Breakfast casseroles are a great way to make sure that your kiddos have a healthy breakfast before heading out the door to school. My daughter’s lunch period is really late this year, so she definitely needs something more substantial in the morning. This breakfast casserole plus this smoothie and some yogurt is her favorite way to start the day. And as a mom, I feel good that she’s starting her day with protein and veggies!
Back to School Breakfast Casserole
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 head of broccoli, chopped
1 16oz bag frozen shredded hash browns
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
½ c. heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13×9 inch baking dish.
In a large skillet, heat the sausage, and cook until brown.
Add the onion and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the broccoli. Continue cooking for 3 minutes until all the veggies begin to soften.
Add the shredded hash browns. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cheese and mix through the sausage & veggie mixture. Stir until just combined.
Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, salt, and pepper.
Add half of the sausage & veggie mixture to the baking dish. Pour half of the egg mixture on top. Add the remaining sausage & veggie mixture, and then the remaining egg mixture.
Bake the breakfast casserole at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Eggs should be set and slightly brown on top.
Modifications
A breakfast casserole is very easy to modify based on what you have on hand or what your family prefers. Here are a few common modifications I make:
- Skip the cheese: my husband doesn’t eat cheese, so sometimes I leave it out
- Add other veggies: you can add 1-2 additional veggies to this recipe. I also like to add mushrooms, zucchini, or shredded kale.
- Change up the sausage: if you don’t eat pork, feel free to substitute with chicken or turkey sausage. If you can’t find ground sausage, just buy links and remove the casings.
- Omit the sausage: if you don’t like or don’t want sausage, just leave it out! If you do, I suggest doubling the veggies.
- Switch up the cheese: use whatever kind your family likes best.
Meal Prep
Breakfast casseroles are a great meal prep tool. I make the casserole on Sunday night and we eat it all week. It makes the morning go so much smoother when all I have to do is heat up a slice!