Make this chorizo, egg & green chili breakfast casserole for your next brunch! With only 20 minutes of prep, it's the easiest make ahead recipe to dazzle a crowd.
Around this time of year I find myself going to a ton of breakfasts and brunches. Typically these events are with my family or a large gathering of friends, which necessitates a lot of hungry mouths to feed. My solution: chorizo, egg & green chili breakfast casserole!
Any oatmeal bake or sheet pan pancakes is a great strategy to cook a large amount of food at once, but I love egg breakfast casseroles for a savory option. This recipe is loaded with veggies, yummy chorizo and spicy green chilies for a breakfast everyone will love.
I'll be bringing this casserole to many of my holiday brunches this season and I hope you will too!
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- 17g of protein. Pairing a slice of this breakfast casserole with your pancakes or cinnamon bun is an easy way to instantly make your brunch a balanced meal.
- Meal prep or make ahead. This egg breakfast casserole is so great for fast and nutritious breakfasts during the week. It's delicious reheated, but also tastes great straight from the fridge.
- Only 20 minutes of prep. There's only a little bit of hands-on time required and it makes a huge portion. We're all about efficiency here!
Ingredients
Eggs. Any fresh eggs will work. I like omega-3 fortified eggs to get a little more essential healthy fats into my diet, but choose whatever you typically have on hand. I have not tested this recipe using just egg whites.
Cottage cheese. Making your egg bake with cottage cheese is the secret to a fluffy, cheesy finished product that's higher in protein and lower in fat. It’s no secret I love cottage cheese and it’s a great addition to egg bakes. I typically like to opt for 2% cottage cheese.
Spices. All you need are salt, black pepper, chili power, garlic powder and cumin.
Red & green bell peppers. Any colour of bell pepper will work in this recipe. I prefer the contrast of the red and green colours in this egg bake.
Red onion. If you do not have red onion on hand, white or yellow on will work.
Green chilis. I used canned green chilies. You can find them in most grocery stores where you find tacos shells and salsa.
Chorizo sausage. I love the spice of a chorizo breakfast casserole, though you can use any type of sausage of your choosing. Italian sausages would add a subtle spice as well!
Cilantro. Optional but recommended if you're a cilantro lover like me!
Cheese. Cheddar cheese, monterey jack or marbled cheese will work great.
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
In a pan over medium-high heat, cook sausage meat until no longer pink in colour, using a spatula to break up the sausages into small pieces. Once the sausage is cooked, drain the excess fat and place in the fridge to cool.
Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9x12 inch casserole dish. In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and ground cumin.
Stir in cooled cooked sausage meat, diced peppers, onions and green chilies.
Pour mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The casserole should be slightly brown on the top and should not be “jiggly” when shaken. If it is still jiggly it may need to be baked for an additional 5 minutes.
Slice into 10 equal sized pieces, top with cilantro and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, however make sure your chorizo doesn't contain any gluten as a filler ingredient.
To make dairy-free: You may opt to remove the cottage cheese and swapping the shredded cheese. If you try this, I recommend baking for 5-10 minutes less than the specified time.
To make nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free.
Don’t like cottage cheese? You have two options: leave it out completely and replace it with ½ cup milk, or blend it along with the eggs and spices to create a smooth consistency prior to adding in the mix-ins.
Get as creative as you’d like with this recipe! Substitute different diced veggies or various types of cheeses and sausages. Like my spinach feta egg cups, pretty much anything works well. I do not recommend adding potatoes or bread as it will affect the cook time and texture of the casserole
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- 9x12 inch casserole dish
Storage
Once cooked, this egg breakfast casserole can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. If you would like to prep it ahead of time and bake it later, you may cover it with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for one day.
For longer storage, you can freeze the cooked casserole by covering it completely with plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. The uncooked mixture can also be frozen for up to 2 months, covered similarly in plastic wrap and foil. When you are ready to bake, place it in the fridge overnight to thaw and bake as directed in recipe
For meal prep, try wrapping the slices individually before freezing.
To reheat, I recommend allowing it to thaw overnight (if it is frozen) and microwaving it until warm.
Top Tip
To make this casserole even easier add the diced veggies and cooked sausages directly into the baking dish and pour the egg mixture over top. This makes it a one pan recipe!
Ensure you grease your casserole dish well to avoid the eggs sticking.
Frequently Asked Questions
I find adding cottage cheese creates a nice and fluffy texture while also boosting the protein content!
If you do not have any medical conditions which require you to watch your sodium levels and are not consuming cottage cheese in large quantities daily, adding cottage cheese into your breakfast should not be a huge cause of concern. However there are lower sodium cottage cheese options such as this one!
I do not recommend substituting any of the whole eggs for egg whites as I have not tested it and I believe it will affect the structure of the recipe.
I personally don't find it overly spicy, we only use one can of green chilies which I find adds a nice subtle spice without being overpowering. If you prefer a spicier egg bake- I recommend adding an additional can (so a total of 8 oz) of green chilies)!
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
You'll never skip breakfast with these recipes!
- One Dish Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
- Quinoa Egg Muffins
- Veggie Packed Savoury Oatmeal Bake
- Moroccan Shakshuka
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this chorizo, egg & green chili breakfast casserole, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Chorizo, Egg & Green Chili Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- 1 lb chorizo sausage casing removed
- 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 red bell pepper diced (1 cup)
- 1 green bell pepper diced (1 cup)
- ½ of 1 medium red onion diced (½ cup)
- 4 ounces diced green chilies
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup cilantro chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a pan over medium-high heat, cook sausage meat until no longer pink in colour, using a spatula to break up the sausages into small pieces. Once the sausage is cooked, drain the excess fat and place in the fridge to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9x12 inch casserole dish. In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and ground cumin.
- Stir in cooled cooked sausage meat, diced peppers, onions and green chilies.
- Pour mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The casserole should be slightly brown on the top and should not be “jiggly” when shaken. If it is still jiggly it may need to be baked for an additional 5 minutes.
- Slice into 6-10 equal sized pieces depending on preference, top with cilantro and enjoy! (Nutrition facts are calculated based on 10 slices)!
Kay Housley says
Had this for Father’s Day. My family can handle spice-some can’t . I used soy chorizo-delicious.
Judy says
Can I freeze before baking?
Nicole Addison says
Hi Judy I wouldn't recommend freezing before baking as it will alter the texture of the eggs once baked!