The veggie egg casserole is loaded with fluffy eggs, peppers and mushrooms, vegetarian sausage, hash browns and cheddar cheese. You can enjoy a slice of this customizable and easy to make breakfast recipe in under an hour!
Whether you want to feed a family or enjoy a week of meal prep, this casserole is sure to start your day off right. This casserole has 8 servings of fluffy egg, hashbrowns, cheese, and veggie sausage and can be easily made ahead!
You can easily customize this recipe to your preferences. Just choose your favorite veggies, favorite cheese, and favorite veggie sausage (or just leave it out entirely)! However you decide to make this recipe, you’ll love how easy it is to throw everything together.
The backstory behind this vegetarian breakfast casserole
When I think about the Christmas traditions I enjoyed growing up, I think about food. And while most people may look forward to a big Christmas dinner, I’m all about that classic Christmas breakfast: egg casserole and fresh homemade cinnamon rolls.
I shared my cinnamon roll recipe last week, so now it’s time for the healthier component of my favorite Christmas tradition: egg casserole! Despite the fact that egg casserole is an annual tradition in my house, we’ve rarely used the same recipe twice. My mom finds a new recipe almost every year, changing a few ingredients here and there to fit our family’s preferences.
When I became a vegetarian in college, I threw my mom’s casserole for a bit of a loop. You mean… breakfast casserole without sausage? Yep.
After a few years of experimenting with vegetarian breakfast casseroles, I’ve found a go-to recipe. No more changing the recipe every year in search of the perfect casserole! This is the one. (And you better bet that I’m in charge of making the vegetarian casserole this year at Christmas!)
This casserole requires just 5 main ingredients
- Hashbrowns. Thawed frozen hashbrowns are used in this recipe. For extra texture, I like to brown them slightly before adding them to the casserole dish.
- Vegetarian sausage, such as Morningstar brand. This step isn’t necessary, but oooh it’s so good. And it makes the meat eaters in my family a little happier.
- Bell peppers and mushrooms. Feel free to mix in whichever veggies you prefer; these are just my classic breakfast veggie choices.
- Shredded cheddar. Cheddar is the traditional choice, but you can go for whichever cheese your heart desires.
- Eggs mixed with milk. The result of this baked casserole? Basically one giant, fluffy scrambled egg/omelet!
How to make the perfect vegetarian breakfast casserole
Making this casserole is easy as can be. If you’re short on time you can skip the sauteing step, but you’ll end up with the yummiest result if you saute your bell peppers and mushrooms and brown your hashbrowns. The only other prep you need to do is to whip together the eggs, milk and seasonings like you’re making scrambled eggs.
You’ll start by layering a lightly oiled 9×13 inch casserole dish with the hashbrowns. Make sure they’re already defrosted so that they don’t defrost while baking and add extra liquid to the casserole. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
Next you’ll add the crumbled veggie sausage and veggies. Like I said, I use sauted mushrooms and bell peppers, but you can use any variety of diced veggies here.
Then sprinkle the cheese on the veggies.
Pour on the beaten eggs. Throw the casserole in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. You can enjoy it as soon as it’s cool enough to slice. It’ll last in the fridge for 3-5 days and tastes just as good heated up in the microwave.
As I said before, you’ll want to enjoy this casserole with a vegan cinnamon roll, or a scoop of warm baked pumpkin oatmeal.
Easy Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces frozen hashbrowns, thawed
- 1/2 cup diced bell peppers
- 1/2 cup diced mushrooms
- 4 crumbled veggie sausages cooked according to package instructions
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch or similarly sized baking dish.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute the bell peppers and mushrooms in a bit of oil until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Beat together the eggs, milk, and seasonings as if you were making scrambled eggs. Set aside.
- Assemble the casserole: Layer the hash browns in the lightly oiled casserole dish. Add the crumbled sausage and sauteed peppers and mushrooms. Sprinkle on 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Pour the eggs over the cheese, making sure to cover all dry areas.
- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and the eggs are cooked through at the center.
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