High Protein Egg Casserole (Printable)
Hearty egg casserole with turkey, cottage cheese and spinach — protein-rich, gluten-free, bakes in 35 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Protein
01 - 8 large eggs
02 - 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
03 - 1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
04 - 7 oz lean turkey sausage or chicken breast, cooked and diced
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
→ Seasonings
08 - 1 tsp olive oil
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the spinach and cook for 1 additional minute until wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly. Whisk in the cottage cheese, shredded cheddar, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried oregano until well combined. Fold in the cooked diced sausage or chicken and the sautéed vegetables.
04 - Pour the egg mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly with a spatula.
05 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is fully set and the top is golden brown.
06 - Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into squares. Serve warm.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The cottage cheese melts into the eggs in a way that makes every bite impossibly creamy without needing heavy cream or excess fat.
- It reheats beautifully, so you can make it on Sunday and have a protein packed breakfast ready all week without any effort.
02 -
- Undercooking the vegetables before baking leads to watery pockets in the casserole, so always saute them until most of their moisture has cooked off.
- The casserole will continue to set as it rests, so do not panic if the center looks slightly jiggly when you first pull it from the oven.
03 -
- Let the sauteed vegetables cool for a few minutes before adding them to the eggs, because hot vegetables will start cooking the eggs on contact and create uneven textures.
- Line your baking dish with parchment paper with overhanging sides if you want to lift the whole casserole out cleanly for perfect slicing every single time.