Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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A super simple veggie loaded breakfast casserole that’s easily customizable! I loaded mine with shredded potatohash browns, tons of fresh veggies, and a big dash of hot sauce! You can add crumbled sausage, shredded chicken, or anything else you please!

Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (1)

FRI-YAY!

I am so excited to be bringing you one of my all-time favorite breakfast casseroles. It’s loaded with shredded potato hash browns and tons ofsauteéd spinach, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Not only is it a cinch to whip up, but it’s also totally customizable! Be it sausage, ground chicken/turkey, shredded rotisserie chicken, or meatless – with tons of veggies like I made it. The options are endless.

Once you’ve got your protein picked out, grab your favorite cheese and start shredding.Mozzarella, swiss, and sharp cheddar are just some of the cheeses that will pair well with this casserole.

BUT BUT BUT! More reasons to make it –> you can MAKE IT AHEADand just bake it off in the morning. How good would this be for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas breakfast? A nice hearty and veggie loaded casserole that’ll keep you and the little ones going all day long.

How to make a veggie breakfast casserole:

Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2)

I kind of debated whether I should actually call this a ‘breakfast casserole recipe’ as it’s more of a guideline that can easily be adapted to yourfamily’s breakfast casserole needs.

Did I mention it makes a ton? Like 10-12 servings! The hubby and I enjoyed this casserole for a couple of days but it’s one of those that actually tastes better with time. And yeah, you bet it was dinner the next day. But loaded with veggies and eggs, it’s hearty and keeps you full for hours afterward.

I spiced mine up with a whole ¼ cup of Franks hot sauce. And it gave the casserole so much flavor. If you’ve got little ones, you can cut the hot sauce back to a couple oftablespoons or leave it out altogether. But even with the ¼ cup added into the breakfast casserole, I still splashed on a little more before gobbling it down!

Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (3)

Let’s talk about the breakfast casserole recipe.

It’s super simple, I promise.

I sautéed the veggies separately in a skillet before layering them in. If you decide to use any kind of protein, just sauté it before adding it into the casserole.

So it starts like this – just spray a 9×13 casserole dish down with a good coating of cooking spray. We want the hash browns on the bottom to get nice and colored. Then add in the hash brown, pack them in firmly. Next, whisk the eggs, salt and pepper, milk, and if you’re using it, hot sauce, in a bowl and set it aside. Saute and add your protein +veggies on top of the potatoes and drizzle on your egg mixture. Top it with your favorite cheese and that’s it! Let it all bake up for 45 minutes and you’ve got a perfect breakfast casserole that’s great for brunch or lazy Saturday mornings.

Sometimes I like to assemble the casserole from the night before and let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes while I enjoy a cup of coffee and bake it off in the morning.

Lazy Saturday morning breakfasts are my favorite part of the whole week.

Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (4)

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Yield: serves 10-12

Veggie-Loaded Breakfast Casserole

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time45 minutes

Total Time1 hour 5 minutes

A super simple veggie loaded breakfast casserole that's easily customizable! I loaded mine with shredded potato hash browns, tons of fresh veggies, and a big dash of hot sauce! You can add crumbled sausage, shredded chicken, or anything else you please!

Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (5)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 8-10 mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, diced
  • 2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 20 ounces shredded potatoes, thawed
  • 10 eggs
  • ⅓ cup half and half or milk (see notes)
  • ¼ cup hot sauce (more or less to taste)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (see notes)

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté them for 4 minutes or until they start to brown. Add a small pinch of salt along withe onions and garlic and let cook for 2 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add the second tablespoon of oil, if needed, and sauté the peppers for 1 minute. Add in the baby spinach and allow it to wilt, remove from heat, set aside.
  2. Generously spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Lay the shredded potatoes in the bottom of the dish and press to make sure they are spread out evenly. Add the veggies (both the mushrooms and the pepper mixtures) over the potatoes, set aside.
  3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF if you are baking the casserole immediately.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, half and half, hot sauce, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the prepared veggies. Sprinkle the cheese over the topand another small pinch of salt and pepper.
  5. Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the cheese melts, and the top gets in and golden, 45-50 minutes. Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • TO MAKE AHEAD - prepare the casserole as directed, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or as required (not to exceed 24 hours) and allow it to come to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
  • The half and half can be replaced with any nondairy milk such as almond, soy, cashew, etc.
  • OTHER ADD INS - I kept this recipe vegetarian, but you can certainly add in browned sausage, ground turkey/beef, shredded chicken or ham. The cheeses I recommend for this casserole are cheddar (mild or sharp), mozzarella, and pepper jack, or swiss).

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

IS THIS A GOOD CHOICE FOR YOU?

Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (6)

*Please note: the nutritional factscalculated are an estimate based on the ingredientsI’ve used.If you’d like a more accurate count, please calculate them using the ingredients/brands you’ve used to prepare the recipe. The nutritional factsprovided are for 1/12th of the recipe, assuming you use⅓ cup milk and cheddar cheese.

Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (7)

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Make Ahead Veggie Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

FAQs

How long can a breakfast casserole be refrigerated before baking? ›

Success Tip: Refrigerate Overnight

At this point, you can either bake it right away or refrigerate the casserole overnight and for up to 24 hours. During this time, the flavors mingle together and the bread has a chance to soak up some of the liquid and flavor.

Can you make a casserole with raw eggs ahead of time? ›

An egg strata traditionally consists of layered bread, cheese, and other foods (such as cooked sausage, ham, bacon, shrimp, or vegetables) over which a mixture of raw beaten eggs and milk are poured. The casserole is covered and refrigerated overnight to allow the liquid ingredients to be absorbed into the bread.

Is it better to freeze a breakfast casserole cooked or uncooked? ›

The answer depends on what's in it. Casseroles with raw protein (meat, poultry, seafood) should be completely cooked before freezing. However dishes with pre-cooked meats or no meat are fine to go in the freezer uncooked.

Why is my breakfast casserole soggy? ›

Baked egg dishes tend to have issues with becoming too rubbery or watery after cooking. This is especially the case when high-moisture vegetables or dense meats are in the mixture—sautéing the potatoes and vegetables before baking helps to dry the food and concentrate flavors.

Can you prepare a casserole the day before? ›

One of the advantages of casseroles is that you can cook them in advance. If possible, make your casserole one day ahead and store in the fridge – this intensifies the flavours of the dish. To freeze ahead, cool the cooked casserole, then freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.

How long can you keep an unbaked casserole in fridge? ›

Uncooked Casseroles: If the casserole contains raw meat or seafood, it should be refrigerated for no more than 1-2 days before baking. A purely vegetable-based uncooked casserole can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. Cooked Casseroles: Once cooked, casseroles can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Is it okay to scramble eggs the night before you cook them? ›

Make it the night before, then just reheat in the morning. To make these eggs even more special, put them in puff pastry shells. But they are delicious on their own, served with sausage or bacon and some fresh fruit, coffee, and orange juice.

Can you boil eggs and use them the next day? ›

Once they are cooked, they'll last for about one week regardless of the storage method. If the eggs have already been peeled, keep them moist by covering them on bottom and top with a damp paper towel before placing them in the container.

Can you leave raw egg mixture in the fridge overnight? ›

If you've got raw egg yolks or whites left over from a recipe which you don't want to waste (let's face it, why would you?), you can store them in the fridge as long as you plan to use them within the next few days.

Can you reheat egg breakfast casserole? ›

You can microwave it until it's hot, one serving at a time, or you can reheat the whole casserole in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until it's heated through.

How do you keep breakfast casserole from falling? ›

For a puffy egg casserole, you can prevent falling by cooking at a lower temperature, as with this recipe.

How do you defrost breakfast casserole? ›

It's not advisable to attempt to thaw your casserole in the oven or in the microwave. Instead, you should place your frozen casserole in the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. The refrigerator's cool temperature will allow for a mild thawing process and, in turn, will help your casserole bake evenly.

How to thicken breakfast casserole? ›

Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking.

How to tell when breakfast casserole is done? ›

How do you know when breakfast casserole is done? Just stick a knife into the center of your egg casserole recipe after 55 minutes of baking. If it comes out clean, your baked egg casserole is ready!

How do you keep a casserole moist? ›

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

How long to refrigerate casserole before baking? ›

Unless food will be frozen, it's safest and will provide the best quality product to start preparing most perishable foods no more than a day before a meal. For example, assemble a vegetable casserole a day in advance, refrigerate and then bake the day of your dinner.

How many days can you keep a casserole in the fridge? ›

Most leftovers — such as cooked beef, pork, seafood or chicken, chili, soups, pizza, casseroles and stew — can be safely kept for three to four days.

How long can you keep egg batter in the fridge? ›

In reality, you can keep the batter up to 48 hours without any problem, but never longer as the eggs and raw milk can contain salmonella that is not killed by the cold and it could lead to food poisening. Don't forget to cover with plastic wrap or the milk will absorb the different smells in your refrigerator.

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