I been making this Egg Casserole for years. Even after all these years, I still don’t know what to call it. It’s made in a 9×13 pan so casserole seems fitting, but it is also very similar to a Quiche, just without crust, so Crustless Quiche also seems appropriate. Ugh! Coming up with recipe titles is the hardest part of my job. I can’t make these kinds of decisions. Since I can’t decide I will just call it both, and it is now and forever deemed, Crustless Quiche Egg Casserole.
Oh great, now that I typed that out, I’m realizing I should have just named it, Easy Go to Breakfast for Dinner Casserole. Because that is a really accurate description of what it is. I make this almost weekly. It’s always a little different depending on what I have on hand, but we eat it with pancakes or waffles on nights when we have breakfast for dinner….which is usually once a week.
This recipe is great because eggs are such an affordable way to add protein to meals. The other thing I LOVE LOVE LOVE about it is that I can put things like chopped up Kale in it and my kids don’t bat and eye or say, what is this…because it has bacon bits and cheese in it and that helps them ignore all the specs of healthy things I’ve mixed in.
Mixing in kale or other veggies is not mandatory. This casserole works great with just cheese and a preferred breakfast meat mixed in. In fact if you really wanted to you wouldn’t even need to add the cheese or meat, you could just have plain eggs.
Sometimes instead of eating this with pancakes for breakfast for dinner, I make biscuits and we cut a square and put it in a biscuit for a breakfast sandwich. It’s a fun way to switch things up!
I have made this for baby showers, a wedding brunch, church parties and many other occasions. It is always a hit and everyone is always surprised how easy it is when I give them the recipe. This will be a recipe you use over and over and over.
Serve with
- 12-13 large eggs
- 2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup bacon bits, or ½ cup small ham cubes or ½ cup sausage pieces
- ¼ tsp salt
- dash of pepper
- Optional: You can add ½ cup very finely diced zucchini or ½ cup finely diced red pepper (pieces need to be tiny or they will need to be sauteed before adding to egg mixture. You can see in the picture how small my zucchini pieces were.
- Other Optional ingredients: If you want to add spinach or Kale or larger pieces of zucchini or pieces of mushrooms, you need to saute them for a few minutes before mixing them into the egg mixture. This is an important step if are adding lots of veggies because it takes the excess moisture out of the larger pieces of veggies which otherwise could cause the casserole to be to watered down. Make sure to lightly salt and pepper any veggies that you saute.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside
- In a medium size mixing bowl, crack all of the eggs into it and add milk, sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper. Whisk together until well mixed.
- Add green onions and bacon, mix well. At this point also add any veggies you are choosing to use. (Make sure to saute them first if you are using a lot of them or large pieces.
- Pour mixture into the greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until center springs back when touched.
I’ve made this several time and my family loves it. I love how versatile it is. Do you have any thoughts on freezing it? I’m wondering if I should cook it first or freeze it uncooked.
Hi Nichole! So glad you guys like it! I’m not sure what would work best. I have only frozen eggs once (Cooked in Breakfast sandwiches) and they kids said they eggs tasted kind of rubbery. Trying it raw might be a good experiment, but it probably needs to be completely un-thawed before baking.
Cook in muffin cups, let completely cool then portion out into freezer bags. I can’t remember how you reheat but good ol’ Pinterest will tell ya 😉
Hey Maria, I want to make this for a larger function. If you are using a larger dish (im looking at a half hotel pan) how long would you bake it for?
As long as it is still the approximate thickness it would be in the 9×13 pan, the cooking time won’t change. you could check it a little early to be sure.
Hi! This looks delicious. Could I assemble it the night before, pop in fridge overnight and cook it the next morning?
Yes, I have done that many times.
Hi, if you add sausage, does the sausage need to be cooked first. Thanks.
Hi Laurie, Yes, you need to precook the sausage.
Hello! I’d like to make this as a holiday breakfast. Do you think the heat and cooking times need to be adjusted for cutting the quantity of eggs in half and using a smaller casserole? What’s a safe heat to keep it at and then keep an eye on it?
I am so sorry I didn’t see this comment earlier. I have been very backed up with comments. You can definitely adjust this to a smaller quantity by halfing. I would suggest using a 8×8 pan if you half it. It will cook for a similar amount of time…maybe a little less. Cook it at 350 and keep an eye on it.
I would say this is a casserole. Quiche is made with more cream/milk than 1/3 cup. I make my Quiche with 6 eggs and at least 1 cup of cream/milk plus add in’s such as bacon, sausage and broccoli, or any thing you want to add.
Just put it in the oven for the first time trying. Working from small cabin with mostly on hand and home grown options. Using 9 very large duck eggs. Great for baking and available from my coop. Using Smithfield style, salt cured and smoked ham. No additional meat or salt. Fresh Jalapeño from garden as substitute for green onion and pepper. Aged cheddar from round. Rest was on hand. Excited to try.
Sounds delicious!!!
Is the sour cream essential? What could I use to substitute it?
No, it’ll still turn out without it.
Do you must put sour cream in it?
No, you can skip that.
Hi can I cook this with chicken or a different meat other than pork or sausage?
I’ve never tried it but you could give it a shot.
I think I will try it without as too nervous on this messing up or something.
How many calories in a seving size?
Hi Sesty, I am not sure how many calories are in each slice.
Add a 1/4 cup of cooking sherry to egg mixture. Unbelievable, unique flavor .
Thanks for the tip 🙂
Have not made this yet. Question: picture shows a crust-looking bottom layer. When baked is there a slight crust-like bottom layer?
hi Barbara. No, that is just the browned egg on the bottom.