Traditional Breakfast Egg Casserole
This traditional breakfast egg casserole is a hearty and delicious dish perfect for feeding a crowd. It features eggs, milk, bread or hash browns, breakfast sausage, cheese, and vegetables baked to golden perfection.
Equipment
- oven
- baking dish (9x13 inch)
- large skillet
- large bowl
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 2 cups milk whole milk or 2%
- 6-8 slices day-old bread, cubed OR 2 cups shredded hash browns
- 1 lb breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped bell pepper any color
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch paprika
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Arrange cubed bread or spread hash browns evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish.
Cooking the Fillings
- Melt butter or heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté chopped onion and bell pepper for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Add cooked breakfast sausage, if not already cooked, and brown it in the skillet, crumbling as it cooks; drain any excess fat.
Assembling the Casserole
- Sprinkle the cooked meat and vegetable mixture evenly over the bread or hash browns.
- Top with 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until thoroughly combined and slightly frothy.
Baking
- Carefully pour the egg mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the casserole is set in the center, golden brown, and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Notes
For a richer flavor profile, consider adding a dash of hot sauce or Dijon mustard to the egg mixture. You can also customize by adding different vegetables like mushrooms or spinach, or a variety of cheeses like Monterey Jack or Gruyere.