Christmas morning goes better when breakfast is already done. This Christmas breakfast casserole gets assembled on Christmas Eve, sits in the fridge overnight, and goes straight into the oven while everyone opens presents. No bread, no heavy cream, and no standing at the stove in your pajamas.
Each square gives you 28 grams of protein for about 221 calories, calculated from the actual ingredients. That is the kind of breakfast that keeps you full until the big meal, instead of sending you to the cookie tin by 10 a.m.
It is red and green on purpose, with red bell pepper and spinach, so it looks like Christmas on the table. The rest of the holiday plan, from breakfast to dessert, is in my Healthy Christmas Guide.
- 28 g protein and about 221 calories per square, 8 squares per pan
- Assemble it the night before and bake it Christmas morning at 350F
- Eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, and turkey sausage do the protein work, so there is no bread and no cream
- It is done when the center is set and reads 160F on a thermometer
- Honest caveat: sausage and cheese bring salt, about 700 mg sodium per serving, so keep the rest of breakfast simple
Why This Recipe Works
Most breakfast casseroles are built on a loaf of bread soaked in eggs and cream. That adds a lot of calories and not much protein. This one skips the bread and lets the eggs, egg whites, and cottage cheese carry the whole dish.
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Starting a long, food-heavy day with a real dose of protein helps you stay full and steady. Protein is also what helps you hold onto muscle as you get older, and most women I coach eat the least of it at breakfast.
A question I hear a lot is how to enjoy Christmas without feeling off track by noon. A plan helps. When breakfast is already made and already balanced, the rest of the day gets easier to enjoy without guessing.
A Few Notes on the Ingredients
Eggs and egg whites, 8 whole eggs plus 2 cups of liquid egg whites, give the casserole its body. The whites add protein without much fat, and the yolks keep it rich enough to feel like a holiday breakfast.
Low fat cottage cheese at 1 cup is the secret. Blended into the eggs, it melts away and makes the texture soft and custardy, the job cream usually does. Blend it smooth if anyone in your house is suspicious of cottage cheese.
Turkey breakfast sausage at 12 ounces, browned and crumbled first, gives you the savory flavor of a classic sausage casserole with less fat than pork sausage. Cook it fully before it goes in the pan.
Red bell pepper, spinach, and green onion add the color, plus some fiber and volume. Cook the spinach down with the sausage so it does not water out the eggs overnight.
Reduced fat sharp cheddar at 1 cup is enough. Sharp cheddar has more flavor per bite, so a little goes further than a mild one.
Christmas Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with the olive oil.
- Brown the turkey sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles, until fully cooked, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Dice the red bell pepper and add it to the skillet for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts, about 1 minute. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish. Slice the green onions and scatter them over the top.
- Blend the cottage cheese in a blender until smooth. Add the eggs, egg whites, dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and blend a few seconds more, or whisk well in a large bowl.
- Pour the egg mixture over the filling and sprinkle the cheddar on top. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, up to 24 hours.
- In the morning, heat the oven to 350F and let the dish sit on the counter while it heats. Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, until puffed, golden at the edges, and set in the center, 160F on a thermometer.
- Rest 10 minutes, then cut into 8 squares.
Nutrition
Notes
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- Add potatoes: toss 1 cup of small diced potato into the skillet with the sausage until just tender. It adds a little more substance for bigger appetites.
- Vegetarian: skip the sausage and add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms and a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Ham instead of sausage: use 10 ounces of diced leftover ham. It is saltier, so skip the added salt.
- Spicier: add a diced jalapeno with the peppers and a few dashes of hot sauce to the eggs.
- Smaller crowd: halve everything and bake it in an 8×8 pan for about 35 to 40 minutes.
Storage, Leftovers, and Serving
Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours ahead, cover it tightly, and keep it in the fridge. In the morning, let it sit on the counter while the oven heats, then bake. Plan on a few extra minutes since it starts cold.
Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge. Cut them into squares, wrap them individually, and reheat for about a minute in the microwave. They also freeze well for up to 2 months, which makes for easy breakfasts in January.
For a full Christmas brunch, set out fruit and a pot of coffee, and let a couple of treats share the table. My protein sugar cookies are a good one. Later in the day, my honey Dijon glazed ham and healthy scalloped potatoes round out dinner. The rest are in the holiday recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make This Breakfast Casserole the Night Before?
Yes, that is how it is designed. Assemble it on Christmas Eve, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight. Bake it in the morning at 350F, adding 5 to 10 minutes because it starts cold, until the center is set and reads 160F.
How Much Protein Is in This Christmas Breakfast Casserole?
Each of the 8 squares has 28 g of protein for about 221 calories. Most of that comes from the eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, and turkey sausage, with no bread or cream to dilute it.
How Do I Know When an Egg Casserole Is Done?
The edges will be puffed and golden and the center should not jiggle when you shake the pan. The safest check is a thermometer in the center reading 160F. Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting so the squares hold together.
Can I Freeze This Breakfast Casserole?
Yes. Bake it, cool it, cut it into squares, and wrap each one. Freeze for up to 2 months, then reheat from frozen in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes or thaw overnight in the fridge.
Your This-Week Plan
Make a half batch in an 8×8 pan this weekend and eat it as your breakfasts for the week. You will learn how long it takes in your oven, and Christmas morning becomes a repeat. If you want six more breakfasts like this one with the numbers already worked out, grab my free guide, 7 High-Protein Breakfasts That Keep You Full Until Lunch.
This article is for general education and isn’t medical or nutrition advice. Nutrition values are calculated from the listed ingredients and will vary with brands and substitutions. If you have a health condition, follow a low-sodium diet, have a food allergy, or take medication, please check with your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing how you eat.
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