Southwestern Breakfast Casserole with eggs, sausage, black beans, bell pepper, hash brown potatoes, chili peppers and Southwestern spices. Gluten free recipe. Perfect breakfast that you can make in advance!
This Southwestern Breakfast Casserole is a great make-ahead breakfast! It keeps well refrigerated and reheats well. I love to make this on Sunday and take it with me to work as breakfast or lunch! The recipe is very easy: just assemble the ingredients in the right order and then let it bake for 40 minutes!
If you like savory breakfast recipes that you can make in advance, in bigger quantities, then check out these 2 recipes as well:
- Breakfast Egg Muffins with Bacon and Spinach - made in a regular muffin pan, these egg muffins can be made for a crown in advance, and they keep well in the fridge or in the freezer!
- Hash Brown, Broccoli, Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole - made in a casserole pan, with traditional ingredients such as sausage and hash brown potatoes, and with the addition of broccoli.
How to make Southwestern breakfast casserole
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large skillet, cook pork sausage together with finely chopped onions on medium heat until the sausage is cooked through and is no longer pink. Add chopped red bell pepper, black beans, and diced green chili peppers. Add half the spices (½ teaspoon of chili powder and ½ teaspoon of cumin) and mix everything together:
Add shredded cheddar cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and hash brown potatoes to the sausage mixture:
Mix everything together to create a sausage mixture:
In a small bowl, make the egg mixture: whisk eggs, heavy cream, and the remaining half of spices (½ teaspoon of chili powder and ½ teaspoon of cumin).
In two batches, add the sausage mixture to the baking pan:
Pour the egg mixture (in two batches - see the recipe below) over the sausage mixture, carefully and evenly:
Make sure the egg mixture is distributed over the top of the casserole:
Bake, uncovered for about 40-50 minutes. The casserole is ready when the eggs are set and no longer liquid in the center. Let the dish cool for about 30 minutes before slicing it.
Southwestern Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper large, chopped
- 15 oz black beans from the can, drained
- 4 oz green chili peppers , diced, from the can
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese , shredded
- ½ cup Mozzarella cheese , shredded
- 3 cups hash browns , frozen, raw, uncooked, completely defrosted
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a large skillet, cook pork sausage together with finely chopped onions on medium heat until the sausage is cooked through and is no longer pink. Add chopped red bell pepper, black beans, and diced green chili peppers. Add half the spices (½ teaspoon of chili powder and ½ teaspoon of cumin) and mix everything up.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and hash browns to the sausage mixture and mix them in.
- In a small bowl, whisk eggs, heavy cream, and the remaining half of spices (½ teaspoon of chili powder and ½ teaspoon of cumin).
- Use 2.8 L (3 quarts) rectangular baking dish - 11 inches long x 8.5 inches wide x 3 inches deep. Brush the bottom and the sides of the baking pan with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
- Add half the sausage mixture to the baking pan, and pour half of the egg mixture over the sausage mixture, carefully and evenly. Add the remaining half of the sausage mixture on top, and pour the remaining half of the egg mixture evenly over the sausage mixture.
- Bake, uncovered for about 40-50 minutes. The casserole is ready when the eggs are set and no longer liquid in the center. Let the dish cool for about 30 minutes before slicing it.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I keep coming back to this recipe whenever I need a simple breakfast dish that I know will impress and satisfy a wide array of tastes. I usually add more spices (salt, pepper, paprika, etc) but it’s a great basic recipe to start off and is incredibly tasty!
I made this using a whole small bag of potatoes O’Brien, and sharp cheddar. Very good!
Yay, glad you loved it, Susan!
This recipe is a family favorite. I’ve made it several time to rave reviews. Wondering if I can mix it up the night before and bake in the morning? Many thanks!
Hi Linda, I do not recommend it as the hash browns will get soggy and it's probably not the best food safety practice either. 🙂
But you can bake it right away, refrigerate it, and then reheat it in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 20 minutes or until hot.
Julia, just discovered your recipes! I want to make this a.m.casserole, but am a bit hesitant that the taste might be a little too subtle for our dinner club folks. Am I wrong or how can I bump up the flavor profile?
Cheers!
Hi Karen! I am so glad you discovered my site! 🙂 To add more flavor, I recommend upping the amount of chili powder. You can also use spicy pork sausage. However, if the pork sausage is too spicy, I recommend using 50% spicy / 50% regular.
Love this dish. If I only have a 9 x 13 or 8x8 dish, which is better? I actually have 2 8x8 dishes if necessary.
Leah, I would use 9x13 dish - it's exactly 3 quarts in volume just like the dish I used. 8x8 dish is 2 quarts, so if using 8x8 - use 2 of those. Enjoy and Happy Holidays! ❤️
Recipe calls for 1 pound of meat but only 6 eggs? Is that the right ratio? Doesn’t get dry?
Betty, yes, the ratio is correct. There is also 1/2 cup of heavy cream in the ingredients that adds moisture.
I just made this dish and it was delicious and cooked up perfectly! I substituted pinto beans for black beans (it’s what I had) and it was delicious. I served it with salsa and sour cream. It’s mild for those who don’t like heat, could spice it up with chilis, but i like it as is!
Lisa, thank you for your review and for sharing your feedback! ❤️ Love that you serve it with salsa and sour cream - it sounds so good!!
Do you think I could prepare this the night before and then bake it in the morning?
I really enjoyed this casserole it is definitely a keeper! For anyone interested, it freezes well. I cut it into individual sized servings and froze them for a quick breakfast on the go. I heat it up in a toaster oven as opposed to the microwave. I top it with sour cream, chives and salsa...so yummy!
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Gina, you are very welcome! And thank you so much about your helpful tips on how to freeze this.
Very Very Good. The flavors melded well. I made it a little healthier, used lean ground beef and milk. Since sausage has sodium, I did add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
KC, thank you for this helpful feedback and 5-star review! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Absolutley love this dish, I serve it with sour cream, salsa and slices of avocado. So easy to make. Can't imagine no one would like it.
Lu, I am so happy you've enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing such a positive comment! 🙂
Delish! One of my new go to recipes!
What temp should it be reheated at and for how long?
I would reheat it in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 20 minutes or until hot.
Can I use ham
Connie, yes, you can! Ham and black beans actually go really well together! Especially in a recipe like this.
Threw most of this away.
Just wasn't good.
It probably was the sausage we used but still I love Spanish dishes and this wasn't worth the time or expense.
I have made this several times and we, along with our guests love it. I use hot Deans sausage and serve it with salsa on the side. It is a favorite for sure.
Carmen, thank you so much for such a positive and enthusiastic comment! 🙂 I am so happy you've enjoyed this recipe and took the time to share this wonderful feedback! 🙂 Serving this with salsa on the side is delicious!