This keto breakfast casserole is made with sausage, eggs, spinach, and cheese. It's flavorful, easy to make, and you can bake it ahead of time and reheat it.
This keto breakfast casserole is one of my favorite dishes to make when I host friends for brunch. It's rich and flavorful, and can be customized with different meats and veggies. It's also gorgeous! The cheese topping comes out golden brown, and the spinach adds beautiful ribbons of color.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Shredded cheese: I use sharp cheddar.
- 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.
- In step 4 of the recipe, add 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes alongside the spinach, as shown in the image below.
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 it up into small chunks. Turn the heat off and stir in baby spinach leaves.
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 for about 25 minutes in a 400°F oven. Let it rest briefly, then cut 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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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.
- Don't just cook the sausage until no longer pink. Letting it develop some browned bits adds a richer, more savory flavor to the finished casserole.
- Giving the casserole 10 minutes to rest after baking helps it firm up and makes for cleaner slices. It also allows the eggs to finish setting without overcooking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can use 3 minced garlic cloves instead of garlic powder. Add them to the sausage a minute before turning off the heat.
No, because it can become stringy. Use any cheese you like as long as it's melty. Gruyere is fabulous in this casserole, and I also like Monterey Jack.
Excess moisture usually comes from vegetables. If using frozen spinach, make sure to thaw and squeeze it very dry before adding it to the casserole.
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 or even cold straight out of the fridge.
You can also cool this casserole completely, then freeze it for up to 3 months. I cut it into squares and freeze them in a freezer bag. If layering the pieces, separate them with wax paper.
If you prefer to freeze it whole, let it cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap followed by foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 350°F oven until heated through. Remove the baking dish to the counter 30 minutes before placing it in the hot oven.
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
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 ceramic or glass baking dish.
- 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.8 large eggs, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 cup cheddar cheese
- Heat a large 12-inch 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.1 pound breakfast pork sausage
- Turn the heat off and mix in the spinach leaves (leave them whole) just until they are very slightly wilted from the pan's residual heat.2 cups baby spinach leaves
- Transfer the sausage-spinach mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly on the bottom.
- Remix the eggs and pour them over the sausage mixture. If needed, gently stir the mixture in the pan to evenly spread the sausage and spinach.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top.
- 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
- Seasonings, especially salt, are just guidelines. Adjust to taste.
- I divide the casserole into nine squares, so a serving is one square, which is 1/9 of the casserole.
- 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.
- Storage instructions: You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They taste great cold or gently reheated in the microwave.
- Freezing instructions: Cool the casserole completely, then freeze it for up to 3 months. I cut it into squares and freeze them in a freezer bag. If layering the pieces, separate them with wax paper. If you prefer to freeze it whole, let it cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap followed by foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 350°F oven until heated through. Remove the baking dish to the counter 30 minutes before placing it in the hot oven.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Mellissa says
I would like to try it with broccoli. Would I need to increase eggs.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Mellissa,
You can use two cups of small broccoli florets instead of spinach. The remaining ingredients can stay the same.
Sharon says
I have made this twice now and my family can’t get enough!! I use Le Gruyère cheese and added onions and mushrooms. It is perfect!! I’m going to try with diced ham and Swiss next time.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yum! Thanks for sharing your delicious tweaks, Sharon.
Donna says
If you add red pepper, onions and mushrooms, do you need to increase the egg count or heavy cream?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Donna,
Please saute the mushrooms until they release their liquid before adding them to the casserole. Otherwise, they can make the casserole watery.
Assuming you will add about 2 cups of veggies, I would add an extra egg and an extra tablespoon of heavy cream. Make sure to use a 9-inch baking dish, as an 8-inch one might be too small with these additions.
Molly says
Excellent! A hit with family.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Molly! Thank you for the comment.
Mandy says
I have made this sooooo many times! It's my favorite breakfast! I use hot breakfast sausage and it's even more amazing!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hot breakfast sausage sounds so good! Thanks for the tip, Mandy. 🙂
Annette R. says
This casserole was a hit!!! It came out perfectly. I added mushrooms, finely chopped green onions, a splash of Tabasco, a sprinkling of Adobo seasoning and a 1/4 cup of egg whites to make it all a bit fluffier. I couldn't be more delighted at how it turned out. So colorful, flavorful, filling and easy to make. I was able to package and stack the other portions in my 'fridge for quick breakfasts throughout the week. Thank you so much for crafting such a creative and healthy dish! Love it!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad this casserole was such a big hit, Annette! Thank you for the comment and for sharing your mouthwatering tweaks. Yum.
Dee says
Loved this casserole. I made it for my sister who is low carb with red peppers and onions instead. She is a picky eater but asked me to make again.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad this casserole was a success, Dee! Thanks for writing a review and sharing your tweaks.
Cathy says
Can you double the recipe?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Cathy,
Yes. You can double the recipe and use a 9×13 inch pan. The baking time will be 30-35 minutes, but start checking after 25 minutes just in case.
Junque says
I had family visiting on their way through town, and the only time they could visit was earlier in the day. I served this casserole with mixed berries and toast. It was a big hit. I didn't have spinach, but made it with thinly sliced onions and red bell peppers. I loved how fluffy and yummy it looked coming out of the oven. Thanks for posting this!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you and your guests enjoyed this casserole, Junque!
Dianne says
Absolutely delicious. My guests loved it.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad to hear that, Dianne! Thank you for leaving a comment.
Linda says
Can this casserole be frozen after it’s baked?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yes. To freeze the entire casserole, let it cool completely in the pan, then wrap it in a layer of cling wrap followed by a layer of foil. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
To freeze slices, let them cool, then place them in a single layer into a resealable freezer bag.
suzy Paden says
Can this casserole be made ahead of time and cooked later?
Vered DeLeeuw says
No, but you can bake it ahead of time. Once it's fully baked, cool it completely, wrap it in cling wrap, and keep it refrigerated for up to four days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave.
To reheat the entire casserole, remove the pan from the fridge, remove the cling wrap, and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes. Cover the pan with foil and place it in a cold oven. Heat the oven to 325°F and keep the pan in the oven until the casserole is heated through, about 20 minutes.