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

Is it better to cook casserole the day before or? ›

Putting a casserole together a day or so before baking ensures that everything is ready to go when dinner time rolls around. That means no rushing at the last minute. Along with greater convenience, making a casserole ahead of time also results in a richer, deeper taste.

Do you cook vegetables before putting in casserole? ›

Soft vegetables like broccoli can be quickly par-cooked (aka blanched). If you are using hard vegetables like potatoes or carrots or other hardy root vegetables, you'll want to par-cook for longer. Often a quick 2-5 minutes in the microwave will just give them that great head-start.

What is the key to making a good casserole? ›

  1. Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ...
  2. Undercook your pasta. ...
  3. Drain your meat. ...
  4. Beware of mushy vegetables. ...
  5. Know your cheeses. ...
  6. Master the art of casserole assembly. ...
  7. Don't skip the topping. ...
  8. Make it now, but bake it later.
Nov 1, 2021

How long can you refrigerate a 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.

Do I bake my casserole covered or uncovered? ›

Uncovering the foods promotes browning and crisping, and reduces the amount of liquid in the finished dish. If a casserole looks soupy when it's ready to bake, bake it uncovered unless the ingredients include pasta or rice, which absorb liquid.

How many days is breakfast casserole good for? ›

Bake until the center of the casserole reaches an internal temperature of 160 °F as tested with a food thermometer. After baking, any leftovers must be refrigerated within two hours and can be kept three to four days in the refrigerator or frozen for about three months.

What are three guidelines to follow when preparing casseroles? ›

Top tips for casseroles

Cut your ingredients, such as meat, potatoes and parsnips, into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly. Add any ingredients that cook quickly, such as broad beans, towards the end of cooking. To save time – and washing up – use a flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish.

Should I cook frozen vegetables before putting in a casserole? ›

Skip the Thawing!

These tiny vegetables cook so quickly that any simmering soup or stew will heat them through in just a few minutes. The same goes if you want to stir them into pasta or casseroles – chuck them in straight into the pot from the freezer!

Do you bake vegetables covered or uncovered? ›

There is no need to cover vegetables when roasting. Covering them creates steam, so they won't get as crispy and caramelized. Don't forget to stir once or twice while cooking so the vegetables get nicely browned on all sides. Other than that, you can't really go wrong.

How do you spice up a casserole? ›

Stir wholegrain mustard through the casserole at the end of cooking (to taste); this is especially good if you have sausage in the casserole. Add a sprinkle of paprika, garlic and some slices of chorizo to get that flamenco feeling into your dish.

What are the 5 components of a casserole? ›

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

What is the main ingredient in a casserole? ›

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

How long can uncooked breakfast casserole stay in the fridge? ›

The version written below with sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and cheddar cheese is generally the most popular with guests. You can assemble the entire dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.

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

Can You Make Egg Casserole Ahead of Time? This easy egg casserole is the perfect make-ahead breakfast. Simply combine the ingredients the night before and place the mixture in a prepared baking dish, then cover it tightly with storage wrap or foil. In the morning, bake the casserole according to the recipe.

Can you leave raw egg mixture in the fridge? ›

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.

Why are casseroles better the next day? ›

The spices used to lace the sauces also get better over time — strong spices like star anise and cloves might be too overwhelming on the palate the first day the dish is made, but their aroma and taste tends to mellow given some time, thus balancing out the richness of the dish.

How do you store a casserole overnight? ›

Cover casserole with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

How do you make a casserole not soggy? ›

To prevent a soggy top and a firm or crunchy bottom, it's important to use a shallow baking dish, to cook the casserole at the correct oven temperature and for the appropriate amount of time, and to be mindful of the amount of liquid used in the recipe.

Can you leave casserole to cool overnight? ›

Many casseroles seem to improve in flavour if kept overnight (cool them quickly and keep them in a refrigerator, by the way, once they're cold). This means it's quite possible to make two casseroles while the oven is in full swing, and keep one for the next day.

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