Vegetarian Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole Recipe
This Vegetarian Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole is a hearty and nutritious morning dish featuring crispy baked hash browns layered with sautéed vegetables, fluffy eggs, and melted sharp cheddar cheese. Perfect for a family breakfast or brunch, it combines the satisfying textures of a crispy potato crust with a flavorful, cheesy vegetable-egg filling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Hash Brown Base
- 1 20 oz bag frozen shredded hash browns (about 4–5 cups)
- 1 teaspoon olive or avocado oil
- Dash of salt and pepper
Vegetable Filling
- 3 teaspoons olive or avocado oil, divided
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 8 oz package mushrooms, chopped
- 1 5 oz bag baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Egg Mixture
- 10 eggs
- ½ cup non-dairy milk (unsweetened almond milk used)
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided: 1 cup and ½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Hash Browns: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the frozen shredded hash browns in the dish without thawing. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes until the potatoes begin to brown and crisp. Press down with a spatula to form an even bottom crust.
- Sauté Vegetables: While the hash browns bake, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped red bell pepper, and chopped mushrooms. Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and all mushroom liquid has evaporated.
- Add Spinach and Season: Add the baby spinach along with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper to the skillet. Stir until the spinach wilts. Remove from heat and allow the vegetable mixture to cool to avoid cooking the eggs prematurely.
- Mix Eggs and Cheese: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and non-dairy milk until combined. Once the vegetable mixture has cooled, add it to the eggs along with 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Assemble Casserole and Bake: Pour the egg and vegetable mixture over the baked hash brown crust in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is set and eggs are no longer jiggly in the center.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the casserole to firm up for easier serving.
Notes
- Do not thaw the frozen hash browns before baking to get a crispier crust.
- Vegetables can be swapped or added to taste; zucchini or kale work well as alternatives.
- For a dairy-free option, use vegan cheese or omit cheese entirely.
- Ensure vegetables cool before mixing with eggs to prevent the eggs from scrambling prematurely.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheated gently.
Keywords: vegetarian breakfast casserole, hash brown casserole, baked breakfast, egg casserole, healthy breakfast, vegetable breakfast bake
