My daughter loves a hearty meal before she heads off to school or a long day of dance performances. And one of her favorites is breakfast casserole. I often make the casserole the night before and heat a slice up for her in the morning.
Here’s the recipe for my spicy sausage, mushroom, and greens breakfast casserole:
3 links of Trader Joe’s spicy chicken jalapeno sausage, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 large mushrooms, diced
½ medium zucchini, shredded
5-6 kale leaves, finely shredded
1 16oz bag frozen shredded hash browns
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
½ c. heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13×9 inch baking dish.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage, and cook until brown.
Add the onion and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini. Continue cooking for 3 minutes until all the veggies begin to soften. Add the kale and cook until it begins to wilt..
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 at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Eggs should be set and slightly brown on top.
Why we love breakfast casseroles
Filled with protein and veggies, breakfast casseroles are a great way to start the day off on the right foot. You can easily modify them too. Use mild Italian, chorizo, or breakfast links. Swap in broccoli, cauliflower, arugula – or any greens other than lettuce that you find at your local farmer’s market or CSA. And grab whatever cheese – or blend of cheeses – you have on hand.
Breakfast casserole tips
- Use whatever veggies you have on hand, and don’t be afraid to blend a bunch of odds and ends together!
- Keep shredded cheese and shredded hash browns in your freezer so you can easily whip this up any day of the week.
- Add fresh herbs like basil, oregano, cilantro, or thyme to the mix
- Sprinkle the egg mixture with red chili flakes for a bit of added spice