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.
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.
Video
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.