Description
Mexican breakfast casserole combines layers of hearty ingredients for a morning feast. Melted cheese, spicy chorizo, and crisp tortillas create a satisfying dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 large eggs
- 1 lb (450 g) breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 1 bag (32 oz or 900 g) frozen hash browns, thawed
- 2 cups (200 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (50 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup (30 g) chopped green onions (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preparation: Generously coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, ensuring complete surface coverage to prevent adhesion.
- Sausage Preparation: In a heavy skillet, brown breakfast sausage over medium heat, crumbling into small pieces until fully cooked and golden, then drain excess fat using a slotted spoon.
- Base Construction: Spread thawed hash browns across the baking dish, pressing firmly to create a uniform potato foundation, then layer the cooked sausage crumbles evenly over the potatoes.
- Egg Mixture: Combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large bowl, whisking thoroughly until a smooth, well-integrated liquid forms.
- Assembly and Cheese Topping: Pour the seasoned egg mixture over the sausage and potato layers, ensuring complete coverage, then generously scatter shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses across the surface.
- Baking Process: Place the casserole in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C), baking uncovered for 35-40 minutes until eggs are completely set and cheese transforms into a bubbly, golden-brown crust.
- Finishing Touch: Remove from oven, let rest for 5 minutes to allow ingredients to settle, then optionally garnish with finely chopped green onions before serving warm.
Notes
- Prevent Sticking Carefully: Use parchment paper alongside cooking spray for foolproof non-stick results and easier cleanup.
- Drain Sausage Thoroughly: Pat sausage crumbles with paper towels to remove maximum grease, ensuring a crisp texture and preventing sogginess.
- Avoid Egg Overcooking: Check casserole at 30 minutes to prevent dry, rubbery eggs; look for slight jiggle in center indicating perfect doneness.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute turkey sausage for lower-fat version, use gluten-free hash browns, or replace dairy cheese with plant-based alternatives for dietary modifications.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 220 mg