Amish Breakfast Casserole

Name: Amish Breakfast Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12 servings.
Ingredients: 1 pound sliced bacon, diced; 1 medium sweet onion, chopped; 6 large eggs, lightly beaten; 4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 1-1/2 cups 4% cottage cheese; 1-1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese

We've enjoyed a few hearty breakfast casseroles while visiting an Amish inn. When I asked for a recipe, one of the ladies told me the ingredients right off the top of her head. I modified it to create this quick and easy breakfast casserole my family loves. —Beth Notaro, Kokomo, Indiana

Ingredients

1 pound sliced bacon, diced
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups 4% cottage cheese
1-1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp; drain. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; stir in bacon mixture. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Test Kitchen tips

Create a pretty burst of color and fresh flavor by adding a pinch of minced herbs to the egg mixture. Thyme and parsley are perfect candidates; try 1 teaspoon fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried.

Cottage cheese is surprisingly versatile and almost disappears into this dish when baked.

Assemble a day in advance, and bake just before serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 273 calories, 18g fat (10g saturated fat), 153mg cholesterol, 477mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 18g protein.

Originally published as Amish Breakfast Casserole in Quick Cooking May/June 2002

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Judy

Dec 7, 2018

Excellent breakfast casserole. I added green pepper and a little garlic to it. Also served it with salsa and sour cream. This freezes well too. I divided into two pans, baked one and froze the other.
Jenny

Jun 12, 2018

This was awesome! I've been looking for a great breakfast casserole for years - and this is truly wonderful. I made it initially for a weekly teacher breakfast at my school. I thought I had made too much - instead everyone gobbled it up and there was none left! My only complaint is that I found it to be just a little bland. (The recipe calls for no additional spices...which I thought was sort of odd.) I browned the hash browns (which takes forever, good lord), but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. (I made it the night before and then baked it in the morning before I left for work - this also turned out quite well!) The second time I made it (tonight), I added a lot of salt and pepper to the eggs and the overall mixture. I also added some truly excellent hot sauce my husband and I love to the eggs and into the whole mixture. (Just a few dribbles.) I basically added blindly. It turned out SO WELL. Just gave it enough heat to be interesting, but not overpowering. My hot sauce is not for the faint of heart...so if you're using something less insane like Frank's or Sriracha, you made need more. Additionally, my Swiss cheese bag was 1 1/2 cups...I figured extra cheese makes everyone happier, and I just added all of it. :D I think there's a lot of wiggle room to make it however it makes you happy. But seriously: MAKE THIS. IT'S DA BOMB.
pstephens10

May 12, 2018

Followed the recipe to a T and 8 people devoured this. Very easy to put together, which I did the day before and baked in the morning. Not great on the waste line, but a definite keeper!
Kim

May 8, 2018

Delicious! Next time I might try using sausage instead of bacon and adding green chilies... or maybe not as it was good just the way it was. Definitely a winner!
Boo

Apr 28, 2018

Ive made this numerous times with 4% cottage cheese and even 2% and it still tasted both great! My father in law and husband who are not fans of cottage cheese LOVED it and wouldn't have even known there was cottage cheese in there. I have also used part skim cheese and it didn't make a significant difference just to make recipe lighter. I had a bag of potatoes to use up one time and chopped them into chunks and boiled them, drained, and used the recipe as is and they were delicious if you are looking to not use the frozen bag ones.Both ways are phenomenal but the skim substitutes makes per serving a bit lighter for those who are not looking for those who are watching their waist line =) excellent recipe and is a go to when I have a huge brunch and family visiting in town!
Kayzee

Apr 24, 2018

Huge hit with my family. Super easy to throw together. Have made many different variations with this recipe. Spicey sausage, monteray jack cheese instead of swiss cheese and added a small jar of salsa for a delicious mexican twist. Meat lovers style, with half of a pound of each, sausage, bacon and ham, and veggy with sauteed red and yellow peppers, spinach, onion and mushrooms with sliced tomatoes on top. All fantastic!
slocook805

Apr 21, 2018

Tasty and easy to tweak and take in so many directions. I make this for dinner and always have enough for left overs for breakfast. Try using a good quality chorizo and minced serrano peppers and give it a Mexican flair, you can spice it any way you like.
J-Jan

Apr 20, 2018

One of my favorite go-to recipes.
Melinda

Apr 20, 2018

I make this for special holiday brunches. My family loves it!
MissKarla

Apr 10, 2018

Easy to prepare and really enjoyed the taste and texture. I added ham cubes and parsle instead of bacon. The hash brown weren't totally thawed so I needed to bake it an additional 10 minutes. Next time I want to add asparagus or spinach for added flavor and nutritional value. Will be part of my "Family" recipe cookbook!