Christmas Breakfast Casserole
Wake up to the ultimate Christmas breakfast casserole! This holiday bake features a rich blend of mozzarella and feta, Italian sausage, savory veggies, and a fluffy egg mixture with Parmesan. This make-ahead breakfast is the perfect effortless and satisfying start to your holiday.
Ingredients
- 8 oz sweet Italian chicken sausage, removed from skin
- Cooking spray
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- ¾ cup feta cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup chopped shallots
- 5 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers, from a 12 oz jar, drained
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped broccoli florets
- 10 large eggs
- 2 large egg whites
- ¼ cup milk
- 4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, add the mozzarella cheese and the feta cheese and gently mix together. Place half of the cheese in the baking dish.
- Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and cook the sausage over medium heat until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spatula into small pieces as it cooks. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the oil and add the shallots and mushrooms, sautéing until they are tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the drained roasted peppers, small broccoli pieces, and return the cooked sausage back into the skillet, stirring and cooking for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and spread this mixture evenly over the cheese mixture in the 9x13 baking dish.
- In a large bowl combine the eggs, egg whites, milk, parmesan, salt and pepper and whisk well. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the baking dish and top with remaining Mozzarella and feta cheese mixture.
- Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 32 to 35 minutes. Let stand 8 to 10 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces.
Notes
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze individual portions (once fully cooled) for up to 1 month. Reheat in the oven, covered with foil, to restore that freshly baked texture.
- Cheese substitutes: Sharp cheddar, and Gruyère can replace the mozzarella cheese. Goat cheese is a good substitute for feta.
- Meaty twist: Use chopped bacon, ham, shredded chicken, or ground beef instead of sausage.
- Rest to set: Like most egg-based casseroles, this Christmas casserole should stand for about 8-10 minutes before sliced to serve. This ensures that the egg custard sets enough for clean slicing and easy serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 259kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 279mg, Sodium: 1094mg, Potassium: 272mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 827IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 224mg, Iron: 2mg