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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 made this in a cast iron skillet and followed it exactly. It was such a big hit. Everyone requested the recipe, thank you!
Beth, I am so happy to hear that! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Can I prepare this the night before and bake the next morning?
I have the same question!
I made this for a family get together and it was a big hit. No salt was needed because of the sausage! I assembled it the day before and baked it the next day. Thanks!
You're very welcome! So glad your family liked it! 🙂
No salt is required?
There is already so much salt from the sausage, the black beans and the cheeses, that the salt is really not required.
I just want to confirm that no salt is needed for this?
Yes, no salt is needed. The dish will be salty enough from sausage, black beans, and the cheeses.
I decided to try this in a 7 qt crockpot as I was thinking of taking it to work. It cooked fine in about 2 hours on high but of course you dont get the pretty crunchy top.
I think if I were to bring it to work I would bake it in the removable crock first, and then just use the crock pot to keep it warm. Love the recipe though, the kids are already headed for seconds.
Thank you, Holly, for such a thoughtful comment! Good to know that you can make this in a slow cooker. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I made this dish for breakfast this morning. However your times are really off so we were STARVING by the time it was done. This dish takes way longer than an hour... in the instructions is says to bake for 40 - 50 minutes then let sit for 30 minutes after... this would be a total time of at least an hour and a half. Just something that might be worth updating.
Thank you for your feedback! I baked this casserole uncovered for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven at 375 F. The casserole is ready when the eggs are set and no longer liquid in the center.
Do you drain and rinse beans, or just drain?
I rinsed the beans with water and drained them.
Made this tonight for a youth church party. Was a huge hit! Only thing I would change is adding a bit of cayenne or maybe using spicy sausage. Or not it is excellent either way!Of coarse with teenagers I doubled the recipe.
Well... this is what was planned for tonight.... annnnd my stove is shorted out. I can use the cook top, not the oven... soooo am making this in a stock pot on the stove. Will let you know how it works out. There is always pb&j!
Thanks, Andrea! I am glad you're trying out my recipe on a stove top!
Can this be frozen and then thawed an baked later? I would like to give it to a friend who just had a baby an she may not want to bake it right away.
I haven't frozen this, but I think this dish is freezer friendly.
Absolutely delicious! I used turkey sausage and added some red pepper! I have to hide the leftovers from my 18 year old or he will eat it all!
This is so good. I've made it several times and it's always a hit. It makes a large amount so if you're not cooking for a crowd, you should probably half it.
Have you tried preparing this the night before and letting it sit in the refridgerator? Just wondering. Looks like a great recipe 🙂
Danielle, I made this as an overnight casserole not even reading the directions that it was baked immediately after assembling. It turned out great and was delicious. Of course, I have never made it before baking it right away, but it did just fine sitting overnight!
I'd like to make this the night before and then reheat it in the microwave the next morning. I'd finish it off in the oven to crisp up the top a bit. Would this work?
You can make this the night before and then just reheat it in the oven at 400 F. I don't think using the microwave oven is even necessary as it should reheat pretty quickly in the oven (and crisp up!).
i'm excited to try this! it looks great!! 🙂