A quick, easy, and filling egg casserole, with lots of flavor from sausage and canned green chiles. This breakfast casserole uses cream cheese in the egg mixture to make it light, fluffy, and extra cheesy.
I love breakfast casseroles for meal prep, potlucks, and big brunch type events. You can't go wrong!
Here's a really simple egg-based one that you can whip up in no time! It is SO delicious, and makes me wonder if there's a better combination than sausage + green chiles. Plus, it feeds a crowd, and is really easy to make ahead.
I especially like this egg casserole because it doesn't have any bread or potatoes in it, which makes it really easy to plan a whole meal around! Eat it with toast, a good bagel spread, these oven country potatoes, a coffee cake, etc.
Make it for Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, brinner, brunch, or as easy meal prep to bake over the weekend and eat all week long!
Ingredients
- Sausage - Use whatever pork sausage you like! I'm extremely loyal to Bob Evan's original pork for breakfast recipes that involve sausage, but other kinds will work too.
- Cream cheese - A whole brick! Cream cheese makes this breakfast casserole so light and cheesy all at the same time. It is so good!
- Green chiles - One of my all-time favorite ingredients for adding so much flavor to dishes. I use the mild ones for just a hint of spice, and so I don't have to worry about it being too spicy for anyone. These work so well in egg bakes!
- Eggs - 12 of them! This will feed a decent size crowd.
- Flour - I like using a little bit of flour here just to hold the casserole together better. Sometimes egg bakes don't stand up to a fork. Flour helps give it more structure.
- Baking powder - To give it a boost!
- Mexican cheese - In the eggs and on top! I use pre-shredded because it makes the morning easier.
How to Make This Breakfast Casserole
Cook the Sausage
Cook the sausage in a large skillet, drain, then add the green chiles and cream cheese. Break up the cream cheese to melt evenly.
Make the Egg Mixture
Whisk together the eggs, then add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the sausage mixture and some of the shredded cheese.
Bake
Transfer to a greased baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake until set.
Cool
Cool 5 minutes before cutting.
How do you know when an egg casserole is done?
An egg casserole is done when the top is lightly browned and set - it shouldn't wobble when you gently shake the pan side to side.
What temperature should an egg casserole be cooked to?
If you prefer using temperatures to check when food is done, this should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, this is a great overnight breakfast casserole! There are two ways to do this:
You can assemble it the night before, then bake in the morning,
Or, you can go all the way through to baking it and then just reheat it in the morning. It reheats really well!
Serving
You'll want to serve this hot or warm.
To keep it warm for up to 30 minutes: Cover it with foil right when it comes out of the oven.
To keep it warm for up to 2 hours: Cover it with foil and place it in the oven at the lowest temperature.
Storing
This will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, which makes it great to bake at the beginning of the week and eat for breakfast all week long!
Freezing
Egg bakes freeze really well! Cut into individual slices and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Leftovers are king here because this reheats so well - from the fridge or the freezer!
If you're reheating the whole casserole, cover in foil and place in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, until heated through.
To reheat a single slice from the fridge or freezer, just microwave.
Eat this with
Because this breakfast casserole doesn't have bread or potatoes in it, it can go with lots of different breakfast and brunch foods! Some ideas:
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Coffee Cake
- Country Potatoes
- Quick Breads (like pumpkin bread, cinnamon streusel bread, banana bread, blueberry bread, apple cider loaf)
Sausage + Green Chili Egg Casserole with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork sausage, casings removed if needed
- 1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese
- 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles
- 12 large eggs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cup shredded Mexican cheese, divided
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish.Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up as it cooks, until no pink remains - about 8 minutes. Drain on a plate with paper towels, then return to the skillet over low heat and stir in the cream cheese and green chiles, until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.Whip the eggs in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine. The mixture will be slightly lumpy from the flour, but it will bake out. Fold in the sausage-cream cheese mixture along with 2 1/2 cups of the cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake 35-40 minutes.Cool 5 minutes to set before cutting.
Cynthia Avanzino says
I've always made a breakfast strata that's similar with bread. It can be tricky using bread. This is a recipe that looks good to try.