I have an eat any time of day, please everyone at the table, flex to your refrigerator breakfast/brunch/brinner kind of recipe for you today: Whole30 Breakfast Casserole.
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This recipe is made with sausage, eggs, spinach, and hash brown potatoes. I originally intended it to be a breakfast for a crowd recipe for those of us who are still hanging out at home in our PJs, not really sure what day it is. (Isn’t this week between Christmas and New Year’s the best/weirdest?)
In actuality, like the Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole I tested a few weeks ago, today’s breakfast casserole recipe turned out to be one of the happiest leftover situations in which I have ever found myself.
I ate slices of this yummy Whole30 breakfast casserole for fast lunches alongside a green salad.
I shared more with girlfriends during a “breakfast for dinner” movie night.
Our neighbor had some. My blog friends had some. Everyone loved it. I didn’t even bother mentioning that it is gluten free, dairy free, and Paleo and Whole30 approved. What matters is that it is absolutely delicious.
I’m advertising this recipe as Whole30, because I know from years past that it’s diet many of you try out starting January 1st (or let’s be kind to ourselves—January 2nd).
If you plan to go Whole30 here in a few days, this recipe is going to be a godsend for you.
Friends who’ve done it have told me that finding Whole30 breakfast recipes they can make ahead is one of the hardest parts of the routine. This recipe is here for you. (Be sure to check out my Whole30 Vegetarian Power Bowls and Whole30 Breakfast Bowls too.)
Even if you don’t plan to follow Whole30, however, please give this recipe a try. It’s filling, flavorful, and no matter what time of day you serve it, it hits the spot.
Since Whole30 sausage can be hard to find at the store, this recipe cheats it by doing a shortcut homemade version. It turns out that sautéing regular ground turkey with the same Italian seasonings used to make regular sausage works serious magic.
From here, eggs are beaten and poured into a dish with the sausage, and the whole dish is baked, like an easier Whole30 breakfast frittata.
This casserole is sure to be a regular thing around here, long after 30 days have passed.
How to Make Whole30 Breakfast Casserole
The ingredients in this recipe are simple. Once the turkey is sautéed, simply layer and bake. To make your mornings as hassle-free as possible, don’t miss my overnight breakfast casserole prep tips below.
The Ingredients
- Whole30 Turkey “Sausage”. To make this casserole as healthy as possible, I used ground turkey to make homemade “sausage” for this dish. You can also make this a Whole30 breakfast casserole with ground pork.
- Veggies. For additional health value, I added yellow onion, green onions, and garlic to this casserole.
- Spinach. Use a pack of thawed, frozen spinach, squeeze it dry, and add it right to the recipe. It’s a foolproof, minimal effort way to give this healthy recipe an extra boost of veg.
- Eggs. The base of our casserole recipe. Eggs are high in protein and low in calories, making them ideal for this healthy breakfast.
- Almond Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk to keep this recipe dairy free, and it was perfect. You can use any other non-dairy milk you have on hand.
- Spices. A combination of salt, pepper, dried sage, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes turn the ground turkey from bland to delicious, flavorful “sausage” goodness.
- Hash Brown Potatoes. Frozen hash brown potatoes seriously cut down on prep time. Given my recent Sweet Potato Hash Browns confessions, I was shocked by how much I loved this Whole30 breakfast casserole with potatoes. They’re mild and almost melt into the baked eggs. It’s a lovely effect.
The Directions
- Lightly coat the baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Add the onion to the skillet, and cook until softened. Then, add the turkey and spices, cooking until browned.
- Add the remaining vegetables to the skillet. Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl.
- Scatter the hash browns in the baking dish, and top with salt. Then, spread sausage mixture over the hash browns. Pour the egg mixture over the top, and sprinkle with green onions.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, then remove cover and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes. Let cool slightly before serving, and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Whole30 Breakfast Casserole with Sweet Potatoes. Swap in shredded sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for the hash brown portion of this casserole. (This Sweet Potato Hash is another great Whole30 recipe with Italian sausage and sweet potatoes.)
- Make it Vegetarian. Swap the sausage for a mix of roasted vegetables of your choice. Sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower would be a tasty combo.
- Paleo Breakfast Casserole. No changes! This recipe is Paleo as written.
- Breakfast Casserole with Italian Sausage. Try my scrumptious Healthy Breakfast Casserole.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Make Ahead. For a make ahead overnight casserole, fully assemble the casserole in the baking dish, cover, and store in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, bake according to the directions.
- To Store. Place leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat this casserole in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F until hot. You can also gently rewarm leftovers in the microwave until warmed through.
- To Freeze. Store leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- I like to wrap and freeze individual slices, and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator for quick meals.
Recommended Tools to Make This Casserole
- 9×13 Inch Baking Dish. The ideal size for leftovers or making this for a crowd. This one also has a lid. This set (with lids) is another option and a good value.
- Small Whisk. The perfect size for whisking the eggs completely without making a splashy mess.
This Whole30 breakfast casserole will be a tasty end to this year…and a hearty, healthy, delicious way to enter the next!
Whole30 Breakfast Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 pound ground turkey or ground pork—your choice!
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 10-ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed as dry as possible
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 10 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or non-dairy milk of choice
- 10 ounces frozen hash browns thawed (about 2 cups)
- 4 medium green onions chopped, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and mist a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and let cook until it begins to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, sage, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Break up meat into small pieces and continue to brown until it cooks through completely, about 7 additional minutes. Drain away any excess grease (you may have some if you use pork).
- Add the spinach, garlic and half of the green onions. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, distributing the spinach as evenly as possible. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milk.
- Scatter the hash browns in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Scatter the meat and sausage mixture over the top of the hash browns. Gently pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions. Cover the pan with foil.
- Bake immediately or you can cover and refrigerate it overnight! (See blog post for suggestions).
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and continue baking for 15 to 20 additional minutes, until the casserole is golden at the edges and the eggs are set in the center. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- TO MAKE AHEAD: For a make ahead overnight casserole, fully assemble the casserole in the baking dish, cover, and store in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, bake according to the directions.
- TO STORE: Place leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat this casserole in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F until hot. You can also gently rewarm leftovers in the microwave until warmed through.
- TO FREEZE: Store leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- I like to wrap and freeze individual slices, and thaw them overnight in the refrigerator for quick meals.
Nutrition
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Looks like a great recipe! I recently was told practice a very low sodium diet. I don’t see any mention of sodium in the nutrition info. Was there any sodium in the hash browns or other ingredients? (Easy to calculate the sodium in the salt!). Thanks much?
Hi Rhonda! Since sodium content can vary so much based on the brands of ingredients used, I recommend using an online calculator like MyFitnessPal, which you can customize based on the ingredients you have to get a more accurate number. I hope this helps!
I would love to make this… I have had trouble finding frozen hash browns that are whole 30 compliant… What brand did you use? and Where did you find them?
Hi Jemma! From what I’ve read online, the Alexia brand of frozen hashed browns seems to be compliant, but you could also grate your own to be safe. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
This was so good! It smelled amazing and tasted amazing. My husband was a big fan. I really liked using has browns instead of crescent rolls like my mom’s breakfast casserole calls for.
My only change (and this is purely personal preference) will be a little less garlic and a little less green onions. I will definitely make this again and again!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Lindsey! I’m so happy to hear that it was a hit!
I can’t have white potatoes, is there anything that I can substitute or should I just leave them out?
Hi Natalie! You could try swapping in shredded sweet potatoes instead. I hope this helps!
Hi Erin, I’m not on the Whole 30 diet but just learning about it, maybe… I’m just wondering if I can use regular dairy milk that is lactose free? I’m wondering also if Alexia makes sweet potato hash browns? Is there a way to halve this recipe? There’s only my husband and I and I’m thinking it may be too much for us.
Hi Janet! From my understanding of Whole30, lactose free milk is not allowed. I have not seen sweet potato hash browns from Alexia, but I do have a Sweet Potato Hash Browns recipe on my site that you could use. I have not tried to halve this recipe, but you could experiment with it. Just make sure to cut all the ingredients in half, and you’ll probably want to use a smaller baking dish. I hope this helps!
I made this 2x and both wonderful but I did add 2 cup of low fat mozzerella cheese which takes it away from being lactose free. I didn’t see where the cherry tomatoes were added that are in the picture. Was that missed from the recipe?
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review! The tomatoes were an extra topping I chose to add. You can certainly add some to your casserole next time as well!
When did you add the tomatoes? Did you sauté them or just add them in raw and bake them with the casserole?
Hi Julie! I actually sprinkled them over the top right before serving. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
FYI – lactose free mozzarella does exist! I recently discovered Galbani mozzerella at Safeway. It comes as a 16 oz cylinder or shredded. Green Valley also makes shredded lactose free mozzarella. I suspect there are a couple of others. There are also some cheddars aged 2+ years which are lactose free as well as a few naturally lactose free cheeses like Parmesan.
Thanks for the tip SL!
Made this last night to freeze ahead. I couldn’t get prepared hashbrowns (grocery stores are sold out of everything in midst of virus panic) but I had some sweet potatoes so used your recipe for SP Hashbrowns – super good in this casserole
I’m so happy to hear that this was a success, MarySue! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Can you use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
That should work fine. I hope you enjoy the recipe, Mara!
This recipe is delicious. My husband & I recently started Whole 30 & I came across your recipe while scrolling through Pinterest. I used sausage & made my own shredded sweet potatoes hash browns. It turned out a little more green because I had 16oz frozen spinach instead of the 11oz called for. It didn’t alter the taste at all. My husband loved it! This will be an easy to go to breakfast casserole. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Iris! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
A delicious meal to add into the Whole 30 breakfast rotation! The recipe is solid and flexible so I look forward to trying it with different ingredients as inspiration strikes.
One note: I only had unsweetened vanilla cashew milk so I took a gamble and used it. The vanilla wasn’t noticeable in the final result, so don’t hesitate to use it if that’s all you have!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Miranda! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Just wanted to add this is incredibly delicious. My boyfriend, who’s not usually super big on healthy eating, LOVED it. Will make again and again.
I’m SO happy that you enjoyed it, Jessica! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
My husband and I just started Whole30 Monday, and this dish was great. I didn’t miss any of the “forbidden” foods! Thank you. for sharing. I will definitely make it again and will be excited to try more of your recipes.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Susan! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I am always hungry, and this casserole is SO filling. Delicious too! I replaced hash browns with mushrooms the second time around and topped it with thin tomato slices after uncovering. It took an extra 20 minutes to cook for some reason.
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Stina! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Hello, do you think this could be made with only using egg whites?
Hi Sara! I think you could try replacing a few of the eggs with egg whites, but I worry about swapping them all, as the whites are much more liquidy and may change the consistency of the final dish. If you decide to play around with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
The consistency is good, but I felt it was a bit bland even after doubling the pepper flakes. The flexibility of this recipe is appealing, and I look forward to playing around with other W30 friendly ingredients. Thanks for posting and for the tip on freezing in smaller portions for a quick, healthy bite on the go!
Hi! I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!
I made this recipe and it was delicious! Did a test run to see if my wife and I liked it before I make it again for a brunch for a group. I added some sliced portabella mushrooms and some partially-dried basil. Everything else the same. I wound up baking for about 25 minutes total, and pre-prep was about 15 minutes, with stove cooking roughly 20-30 minutes. The ground turkey did come out tasting like sausage with the spices, but the reference to “sausage” in the recipe I found confusing….Rather refer to the “ground turkey and spinach” mixture. I will be making this again!
Hi Harvey! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback!