This rich, tasty, and filling keto breakfast casserole is made with sausage, eggs, spinach, and cheese. It's wonderfully flavorful! It's also incredibly easy to make, and you can bake it ahead of time and reheat it.
This keto breakfast casserole is one of my favorite breakfasts to make when I host friends for brunch. It's rich and flavorful, and I can make it in advance and reheat it. Many casseroles are tasty but not pretty, but this one is gorgeous. The cheese topping is golden brown, and the spinach adds color.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Shredded cheese: I use sharp cheddar. But you can use any melty cheese. Provolone and gruyere are also very good in this recipe.
- Fresh pork sausage: I buy mine at Whole Foods. You can make your own by mixing fresh ground pork with spices, as I do when making sausage patties.
- Fresh spinach: I use whole baby spinach leaves in this recipe. I don't chop them.
Variations
- You can use any type of sausage you enjoy. Breakfast sausage has the traditional flavors that we associate with breakfast meat. But there's no reason not to use Italian sausage or spicy sausage.
- If you don't eat pork, you can use chicken sausage.
- You can use ground beef instead of sausage. If you do, add spices when you cook it. You can use the spices from this homemade beef sausage recipe.
- You can replace the heavy cream with softened cream cheese or whole-milk Greek yogurt.
- Use any cheese you like as long as it's melty. Gruyere is fabulous in this casserole, and I also like Monterey Jack.
- You can use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Whisk eggs, heavy cream, shredded cheese, and seasonings. Cook the sausage in a large skillet, breaking up the meat into small chunks. Turn the heat off and stir in baby spinach leaves. The spinach will slightly wilt in the pan's residual heat.
Arrange the sausage and spinach mixture at the bottom of a baking dish, pour the eggs on top, and sprinkle the casserole with more cheese.
Bake the casserole for about 25 minutes in a 400°F oven. Cut it into squares and serve.
I have made this sooooo many times! It's my favorite breakfast! I use hot breakfast sausage, and it's even more amazing!
Mandy
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I have made this sooooo many times! It's my favorite breakfast! I use hot breakfast sausage, and it's even more amazing!Recipe Tips
- The red pepper adds a hint of spice. I don't find it overpowering. But if you're not into spicy foods, use just a pinch or omit it altogether.
- If you'd like to use frozen spinach leaves, defrost them first and drain them REALLY well so they don't make the casserole watery.
- Make-ahead tip: I prefer to bake this casserole right after mixing the ingredients and putting them in the baking dish. But once baked, you can reheat the entire casserole, covered, in a 350°F oven, or cut squares and reheat them in the microwave.
- Storage: You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They taste great after a gentle reheat in the microwave at 50% power. Sometimes, I cut myself a piece and eat it cold, straight out of the fridge! You can also freeze this casserole for up to three months. I cut it into squares and freeze them in a freezer bag. If layering the pieces, separate them with wax paper.
Serving Suggestions
I usually make this casserole for brunch. I serve it with any of the following:
When we eat the leftovers on a weekday morning, we just grab a piece and have it with our morning coffee (or iced coffee).
Recipe Card
Keto Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Spinach
Video
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup cheddar cheese - shredded, divided; 4 ounces
- 1 pound breakfast pork sausage - raw
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves - 2 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a square 9-inch pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the heavy cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Use a rubber spatula to mix in ½ cup of the shredded cheddar. Set aside.
- Heat a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. There’s no need to add oil. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking it up, until browned, 5-7 minutes. There's no need to drain the fat.
- Turn the heat off and mix in the spinach leaves (you can leave them whole) just until they are very slightly wilted from the pan’s residual heat.
- Transfer the sausage-spinach mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly on the bottom.
- Remix the eggs and pour them into the pan on top of the sausage mixture. If needed, gently stir the mixture inside the pan to evenly spread the sausage and spinach.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top of the casserole.
- Bake the casserole until the eggs are set and the cheese is golden brown. In my oven, it takes 25 minutes.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into nine squares and serving.
Notes
- I divide the casserole into nine squares, so a serving is one square, which is 1/9 casserole.
- You can use fresh garlic instead of powder.
- The red pepper adds a hint of spice. I don't find it overpowering. But if you're not into spicy foods, use just a pinch or omit it altogether.
- If you'd like to use frozen spinach leaves, defrost them first and drain them REALLY well so that they don't make the casserole watery.
- The leftovers keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge in a sealed container. They taste great after a gentle reheat in the microwave at 50% power. Sometimes, I cut myself a piece and eat it cold, straight out of the fridge!
- You can also freeze this casserole for up to three months. I cut it into squares and freeze them in a freezer bag. If layering the pieces, separate them with wax paper.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Teresa says
Love this! So flavorful and easy to make!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you like it, Teresa! Thank you very much for the review.
Denise says
Hello! So I had asked if this recipe can be prepared the night before and baked the next morning. I'm sorry that my initial question was unclear. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Oh! Sorry about that. Yes, but omit the spinach. You could replace it with a sturdier veggie like sauteed mushrooms (but saute them until they have released all their water).
Follow the recipe card's instructions up to step 7, cool, cover, and refrigerate.
When ready to bake, remove from the fridge 30 minutes before placing it in the oven and remove the cling wrap. Gently remix, top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese, and bake.
Denise Thelen says
Can I make this recipe the night before and refrigerate?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Denise,
Yes, absolutely. You can enjoy it cold, reheat in the microwave, or cover and reheat in a 350°F oven.
If you use the oven, please remove the casserole dish to the counter 30 minutes before placing it in a hot oven.
kaaren burk says
Could I sub coconut milk for heavy cream?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi kaaren,
Yes, full-fat canned coconut milk works if you don't mind the flavor.
Sharon says
making this for dinner tonight..hope I like it...
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Sharon,
I hope it was good! Please let me know when you get a chance.
Marlene Conde says
It doesn't state whether to drain the fat after cooking the sausage or if it's left in pan to keep from sticking, but it seems there is a lot of fat from the sausage?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Marlene,
I don't drain the fat. Thank you for this question. I updated the recipe card with this info.
Kate says
This is WONDERFUL and the ingredients most people have in their cupboard's.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this casserole, Kate! Thank you for the comment.