Jam-packed with nutritious foods and bursting with fresh flavor, veggie egg casserole is a favorite for many reasons. Aside from the fact that it’s deceptively healthy (especially given how delicious it is), this casserole is endlessly customizable, allowing you to use up whatever’s in your fridge. It’s also easy to make and requires minimal effort aside from chopping veggies and assembling ingredients. All in all, veggie egg casserole is the perfect meal to serve for breakfast when you don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen but still want to whip up something super-tasty that everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients for Veggie Egg Casserole
- Eggs: If possible, use farm-fresh eggs, as these have a fresher, richer flavor.
- Egg substitute: This will help bind the ingredients together.
- Cottage cheese: Two-percent cottage cheese enhances this casserole’s flavor and texture and provides an extra shot of protein.
- Pepper jack cheese: If you have another type of cheese in your fridge that you’d like to use up, feel free to use it here.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Use sharp cheddar for the best flavor.
- Romano cheese: Substitute for another hard, salty cheese if you’d prefer (freshly grated pecorino is delicious here).
- Hot pepper sauce: This will give your casserole a nice heat. Crushed red pepper flakes can be used here if you don’t have hot pepper sauce on hand.
- Zucchini: Sprinkle chopped zucchini with a bit of salt and let it sit in a colander over the sink for about 15 minutes, then dry the zucchini with a paper towel. This will prevent the zucchini from going soggy.
- Broccoli: If you have the time and desire, roast the broccoli with olive oil and salt in the oven before adding it to the casserole. The flavor makes it worth it.
- Fresh spinach: Chopped kale, arugula or virtually any other green would work here, too.
- Shredded carrots: Carrots add a welcome sweetness to this dish.
- Cherry tomatoes: Juicy and almost candy-like, cherry tomatoes really ramp up the flavor of veggie egg casserole.
Directions
Step 1: Whisk ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg substitute, cheeses, pepper and pepper sauce. Stir in the vegetables.
Step 2: Prepare the casserole and bake
Transfer the veggie-egg mixture to an 11×7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, for about 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
Veggie Egg Casserole Variations
- Add meat: Fry up some bacon, cubed ham, Italian sausage or even plant-based chorizo to add to this casserole if you’d like.
- Substitute other veggies: Yellow squash, bell pepper or any number of other vegetables would work well in this casserole. If you have veggies in your fridge you’d like to use before they go bad, now’s the time.
How to Store Veggie Egg Casserole
Store your veggie egg casserole in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for at least two to three days.
Can you prepare this casserole in advance?
You can prepare the mixture beforehand without baking it. Follow step 1 of this recipe (without pre-heating the oven, of course) and refrigerate the mixture until it’s time to bake the casserole.
Veggie Egg Casserole Tips
How can I make sure my veggie egg casserole has the best flavor?
Though this will increase the overall cook time, roasting or sauteing your vegetables before adding them to the casserole will help bring out their natural flavors. (You could also do this step in advance and save the roasted veggies in the fridge until you’re ready to cook the casserole.)
Can I make this casserole spicy?
Definitely. Aside from using hot pepper sauce or crushed red pepper flakes, we like adding some sliced jalapeno to veggie egg casserole. Then, serve it with your favorite hot sauce.
What should I serve with veggie egg casserole?
Hash browns go great with veggie egg casserole, as does avocado toast.
