Make Ahead Easy Vegetable Egg Bake Breakfast Casserole
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
An easy make-ahead breakfast casserole perfect for the holidays, entertaining, serving groups, on holiday mornings, or for brunch. Packed with vegetables, this is always a favorite every time I serve it.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email, and we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get delicious new recipes from us every Friday!
I’m such a fan of make-ahead breakfast casseroles, especially this oh-so-easy Vegetable Egg Bake. Filled with favorite seasonal vegetables, high-protein eggs, and a punch of savory bacon.
I mentioned serving this breakfast casserole during the holidays, but it’s equally perfect for busy weekends, or even to make ahead for busy weekday mornings. It’s filling, healthy, and loaded with protein. A perfect grab-and-go breakfast.
What I love about egg bake breakfast casseroles is their versatility with seasonal vegetables. As the seasons change, so do the veggies. With a simple ratio of eggs to milk to cheese to veggies, I switch it up often.
The recipe is below, but first, here’s my egg bake rule of thumb.
Breakfast Casserole Egg Bake Recipe Formula
For a 13 x 9-inch baking pan (3-quart) I add:
serves 8-10
- 1 dozen eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups shredded cheese (combination)
- 4 – 4 1/2 cups fresh mixed vegetables (onion, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus, potatoes-shredded, spinach, kale, etc.)
- 1 cup meat, optional (bacon, sausage, ham)
- seasoning (salt, pepper, spices like basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, thyme, rosemary, garlic, tarragon)
For an 11 x 7.5 baking pan (2-quart) I add:
serves 4-6
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheese (combination)
- 3 cups fresh mixed vegetables
- 1/2 cup meat
- seasoning
How to Make the Casserole Ahead
If you want to make the casserole ahead and bake it the next morning:
Assemble the dish, cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, continue with the instructions below.
If you want to pre-bake the casserole and reheat the next morning:
Bake the casserole for only 30 minutes. Then, cool to room temperature, wrap tightly with foil, and refrigerate. The next morning, heat the oven to 350 F and bake it until browned and heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes or up to 30 minutes more.
If you want to freeze the casserole and reheat
Bake the casserole as instructed, then cool to room temperature and tightly cover with foil. You can freeze the baked casserole for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, reheat the frozen casserole in a 350 F oven for about 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more or until completely warmed through and brown on top.
More Recipes You May Also Enjoy
SAVE THIS AND PIN IT FOR LATER!
If you are not already, you can follow me on Pinterest and keep up with me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If you make this recipe, I would love it if you would tag me in your photos and leave a star rating below!
To be notified of new recipes, subscribe to my e-mail list. It’s free, and you’ll also receive a free e-book of our reader’s favorite recipes.
Make Ahead Easy Vegetable Egg Bake Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste about 1/2 tsp each
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 zucchini quartered and chopped
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- medium bell pepper chopped
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar or Pepper Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese divided
- 1 cup cooked bacon crumbled (about 6 slices)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk; stir in garlic, basil, salt, pepper (1/2 tsp each). crushed red pepper flakes, shredded cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Spray the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Add the spinach, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, and bacon to the baking pan; spread evenly. Pour egg mixture on top, gently stirring mixture to distribute. Cover and refrigerate about 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Uncover the refrigerated casserole and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until just set and a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
tip:
- This breakfast casserole can be assembled and baked the same day. Adjust the bake time to 30 to 35 minutes and check for doneness.
Notes
Frozen Spinach
I like to use fresh baby spinach leaves, but if you substitute frozen spinach, be sure to thaw and squeeze out excess moisture.Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Should potatoes be frozen fresh if added?
Hi Mary, both shredded frozen or fresh works fine. My preference is to thaw them because you can squeeze out any excess moisture.
I HATE breakfast, but I guess I am going to have to rethink that. Hubby always wants eggs (we have chickens) and we have a garden. I used Swiss chard instead of spinach and we didn’t have Parmesan cheese so I added a little extra cheddar. Pepper, tomato, zucchini, broccoli, fresh basil and oregano and our own bacon – holy shmoley! I am not a patient person so it was a make it and bake it and I don’t know how I will do it in the future, but I will SO be doing it – over and over and over again. I thank you and hubby thanks you 🙂
Hi,
Do you cook the vegetables before adding?
Hi Carolyn, you don’t have to precook the vegetables. However, if you want them softer, chop into bite sizer pieces and consider sauteing for a few minutes prior to adding them into the egg mixture.
Does it have to sit overnight or can I make it and then bake it right away!
Hi Lisa. It does not have to sit overnight – can be baked right away. I do it both ways often.
Wonderful, thank you!
Can I cook this 2 days before uncooked and then cook in the oven morning of?
sorry I mean prepare this 2 days before uncooked and then cook it!
Hi Aliza! I did some checking with the FDA on food safety for egg based casseroles. They definitely recommend baking the casserole within 24 hours of assembling it. I would recommend prepping all of the veggies ahead of time and assembling it the night before you bake it.
Is the baking time different if you make the 11X7.5 (2quart) version?
Hi Maria — you will want to begin checking at about 20 minutes and up to about 25 minutes. Bake until the eggs are set.
I made three of these at one time and froze them all. After thawing, added the last sprinkle of cheese and baked it- took longer to set, might have been still partially frozen. So delicious! So easy to make multiples as you are chopping veggies. Have breakfast now for three different weekends! Very low carb, very healthy and delicious! Win, win, win! loved by our whole cottage group this weekend.
Hi Mary! This makes me SO happy! That is a brilliant idea to make so many ahead because yes — chopping veggies is a chore. But having three weekends of breakfast ahead is such a reward! Thanks so much for letting us know!
Did you bake it before you froze it?
Hi Mary, I did bake it before freezing!
I made three of these at one time and froze them all. After thawing, added the last sprinkle of cheese and baked it- took longer to set, might have been still partially frozen. So delicious! So easy to make multiples as you are chopping veggies. Have breakfast now for three different weekends! Very low carb, very healthy and delicious! Win, win, win! loved by our whole cottage group this weekend.
Made this for dinner tonight. My kids loved it. Even my daughter’s boyfriend who hates vegetables had seconds. For vegetables I used zucchini, yellow squash and bell pepper. I also added a a cup and half of cooked bacon. I added 5 cloves of garlic and onions. This recipe is amazing. I will use this recipe again.
This makes me SO happy!! Thanks so much for sharing! I love your combination of veggies — ??
Made this for dinner tonight. My kids loved it. Even my daughter’s boyfriend who hates vegetables had seconds. For vegetables I used zucchini, yellow squash and bell pepper. I also added a a cup and half of cooked bacon. I added 5 cloves of garlic and onions. This recipe is amazing. I will use this recipe again.
So easy and delicious! The garlic and onion added a fullness to the flavor. I ended up using spinach, broccoli, onions, garlic, peas, grape tomatoes and green beans. Everyone in the family loved it. They were also excited the next morning to find leftovers!! Lol! Thanks
Hi Cheri! I love the vegetable combination you used! I’m glad everyone loved it. It’s one of my favorites and I literally make it for most holidays. Switching up the veggies with the season. Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out!
So easy and delicious! The garlic and onion added a fullness to the flavor. I ended up using spinach, broccoli, onions, garlic, peas, grape tomatoes and green beans. Everyone in the family loved it. They were also excited the next morning to find leftovers!! Lol! Thanks
My husband and I do weight watchers from time to time and this is the Perfect breakfast casserole that has almost no points ,i use a turkey bacon or sausage but still its delicious!
Hi Gloria! Thank you so much for posting that. I haven’t done WW for several years so I didn’t think about calculating it. Somehow that makes it even more yummy! Thanks again!
My husband and I do weight watchers from time to time and this is the Perfect breakfast casserole that has almost no points ,i use a turkey bacon or sausage but still its delicious!
I made this for our ladies Bible study group and they loved it. I used 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper because the cook really can’t season to taste until it’s cooked! Also, in the directions for whisking the egg mixture, the basil was omitted but I caught that and you probably would, too. It was awesome to be able to mix ahead of time and then cook the next morning. Delicious!
Hi Joyce! Thanks so much for coming back to comment and give a rating. So helpful!! This is a recipe I switch up from time to time, but it always seems to be a favorite when I’m serving it to groups too. Yikes — I’ll check the instructions for the basil and adjust. Again — I’m so glad your Bible Study ladies loved it!
If I bake the night before, what is the best way to warm the next day? Can I heat in oven or cut up and heat in microwave?
Hi Aileen, both reheating in the oven or in the microwave will work. To reheat in the oven, bake the night before for 30 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature, cover and store in the refrigerator. The next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it’s cooked through and warm.
I made this for our ladies Bible study group and they loved it. I used 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper because the cook really can’t season to taste until it’s cooked! Also, in the directions for whisking the egg mixture, the basil was omitted but I caught that and you probably would, too. It was awesome to be able to mix ahead of time and then cook the next morning. Delicious!
Can this casserole be frozen? If not, how many days will it maintain freshness in the refrigerator?
Hi Shanelle! Yes, this casserole can be frozen. Instead of refrigerating the casserole, cover with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re read to bake, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, bring it to room temperature before baking.
Can you bake it and then freeze it ?
Yes, this breakfast casserole can be baked and frozen and will keep for 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
We made this on Christmas morning. it was easy, and everyone loved it. Will be making it again.
It’s one of our go to brunch recipes too. So glad you liked it!!
We made this on Christmas morning. it was easy, and everyone loved it. Will be making it again.
Tried this on Christmas morning and it was perfect! Great as a protein rich breakfast anytime!
Thank you, Michelle! So glad you like it!!
Tried this on Christmas morning and it was perfect! Great as a protein rich breakfast anytime!