Breakfast Casserole Recipe

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Tired of rushing through your mornings without a healthy breakfast, or not sure what to make for brunch for a special occasion? This totally customizable, easy breakfast casserole recipe is here to save the day! It’s based on my keto breakfast casserole, but even more custom for any lifestyle. You can use any protein, veggies (or potatoes), and cheese you like or have on hand — I’ll show you my foolproof formula below.

Plus, this breakfast egg casserole is incredibly easy to whip up. You can even prepare it the night before and bake it the next day, making your mornings smoother than ever. From busy weekdays to holiday morning brunch, breakfast casserole recipes are a staple in my house. I hope they will be in yours, too!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Savory, cheesy, and packed with flavor
Moist and fluffy texture
Quick prep time and hands-off cook time
Healthy and naturally gluten-free
Endless customization options
Great for meal prep on busy weekdays, or make it ahead for a Christmas morning breakfast

Easy breakfast casserole with slice being removed using a spatula.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for a breakfast egg casserole, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Olive Oil – Used for sauteing the meats and veggies. Avocado oil, butter, or any neutral cooking oil works here.
Meat – I made this breakfast casserole with ham, but any cooked meat will work. You can’t go wrong with crumbled baked bacon (on top or mixed in), air fryer turkey bacon, breakfast sausage (or pork sausage), beef (think finely chopped steak), leftover Instant Pot chicken breast, or even Mexican chorizo. To keep it vegetarian, simply omit the meat.
Veggies – I used diced yellow onion, bell peppers, and white mushrooms, but this is the perfect opportunity to use up anything you have on hand. Try roasted red peppers, frozen or sauteed spinach, celery, roasted asparagus, seeded tomatoes, or other leftover roasted vegetables or sauteed vegetables. Cut the veggies to the same size, so they cook at the same rate. For a more hearty breakfast casserole, add diced roasted potatoes or hash browns, or place a layer of tater tots on top before adding the cheese.
Garlic – I recommend using fresh minced garlic for the best flavor, but you can also use jarred for convenience, or substitute 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder instead (just mix it with the eggs). You can also chop leftover roasted garlic if you have some.
Eggs – For a fluffier casserole, it’s best to use room temperature eggs. You can also use just egg whites if you want to lighen it up. This breakfast casserole recipe calls for 12 eggs, so you’d need 18 if using only the whites.
Milk Or Cream – Whisking the eggs with half and half makes light and airy eggs that taste rich and savory. You can also use regular milk, watered down heavy cream, coconut milk, or almond milk.
Cheese – I used sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe for breakfast casserole, but feel free to use any kind you have in your fridge, like mozzarella, American, Swiss cheese, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack cheese. You can also omit the cheese (and use a dairy free milk above) if you need that option.
Salt & Pepper – For simple seasoning. You could also add 2 teaspoons dried herbs or 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, such as parsley, oregano, basil, or Italian seasoning.
Garnish – I garnished with green onions, but you can also use fresh herbs here or just skip it.

See below for the formula I use for all my breakfast casserole recipes, so you can use whatever you have on hand!

How To Make A Breakfast Casserole

This section shows how to make this (or virtually any) easy breakfast casserole recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Brown the meat. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (any pan will work, but I prefer a cast iron skillet for nice browning). Add the ham or any meats you’re using, and cook until browned. You’ll need medium heat for a cast iron skillet, or medium-high for any other one. Remove and set aside.
Saute the vegetables. Add more oil to the skillet and saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms (or any veggies) and cook until softened. (If you’re using any leftover vegetables that were already cooked, you can skip sauteing them.)

Combine the meat and veggies. Remove vegetables from heat and stir in the cooked meat. Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish.
Make the egg base. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk or cream, some of the cheese, salt, and pepper.

Eggs, cream, cheese, salt, and pepper whisked in a bowl.

Assemble the casserole. Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish over the meat and veggies, and stir to combine. Top with more cheese.
Bake the breakfast egg casserole. It’s done when the eggs are set and the edges are golden brown. Garnish with green onions or fresh herbs if you like.

Formula For An Easy Breakfast Casserole

Follow this easy ingredient formula for the best breakfast casserole — you can use it with any ingredients you have on hand:

1 pound cooked meat
6 cloves garlic
3 cups cooked veggies (and/or potatoes)
12 large eggs
1/2 cup milk or cream
2 cups shredded cheese
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (optional)
1/4 teaspoons each salt & pepper

Storage Instructions

Store: Cover the entire dish tightly with plastic wrap, or place slices in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Make ahead: For a make ahead breakfast casserole follow all the steps except the baking at the end. You can cover it and store it in the fridge for 1-2 days. You can bake it right from the fridge, but it will cook more evenly if you let it come to room temperature before baking.
Reheat: You can reheat individual portions in the microwave if you need to. For better results, bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes for the whole casserole, or 5-10 minutes for individual slices.
Freeze before baking: Follow all the steps in the easy egg casserole recipe above, except for baking. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Freeze after baking: Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. If you prefer single pieces, cut them and wrap each one. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Breakfast egg casserole slice on a plate.

What To Serve With Breakfast Casserole Recipes

Whether you want an early breakfast or a late brunch, there’s so many easy sides to serve with breakfast casserole recipes! Here are a few ideas:

Potatoes – For a classic breakfast, serve with roasted potatoes, hash browns, or sweet potato hash (with no added egg). If you want a lighter option, try my cauliflower hash browns instead.
Bakery Favorites – Try my easy chocolate chip banana muffins, chocolaty protein donuts, or moist almond flour zucchini bread.
Pancakes & Waffles – If you have the time, whip up some almond flour pancakes with maple syrup (I prefer sugar-free maple syrup), or repurpose similar ingredients to make chaffles.
Breakfast Meats – If you have some vegetarian family members, you can omit the meat from the casserole itself (replace it with additional veggies) and serve bacon or sausage on the side for those that want them.
Salads – Serve this easy breakfast casserole with brunch-inspired salads, like arugula salad or burrata salad.
Fruit – Make a platter of fresh fruit (plain, with yogurt, or with healthy fruit dip), or an easy fruit salad.

More Make Ahead Breakfast Casseroles

Want to make your mornings even easier? From full-sized breakfast casserole recipes to smaller ones, you can prep these recipes ahead of time to make your mornings a breeze:

Ingredients

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Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (191 degrees C) and grease the bottom of a large baking dish (this one is my favorite).
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet (preferably a cast iron skillet) over medium heat. Add the ham and cook for 5-6 minutes, until browned. Remove the ham from the skillet and set aside.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and saute for 3-5 minutes, until translucent.
Add the garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
Remove from heat and stir in the ham. (You can also stir in the green onions here if you like.) Transfer the vegetable/ham mixture to the baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, 1 cup of the cheese, salt, and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish and stir to combine. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Bake breakfast egg casserole for about 30 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the edges are golden brown.
Garnish with green onions if desired.

Last Step: Leave A Rating!

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/8 of the entire recipe

Nutrition info does not include optional green onions.

You can customize this easy breakfast casserole recipe to use up any meats, veggies, or cheeses you have! See the post above for the formula to do that.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 449

Fat 33.3g

Protein 30g

Total Carbs 7g

Net Carbs 5.6g

Fiber 1.4g

Sugar 3.7g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.