I have to tell you guys, whenever I post a recipe, it’s my favorite, and this Green Chili Breakfast Casserole is no exception. It’s definitely my current crush.
Green Chili Breakfast Casserole
I love sharing a breakfast casserole when the winter holidays are upon us. There’s nothing like pulling it out of the oven on a chilly winter morning with family, friends, and/or loved ones gathered around.
About Green Chili Breakfast Casserole:
This Green Chili Breakfast Casserole is gonna be all hot and bubbly, melty cheesy, with tender hash browns and the best crisipity, crunchy edges and top.
It’s chock-full of sausage and cheese, including some cottage cheese; it makes the dish so creamy and tender, and bonus: boosts the protein. (You won’t notice it in the cooked casserole, so if you have haters, let that be our little secret.)
The best thing about this casserole, though, is the Southwestern flair from the mild green chiles; use a Mexican or Southwestern cheese blend to drive that flavor home.
Green Chili Breakfast Casserole
Making Green Chili Breakfast Casserole:
The casserole is easy to pull together. Just cook up the sausage with the onion and bell pepper, then add in roasted and diced poblanos (see the recipe for how-to) or a couple of cans of drained green chiles.
Then everything gets mixed and placed in your casserole, but hold out a few of the hash browns. Those will be tossed in melted butter, then spread across the top of the casserole for extra crispiness.
Make Ahead:
- To prepare the night before, cover and refrigerate. Bring the casserole out for about an hour before baking, then proceed as directed.
- Check at the hour point. If not nearly done, a little more time may need to be added.
Serve Green Chili Breakfast Casserole With:
It’s a no-brainer; serve this with your favorite green chile salsa and a dab of sour cream.
A small salad or an assortment of fruit on the side, depending on the season and/or time of day, will never be wrong
Leftover Breakfast Casserole:
Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, up to five days.
- Reheat servings, lightly covered, in the microwave.
- Larger amounts may do better in the oven, 350 degrees F., covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. If it appears dry, drizzle with just a little milk or water, recover, and heat for a few more minutes until absorbed.
Leftovers can be frozen; for best results, freeze in smaller portions, thaw overnight in the fridge. Bake as above or microwave.
Overnight Breakfast Sausage Casserole
Other Breakfast Casserole You Might Like:
- Easy, Cheesy Breakfast Casserole – very hearty, make with ham, sausage, or bacon.
- Potato Cheese Breakfast Bake – this favorite was added to my site in 2015.
- Overnight Breakfast Sausage Casserole – not the prettiest, but loaded with sausage and so tasty!
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.
Breakfast Sausage:
- Breakfast Sausage used to be incredibly cheap; these days, it pays to watch the sales (often before holidays) and buy a little extra if the price is stellar.
- Remove from the freezer a day or two before needed; if not an option, saw off the metal closure and use the defrost setting on the microwave. When partially thawed, remove the wrapper and any thawed portion before placing the remainder back in the microwave to thaw.
Eggs:
- Both Aldi & Lidl, as well as buyer’s clubs (you will need to buy larger amounts at the buyer’s club), have great everyday prices, but usually do not approach a great pre-holiday grocery store sales price.
- If you have room, stock up at a low. Eggs, according to the National Egg Board, keep well for 4 to 5 weeks after the pack date, or about 3 weeks after buying.
- Don’t store in the door; keep in original package on a bottom shelf in the fridge.
Cottage Cheese:
- This is a fabulous item to pick up from the discount stores, if that’s an option. Buyers’ clubs have great prices, too. If the regular grocery is your only option, watch for sales. Unopened, it keeps well for three to four weeks.
- Once open, always use a clean utensil. Store in the fridge upside down. Some separation is normal (stir back together), discard if any off smells or colors occur.
Grocery Cheese:
- Grocery Store Cheese is a great item to pick up at rock bottom and keep on hand. The best pricing is a discount store’s sales, but if not an option, know the lows at your grocery. Compare pricing by pound or ounce.
- Cheese keeps for weeks, unopened, and can be frozen. After freezing, it will be a little crumbly but still great for casseroles and cooking.
Poblanos or Canned Green Chiles:
- Lowest pricing will generally be at a market, in season. Fresh may not be available in some areas.
- Look for canned green chiles on sale at the grocery, often unadvertised around Cinco de Mayo or sporadically through the year. You may find them at the discount stores. Latino markets will have good pricing year-round.
- If another size is used and there is no immediate need for any remainder, they can be bagged and frozen.
Hash Browns:
- Prepared frozen hash browns aren’t a normal item I keep on hand; the markup from plain old potatoes is so high. When tossing together a breakfast casserole, I’m not going to make them from scratch!
- Watch the holiday sales if you use them often; be aware that the shelf life in the freezer is limited (and they are bulky), so don’t count on more than two or three months in a fridge freezer or six months in a deep freeze.
With the holidays approaching, it’s always a great idea to have an easy breakfast option for the family, overnight guests, or a brunch. I hope your family enjoys this Green Chili Breakfast Casserole as much as we do, and Happy Holidays!
Mollie
Green Chili Breakfast Casserole
Green Chili Breakfast Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast or brunch dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 package (28 to 30 ounces) shredded hash browns, thawed and divided
- 12 ounces to 1 pound breakfast sausage
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 medium poblanos, roasted, peeled with seeds removed, and diced, or two 4-ounce cans diced green chiles drained well (about a cup, diced)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
- 8 eggs
- 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded Colby Jack or Mexican Cheese Blend
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted in about a 3-cup bowl
- desired garnishes
Instructions
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees F., place oven rack in center position, spray or oil a 9 x 13″ casserole, and set aside.
In a medium-large saucepan, add the breakfast sausage, onion, and bell pepper. Turn on heat to medium-high and cook, stirring now and then, breaking up the sausage until sausage is cooked through and vegetables softened. Remove from heat and add the roasted and diced poblanos or green chiles. Add two teaspoons of salt and stir until well combined. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, add the cottage cheese and eggs. Mix together. Add all but about 2 cups of the hash browns (reserve the rest for the next step), the sausage mixture, and cheese. Mix thoroughly. Spread in the bottom of the casserole.
To the melted butter (this method helps to evenly coat the hash browns with the butter) add about 1/3 of the reserved hash browns and toss. Repeat with the next third and then the final third. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss again. Spread potatoes evenly over the top of the casserole.
Bake, covered for 1 hour. Remove cover and bake another 20 minutes until center is set. If the potatoes on the top of the casserole are not golden brown and crispy, turn the broiler on high until the edges of the potatoes begin to brown. Change the broiler setting to low and continue to broil for several minutes longer until potatoes are golden brown and crispy on top.
Let casserole rest for a few minutes before serving. For optimum crispiness on top of the casserole, do not allow it to sit much longer. Serve with desired garnishes.
Notes:
- This casserole works best with thawed hash browns. If still frozen, spread out in the casserole (lightly coated with cooking spray) and bake at 250 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then. Remove from the casserole and cool before proceeding.
- To prepare the poblanos, place on a small, foil-lined baking tray and place several inches below the broiler. Broil on one side until bubbled and slightly charred in places, turn until all sides are done. Remove from oven, wrap in the foil, and allow to steam for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, pull and/or scrape off the skin, remove the stems and seeds. Dice small.
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