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.
- 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.
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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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.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can use minced fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. I often do that when I have fresh garlic on hand. Add it to the sausage a minute before turning off the heat.
No, because it's not melty and 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.
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!
Yes. You can 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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Disclaimers
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.
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.