This casserole is ideal for the holidays. It can be made a day in advance and is easily adapted to suit your tastes and what is in your refrigerator.

I procured pork-apple breakfast sausage at Worrell’s Butcher Shop in Malvern, Pennsylvania. They make their own sausage with a subtle apple flavor and season it just right. Ideally you want to look for a breakfast sausage that is loose (packed in a tube) or where you can remove the casings. If you can’t remove the casings, cook the sausage whole and slice or chop the links into smaller pieces once they are cooked.

I used red peppers and scallions for vegetables. Any peppers will do or you could add mushrooms, spinach, zucchini or onions instead. Want a bit of heat? Add in a jalapeño pepper or red pepper flakes.

I had some Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Extra Aged Flagship Cheddar Cheese from Seattle on hand, so decided to grate this for the casserole. The aged cheddar paired nicely with the breakfast sausage. While I recommend a sharp cheddar, you can also vary the cheese.

While I made this in my fun blue Le Creuset 7×10-inch pan, it can also be made in an 8×8-inch pan, or double the recipe and use a 9×13-inch pan.

You can prepare this casserole up to the baking step a day in advance and pop it in the oven the following morning. Just right for a New Year’s Day brunch.

Sausage, Pepper and Cheddar Egg Casserole

 

Sausage, Pepper and Cheddar Egg Casserole
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Author:
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients
  • 1 pound pork breakfast sausage
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 6 large eggs
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (non-fat or low-fat) (see Notes)
  • 2 tablespoons milk (skim or whole)
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8-inch or 7x10-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. If possible, remove casings from the sausages. If not, cook the sausages whole.
  3. Heat a 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking up the sausage (if you removed the casings) with a wooden spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  4. Transfer the sausage to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. If you cooked the sausages whole, cut up sausage into small chunks or slices.
  5. Drain most of the grease from the pan and return it to the stove over medium heat. Add the red pepper and scallions. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
  6. In a large bowl, add eggs. Whisk eggs until frothy.
  7. Add Greek yogurt, milk and cheddar cheese. Whisk until mixed.
  8. Using a rubber spatula, stir in sausage, peppers and scallions.
  9. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  10. Transfer to the prepared baking pan.
  11. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the edges are set and the center no longer jiggly.
  12. Serve warm.
Notes
* You can use sour cream in place of the Greek yogurt.
* Leftover casserole can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
* You can prepare this casserole up to the baking step up to 1 day in advance. Store in the refrigerator and add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
* Recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add on 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
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