High Protein Breakfast Casserole
on Aug 01, 2023, Updated Nov 20, 2024
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Start your day with my incredibly satisfying high-protein breakfast casserole. If you’re looking for a savory breakfast that can be prepped in advance and will keep you full until lunch, I’ve got the perfect recipe for you. This egg bake is similar to a crustless quiche 🥧or a frittata.
Why You’ll Love High Protein Breakfast Casserole
This high-protein breakfast casserole is all about convenience as well as flavor, offering a satisfying, high-protein meal to energize your morning. It’s a hearty, satisfying meal that keeps you full for hours, hence making it perfect for busy mornings. With lean ground turkey, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese 🧀, and customizable herbs, it’s both nutritious and delicious. You can prep it in advance for a quick breakfast or enjoy it fresh out of the oven. No matter how you eat it, this casserole is a practical and tasty way to start your day right.
How to Prepare
🌡️ Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
Next, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil while getting ready to cook your high-protein breakfast casserole.
🥩 Add the ground meat and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the water has evaporated and the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes.
🧅Use a sharp knife to finely dice an onion and add them to the pan.
🧂 Then season with salt and cook it until the meat and onions have some color. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the meat mixture cool.
🥚 In a large bowl, crack the eggs.
🧀 Add the cottage cheese, pinch of salt, and mix well.
🌿 Add in the cooled meat mixture, chives, grated cheese, flour, and baking powder. Mix well.
🥣 Line a baking dish with parchment paper and pour in the egg mixture for your high protein casserole.
⏲️ Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set (the eggs should not jiggle). A skewer/toothpick should come out clean once inserted.
😋 Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, slice, and enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🥚
This casserole is perfect for meal prep. You can prepare it the night before, refrigerate it, and then bake it in the morning.
High Protein Breakfast Casserole Substitutions and Variations
Give your breakfast casserole a personal touch by trying out these variations and substitutions. Whether you want to switch up the protein and cheese or add some veggies, these options for your high protein casserole will help you create a breakfast that’s uniquely yours.
- If you want to reduce cholesterol, you can also use a combination of whole eggs and egg whites.
- For extra nutrition, add a handful of fresh spinach, kale, or arugula to the egg mixture before baking.
- If you’re lactose intolerant or following a dairy-free diet, you could replace Parmesan cheese with a dairy-free alternative. Nutritional yeast can also provide a cheesy flavor without dairy.
- You can easily switch it up with other protein sources like cooked and crumbled turkey bacon, sausage, diced ham, or even vegetarian alternatives like tofu or tempeh for a meatless version.
- Use gluten-free flour or oat flour if you have a gluten intolerance.
Best Served With
- Greek yogurt with berries and a touch of honey is a creamy and slightly tangy side option, which complements the high protein breakfast casserole.
- A fruit 🍊salad with berries, melon, and citrus would complement the casserole nicely.
- If you are eating the casserole for lunch or dinner, a simple salad featuring a blend of fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and a light vinaigrette dressing provides a crisp and nutritious side.
Similar Recipes
- If you are tired of boring and dry eggs, you need to try my Creamy Cheesy Eggs.
- Check out my easy Zucchini Egg Bake.
- My Air-fryer Bell Peppers with Eggs are absolute perfection.
Common Questions
Chives or scallions are in the recipe, but any herbs will work well in this recipe.
You can use a 1-1 gluten-free flour or an oat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
You can add any cooked ground meat of your choice; you can even use sausage (removed from the casing) for more flavor.
You can add diced bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, or even sun-dried tomatoes.
Yes, you can freeze it. After baking and cooling, cut it into individual portions, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Absolutely! This casserole is perfect for meal prep. You can prepare it the night before, refrigerate it, and then bake it in the morning.
You can reheat it in the microwave the following day or in a pan on the stove.
High Protein Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tablespoons avocado oil , or any oil
- 400 grams lean ground turkey , any ground meat (1 pound)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- salt, to taste
- 8 eggs , large
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup chives, finely diced
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, or any grated cheese
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 20 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder, 3 grams
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the water has evaporated and the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the finely diced onions and season with salt. Cook it until the meat and onions have some color. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the meat mixture cool.
- In a large bowl, crack the eggs. Add the cottage cheese, pinch of salt, and mix well.
- Add in the cooled meat mixture, chives, grated cheese, flour, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper and pour in the egg mixture. Spread the mixture out evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set (the eggs should not jiggle). A skewer/fork/toothpick should come out clean once inserted.
- Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, slice, and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This review is long overdue – my husband and I have been making this casserole every Sunday for about a year now. It’s so easy and we absolutely love it! We eat it throughout the week for a quick on-the-go breakfast. It’s super easy and we can switch up the protein and cheese, and add different veggies to keep it interesting!
A few small changes we make – we cook it for a little less time since we’re reheating it throughout the week. That helps it from becoming too dry. We also put way less meat in (probably closer to 4 oz usually), this is just personal preference!
Hi Kelsi! wow thank you so much for this beautiful review. Means a lot 😍
Loved this dish! Is this recipe truly 4 servings? If so, it is a huge serving.
Can you use finely ground almonds instead of any type of flour?
I have not experimented with almond flour, but a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour or oat flour will work.