How to Make the Best Egg Casserole (Fill in the Blanks)

Written by on in Breakfast & Brunch, Browse Recipes, by Course, by Main Ingredient, Eggs, Main Dish
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Who doesn’t love a delicious & hearty egg casserole?! For holiday breakfasts, weekend brunching, or breakfast for dinner, they’re just so easy & satisfying. Plus, it’s one of those dishes that is extremely versatile.

When trying to decide the flavor palate for an egg casserole I came across so many wonderful ideas that I … well, I couldn’t decide. So I decided to break the recipe down into a basic fill-in-the-blank style template & let you decide for yourself!

A Fill-In-The-Blank Template for Egg Casserole

The first blank you get to fill is what style of “frozen shredded potato” you want to try. I have used crispy circles & tater tots & shredded hash browns; they all worked great. I have also seen someone use hash brown patties. So really, as long as it’s a frozen shredded potato of some kind, it will do the job!

Next up, choose what kind of cheese you want to use for your casserole. It should be shredded or crumbled; small cubes may work but I have not tried them myself (yet – I’ll report back when I do). I like to use Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack. You could use Cheddar or Gruyere or Swiss or Goat Cheese or … you get the idea.

The third blank you need to fill in is a type of meat. Breakfast pork sausage & bacon are obvious possibilities. You could also do ham or chorizo. I wonder what a taco seasoned ground turkey or ground beef would be like … if you try it, please let me know how it goes, okay?!

The last blank is optional & versatile. You could stop after the potatoes, cheese, & meat – you already have all the necessities. But you could add some veggies to add another texture & lighten it up. Or you could choose to go for maximum heartiness & double the meat.

Egg Casserole Variations

I have three variations so far that I’ll share below. If you’re unsure how to ‘fill in the blanks’, these will get you started, until you start experimenting with making your own creations. I’ll list the ingredients in an image below for you to save, screenshot, or pin. Then just follow the instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Cowboy Egg Casserole

First up is my Cowboy Egg Casserole. Double meat, no veggies, with a bit of green chilies added into the egg mixture to go with the Pepper Jack cheese.

Chorizo Egg Casserole

Of course I had to try a casserole with chorizo in it! For this one, I browned the meat & cooked the diced veggies right in the same pan.

Lorraine Egg Casserole

Quiche Lorraine is a classic dish, you’ve probably heard of it? It is a classic quiche, with three must have ingredients: bacon, onion, & Gruyere or Swiss cheese. I threw those three ingredients in along with the cayenne & nutmeg a Lorraine calls for. Turned out great! (Go lighter on the spices if you’re sensitive.)

Two Secrets to a Better Egg Casserole

Out of all of the egg casserole recipes I read while testing this template, two tips stood out to me more than any others. First, use Greek yogurt in place of some of the milk you typically use. I’m a huge fan of Greek yogurt, so I was immediately on board. It makes the egg mixture richer, creamier, more luxurious, almost like a quiche. Love it.

The second tip was to bake the potatoes a bit by themselves first, before adding any other ingredients to the casserole. I really didn’t want to do this one, because it adds more time on to the bake. However … I can’t deny that the results speak for themselves.

You know that part about pan fried hash browns where it’s just a little crispy & caramelized? Yeah, the best part? That’s what happens when you take the time to bake the potatoes a bit. It’s not necessary, but it is worth it!

What to serve with Egg Casserole

Something light! This is a hearty dish that will keep you full. Some fresh veggies to crunch on, a light green salad, or fruit salad would be great easy side dishes to pair with the egg casserole.

Alright, have you tried making your own combo? I cannot wait to hear what you came up with! Please tell me all about how it goes! I really appreciate all of your feedback & I love seeing your creations! Please leave a review & comment below. And don’t forget to take a quick pic of your creation & tag This & That on Instagram or Facebook.

Egg Casserole

Stephanie Ralya
A fill-in-the-blank template for an easy Egg Casserole so you can choose your favorite flavor combination. Make it however you want!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine American, French
Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound Meat of Your Choice
  • 20 ounces Frozen Shredded Potatoes of Your Choice
  • 10 Eggs
  • 1 cup Whole Milk
  • 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1/4 t Salt
  • 1 cup Cheese shredded or crumbled
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Non-Stick Spray

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375. Prep a 9″ x 13″ glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add the potatoes to the dish in an even layer & set aside while oven preheats.
  • Start by cooking your chosen meat (likely by pan frying on the stove, but the method you choose is up to you). Set meat aside when ready.
  • When oven is preheated, bake potatoes for 10 minutes. Remove when done & set aside.
  • If using vegetables that you want to soften first, cook in the same pan as the meat for a few minutes after the meat is done.
  • Whisk together the eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, 1/4 t salt, & any other seasonings you have to add. Whisk well, until the yogurt is smooth & you see no lumps.
  • Evenly distribute the meat & veggies over the potatoes. Add your cheese on top. Finally, pour the egg mixture evenly over the pan. If needed, use a fork to flatten the filling out to submerge as much as possible below the eggs.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the eggs are totally set. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before digging in.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

This casserole can be prepared the night before & refrigerated overnight. Follow the instructions until the final bake. Cover & refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge & let warm up for at least 30 minutes before baking. The final bake time may be longer than 30-35 minutes depending on how warm the casserole is when it’s put in the oven.
Keyword brunch, easy, holiday, kid-friendly, meal-prep, simple

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: this post or recipe contains an Amazon Affiliate link. This & That is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program; an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for This & That to earn revenue by linking to products offered on Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

[sibwp_form id=2]