This healthy hash brown breakfast casserole ticks all the boxes for me: 1. comfort food 2. meal prep – cook once and eat all week! 3. it has a hash brown topping!
For those of you who may be new to my page, I was a legal secretary for 30+ years in Chicago. Breakfast and lunch options were by the dozens on my walk to work from the train station. One of my weekly go to orders? Corner Bakery scrambler with potatoes and toast (17 WW points) and because I knew I wanted to have something sweet afterwards, I’d also get a cinnamon crumb muffin that I would munch on until it was gone. (31 WW points!)
How to reduce the calories for a breakfast casserole.
Several recipes I saw online call for heavy cream. If you are on the WW program, you may or may not know that just 2 tablespoons of heavy cream is 6 WW points. A cup would add 46 WW points (and 86 grams of fat) to the recipe. Cashew milk is my go to for not only in cereal but for baking as well. One cup is only 25 calories, 1 WW points and perfect for this casserole. However, I do not ever use fat free cheese. I simply use less really good cheese – your mouth will still taste it in every bite. I’ve also added egg whites, instead of using all whole eggs.
What vegetables can you use in a breakfast casserole?
You can use a variety of vegetables in a breakfast casserole, including:
- Bell peppers (red, yellow, green)
- Zucchini
- Onions (red, white, yellow)
- Mushrooms
- Spinach or kale
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes (cherry or diced)
- Asparagus
- Sweet potatoes
- Corn
Tips for Using Vegetables in a Breakfast Casserole:
Pre-cook water-heavy vegetables: Vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes release a lot of moisture as they cook. Sauté or roast them first to remove excess water, preventing your casserole from becoming soggy.
Cut vegetables uniformly: Dice your vegetables into even pieces so they cook at the same rate. This ensures no vegetable is over- or undercooked in the casserole.
Add greens last: If using delicate greens like spinach or kale, stir them in at the end of cooking or layer them on top just before baking. This prevents them from wilting too much or becoming mushy.
Ingredients
- 6 frozen hash brown patties (defrosted for 30 minutes)
- 1 cup red pepper, diced
- 1 cup zucchini, diced
- 6 ounces Canadian bacon, chopped
- 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
- 6 large eggs
- 1/3 cup cashew milk (or milk of choice)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Prepare the hash browns: Let the frozen hash brown patties sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to partially defrost. Skip this step if preparing the casserole the night before.
Mix the eggs: In a large bowl, whisk together the liquid egg whites, eggs, cashew milk, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder until well combined. Add in the red pepper, zucchini and Canadian bacon and mix until combined.
Assemble the casserole: Pour the egg mixture into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
Top with hash browns: Place the defrosted hash brown patties on top of the cheese in a single layer.
Bake: Place the casserole in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the eggs are fully set and the hash browns are golden brown.
Serve: Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Tip: If preparing the night before, assemble the casserole and refrigerate. The next morning, bake as directed, no need to defrost the hash browns!
Notes
As of the date of this publication, each serving is 6 WW points. Click here for the WW tracker.If you count calories or macros, each serving is 346 calories, 19 fat, 22 carbs, 2.2 fiber and 19.8 protein.
Can you make this ahead of time?
Yep! If you make this ahead of time, no need to defrost the frozen hash browns. Simply add them to the casserole dish frozen, and overnight it will thaw. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes if cooking straight from the refrigerator.
How to reheat?
If you have an air fryer, I reheated one serving at 360 for 8 minutes. If you are reheating more than one serving, I’d add to a large skillet, sprayed with avocado oil spray, with a lid on over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through to crisp the hash brown potatoes. Let me know if you make this healthy hash brown breakfast casserole!
Looking for more breakfast inspo? Check out my breakfast category!
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