a breakfast casserole.
- Whisk. This is my favorite whisk. I love the smaller size!
- Nonstick Skillet. Cleanup is a breeze with this skillet.
Beautiful Baking Dish
Not only is this baking dish high-quality and long-lasting, but it also looks beautiful served on a table. This piece will last a lifetime!
Whether you need a healthy breakfast casserole for a crowd or for two, the spot-on flavors here are sure to please, and you’ll enjoy the leftovers too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Some breakfast casserole recipes benefit from sitting overnight in the fridge (particularly if they contain bread). This healthy breakfast casserole does not need to rest in the fridge before baking, since it is made with potatoes rather than bread. Simply mix it up and bake it right away (or you can make it ahead if you please).
While egg casserole and quiche (e.g., Goat Cheese Quiche) are both fantastic brunch options, the main difference is a classic quiche typically features a buttery and flaky pie crust, while most breakfast casseroles do not have a crust. They are baked directly in a baking dish or skillet, like a frittata.
I have not tried preparing this as an egg beaters casserole, so it would be an experiment. If you would like to experiment, I would suggest referring to the package directions as a starting point and adapting the recipe from there. If you try it, I would love to hear about your results!
Healthy Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet or spicy Italian turkey sausage or chicken sausage either in bulk or in casings
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper cut into a small dice
- 1 small bunch green onions finely chopped (about 3/4 cup), divided
- 5 ounces roughly chopped or torn baby spinach about 5 cups
- 10 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of your favorite hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 16 ounces frozen diced hash browns thawed (or 2 cups 1/2-inch diced white potatoes)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
- Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Break the sausage up in the skillet into small pieces and brown it until it is fully cooked through. With a slotted spoon, remove to a large mixing bowl. No need to wipe the skillet clean.
- Drizzle in the olive oil. Add the bell pepper and three-fourths of the green onions. Stir and cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 8 minutes.
- Add the spinach a few handfuls at a time, stirring until the spinach wilts. It will look like a lot of spinach at first, but it will cook down considerably. This will take about 2 minutes. Add the vegetables to the mixing bowl with the sausage.
- To the mixing bowl, add the hash browns and 1/2 cup of cheese. With a large spoon, gently stir to combine.
- In a separate larger mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until blended.
- Pour the egg mixture over the hash brown mixture and stir gently to combine. Carefully pour into the prepared baking dish. Use a spoon to prod the filling into an even layer. Top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking until the eggs are set, and the potatoes are tender (I use a fork to remove a potato and test it), about 15 to 20 additional minutes. Let rest a few minutes. Sprinkle with the reserved green onions. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate casserole in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze casserole in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- TO MAKE AHEAD: Fully assemble the casserole up to 1 day in advance, and store it unbaked and covered in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, let the casserole come to room temperature while you preheat the oven, then bake it as directed.
Nutrition
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Made it for Christmas morning but with breakfast sausage. Delicious
Will definitely make it again. Thanks, Erin.
Barbara, thank you for sharing this wonderful review. I am so happy you enjoyed it!
This breakfast casserole is delicious and a win-win-win! I prepared it and refrigerated it overnight for my New Year’s brunch. I loved all the veggies, and the “no bread” base was glorious. I cooked enough to freeze and we’re heating it up for breakfast this morning. Thank you for sharing Erin.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Caren! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
In substitutions you say 4 cups potatoes but under ingredients you say 2 cups. What is the correct one?
Hi Laurie! You should use 2 cups of potatoes. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I reviewed this recipe once, but in retrospect, I would like for it to be less “dense” and more fluffy. I don’t know where I went wrong, but would be grateful for any advice. Thank you.
Hi Caren! It’s so hard to say what might’ve happened without being in the kitchen with you. Make sure you whisk your eggs very well to incorporate more air. I hope you enjoy it even more next time!
Yummy! I think 30 minutes is enough, and my frozen hash browns were from the ice age, but my neighbors and I enjoyed it. Did mix it all together and used frozen spinach and breakfast sausage.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This recipe was super easy to make! I used egg beaters (2 1/4 cups was the equivalent to 10 eggs). This will definitely be a staple recipe in my home! Highly recommend it! SOOOO GOOD!
Hi Denise! So glad you enjoyed the casserole! Thank you for this kind review!
Do you have to cook the potatoes (russet)first before baking them with all the other ingredients?
Hi Vanessa! You can swap the frozen hash browns for 2 cups of diced fresh (which means uncooked) Yukon gold or russet potatoes. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Thank you so much for a breakfast casserole without the bread! I’m making this for Christmas morning….perfect!
Hi Janet! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This healthy casserole has become a favorite with our family. We have mixed up the veggies and even done versions with vegan sausage. It is making an appearance again tomorrow at Christmas morning breakfast. Thank you, Erin!
Hi Elena! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Excellent! We all loved it! Easy to make, baked at times listed, absolutely delicious! Just enough cheese and spinach. Adding to my holiday/company/a crowd breakfast menu!
Hi Janet! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Nice idea- simple to prep ahead and then just whisk eggs in am before baking. Well received. Only think I would do differently is cook the potatoes a little with the veggies- perhaps adding onions and garlic for some extra seasoning.
Will definitely make again.
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Love the ingredients in this recipe but need to make a crockpot version. Have you tried it? I have seen your crockpot recipe but want to use potatoes instead of bread.
Hi Debbie, I have not made this version of my breakfast casserole in the crockpot but as you have seen I do have a crockpot breakfast casserole that only contains bread and not potatoes. You might also like this version that contains potatoes: https://www.wellplated.com/vegetarian-breakfast-casserole/ Hope this helps!
Could you use frozen shredded hash browns? same amount?
Hi Amy! I’ve only tested it with the diced potatoes but it would likely work. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
I made this yesterday as a meal prep for the week. It was so easy and so good! The store was out of Italian sausage so I just used regular 93/7 ground turkey and added some spices. I also added some broccoli since I had some leftover from another recipe. I’m eating it leftover now and it’s still just as good. I think the potatoes help give it some structure and the eggs don’t have that rubbery texture some baked eggs can get when reheated. Thank you, Erin!
Hi Katie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Fabulous! My entire family loved it!
Hi Michelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this today and it was delicious. Thanks for a great egg casserole recipe that isn’t full of bread. We enjoyed it. I did use a slightly smaller pan and only used 8 eggs.
Hi April! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hi! Looks delish! Can’t have potatoes, thinking of quinoa as a substitute… any idea how I would make it with that? Or any ideas for a better substitute?
Hi! I haven’t tested anything else for this particular recipe so it would be hard for me to give specifics. This recipe might be helpful to you: https://www.wellplated.com/broccoli-quinoa-casserole/ If you decide to give it a try, I’d love to know how it goes!
I used turkey sausage, added an extra red pepper and more spinach with less cheese. My husband loves it and it’s become a weekend tradition! Tastes amazing!
Great to hear, thank you Tammy!