I’ve tried so many breakfast casserole recipes and this Make Ahead Cheesy Breakfast Casserole is by far, my family’s absolute favorite. The one we keep coming back to time and time again. It tastes like a cheesy omelet but with a unique and delicious texture. It comes together in only 10 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes in the oven.
Prep it up
I call it Make Ahead Cheesy Breakfast Casserole because aside from being packed with cheesy omelet flavor, it’s convenient for special occasions. I used to call it Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole because every Christmas Eve I make this casserole and pop it in the oven the next morning when I want to spend time with my family and friends and not preparing breakfast in the kitchen. I changed the name when I started preparing this recipe for Easter, vacations, when we have company staying at our house, the list goes on and on.
If you’re preparing this casserole the day prior to serving it, assemble the ingredients in the baking dish and cover it with foil and refrigerate. The next morning, remove it from the fridge while you preheat the oven. Give it a stir with a whisk to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and pop it in the oven. Saving the 10-minute prep time is a game changer on special occasions!
Bring on the omelet toppings for added flavor
Make Ahead Cheesy Breakfast Casserole is versatile. It’s excellent on its own but if you prefer to add some additional omelet toppings, even better! These are a few of my tried-and-true variations.
- 1 lb cooked sausage
- 1 lb crumbled bacon
- 1 lb deli ham slices cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 onion + 1/2 bell pepper, chopped and sautéed
- Replace the cheese with swiss cheese + sautéed mushrooms, chopped
- To make this casserole festive for the holidays, I use red and green bell peppers – 1/2 red bell pepper + 1/2 green bell pepper + 1/2 onion, chopped and sautéed. The vibrant green and red colors make this the perfect breakfast casserole for the holidays!
What’s in Make Ahead Cheesy Breakfast Casserole?
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 12 eggs, scrambled
- 8 oz shredded Monterey jack cheese, pepper jack cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese or Mexican cheese mix
- 1/2 cup flour. To make this recipe gluten free, replace the flour with a 1-to-1 gluten free flour. My favorite is Bob’s Redmill 1-to-1 baking flour.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 16 ounces small curd cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional but so delicious)
- Garnish with fresh herbs – chives or parsley are two of my favorites (optional)
Make Ahead Cheesy Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 12 eggs
- 8 oz shredded Monterey jack cheese, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, Mexican cheese mix or pepper jack cheese.
- ½ cup flour To make this recipe gluten free, replace the flour with a 1-to-1 gluten free flour. My favorite is Bob's Redmill 1-to-1 baking flour.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 16 ounces small curd cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce optional but delicious
- 1 teaspoon fresh chives or parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Set oven to 400 degrees while you assemble the ingredients.
- Pour the melted butter into a standard 9×13 casserole dish and use a spatula to spread the butter to cover the bottom of the dish.
- Beat the eggs with a whisk and add them to a large bowl with the shredded cheese, flour, baking powder and cottage cheese and Tabasco sauce (if using) and mix throughly.
- If you're using add ons (bacon, sausage, onions, peppers), fold them into the mixture.
- Pour egg mixture into the buttered casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes. The total cook time will vary depending on the omelet fillings used but be sure to cook until the center of the casserole is no longer runny.
- Allow the casserole to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle garnish on top (if using)
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