This perfectly fluffy Broccoli Egg Bake with Cottage Cheese, Red Peppers, and Potatoes is a delicious & easy breakfast option for the holidays! It all comes together in one baking dish. Prep it in advance and breakfast will be waiting for you in the morning! 😊
As a dietitian, I find that having breakfast prepped and ready to go takes some stress off me in the morning, especially for holiday breakfasts. And I'm a big fan of easy recipes that help me start my day with protein and important nutrients like dietary fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. This Broccoli Egg Bake is a great option to serve on Christmas morning with the green from the broccoli florets and red from the bell pepper. Or add it to your weekend food prep to have a high protein breakfast ready for busy weekday mornings! This egg casserole is my favorite way to get in lots of nutrition at the start of the day and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
If you're looking for more Egg Bake Recipes and Low-Carb Breakfast Casseroles, try my Egg Bake with Cottage Cheese, Zucchini, and Tomatoes that I like to make in the spring and summer months. I wanted to make something similar, but with seasonal ingredients in the winter. And this broccoli version is a great recipe for the most important meal of the day!
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This Broccoli Egg Bake with Cottage Cheese is made with simple ingredients. Below is the list of ingredients. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements and complete recipe.
- Eggs - this is the main ingredient! I use large eggs for this recipe. I use the whole egg and not just the white because there are several nutrients found in the yolk of an egg including fat-soluble vitamin D, A, E, and K.
- Cottage Cheese - We are using cottage cheese in place of other kinds of cheeses that are higher in saturated fats and sodium. Cottage cheese is a great way to amp up the fluffy texture and add extra protein and probiotics. I use either reduced-fat cottage cheese or whole-fat and I love Good Culture brand or Daisy brand.
- Broccoli - Since I like to make this particular egg bake in the winter, adding fresh broccoli is a no-brainer when it's in season! It adds dietary fiber for gut health, antioxidants, and vitamin C. Plus, it adds a great depth of flavor. You can use frozen broccoli florets, but you'll need to cook them for an extra few minutes to let them thaw. You could also use leftover broccoli so if you had broccoli last night, make this healthy breakfast casserole the next day!
- Red Bell Pepper - I use red pepper to add a hint of sweetness, vitamins C and K and some antioxidants.
- Potatoes - I like to use baby red potatoes or gold potatoes for this recipe. Potatoes serve as a source of carbohydrates which are important for energy. Potatoes also provide dietary fiber and potassium.
- Parmesan Cheese - I use parmesan cheese for this recipe because I enjoy it's rich and complex flavor. Feel free to substitute with your favorite cheese. Cheddar cheese pairs great with broccoli if you want to turn this into a broccoli cheddar egg bake. Mozzarella cheese, Monterey jack, crumbled feta cheese, or pepper jack cheese all work well.
- Garlic Powder - An easy way to add a bit more flavor and antioxidants.
- Salt and Black Pepper - To tie all the flavors together.
How to Make this Broccoli Egg Bake
Below is a summary of the steps for how to make this easy Broccoli Cheese Egg Bake with some visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prep a 9x13 in casserole dish by spraying it with a non-stick spray. Chop the vegetables into small pieces. You want them to be in smaller pieces so they distribute evenly and bake all the way through. Add the chopped veggies to the baking dish and drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper on top. Give them a toss and roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Step 2 - While the vegetables bake, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, half the parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Step 3 - When the vegetables are done, remove them from the oven and pour egg mixture on top. Given everything another mix and then top it with the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Step 4 - Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is golden brown and barely jiggly. Bake time will vary depending on your oven.
Hint: Be sure to spray your baking dish with a cooking spray before pouring the egg mixture in so that it doesn't get stuck to the pan!
Dietitian Tip
Breakfast has been shown to decrease cravings throughout the day, improve energy levels, and reduce risk of chronic illnesses. A perfect way to ensure you'll start the day with a nutrient-rich breakfast is to prep it in advance! Options like this broccoli egg bake are perfect to make and enjoy throughout the week.
Variations
The best part about this delicious breakfast is you can customize to your taste! Below are some ideas, but feel free to get creative.
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or hot sauce to heat things up!
- Deluxe - cook up some breakfast sausage, turkey bacon or regular bacon and add it to the egg mixture before baking! Add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt for serving.
- More Veggies - replace the veggies in this recipe with your own favorites or keep the ones I use and add even more if you'd like! Tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, or asparagus all work great.
- Egg Muffins - turn this easy casserole into breakfast sandwiches by serving it between 2 slices of sourdough bread or an English muffin with sliced avocado for some healthy fats.
Meal Prep it in Advance
- Meal Prep: To make this egg bake in advance for the following day, complete all the steps up until baking it. Cover the unbaked egg casserole in the prepared baking dish and store it in the fridge for up to 1 day. When ready, bake it according to the recipe instructions.
How to Store Broccoli Egg Bake
- Refrigerator - Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
- Freezer - Let it cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe container like a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge and heat in the microwave, on the stove top, or in a hot oven or air fryer.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to spray your baking dish before pouring the egg mixture in so that it doesn't get stuck to the pan!
- Crack your eggs on a flat, clean surface instead of the edge of the bowl. This helps make it less likely you'll get shell in the bowl.
- Dice the vegetables pretty small in order to ensure they distribute evenly through the egg mixture.
- Cut the finished egg bake into the portion sizes you want and store it in separate containers to have ready to grab and go in the morning.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this broccoli egg bake with cottage cheese is a nutrient-rich option that can help you meet your daily values. It contains high-quality protein to support hormone health and several other nutrients including vitamins C, A, D, E, and K and potassium. It also provides dietary fiber to support gut health.
A quiche has a pie crust and this egg bake does not have a crust. You can think of an egg bake as a crustless quiche.
I usually use Good Culture brand and do either low-fat or whole-fat. Good Culture products don’t contain gums or thickeners and they have live, active cultures. I also use Daisy brand.
Cottage cheese helps make the eggs more fluffy and it also also protein, probiotics for gut health and calcium!
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Broccoli Egg Bake:
Want to Learn About Nutrition?
Here are some of my educational posts you may enjoy:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Broccoli Egg Bake with Cottage Cheese, Easy Breakfast
Equipment
- 1 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup broccoli, chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup baby red potatoes, chopped into small pieces (or baby yellow potatoes)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt (plus more for cooking vegetables)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (plus more for cooking vegetables)
- 12 large eggs
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, divided (half for mixing and half for topping)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prep a 9x13 in casserole dish by spraying it with a non-stick spray. Chop the vegetables into small pieces. You want them to be in smaller pieces so they distribute evenly and bake all the way through. Add the chopped veggies to the baking dish and drizzle on a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt ( up to ½ tsp) and pepper (up to ¼ tsp) Give them a toss and roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- While the vegetables bake, in a large bowl, whisk together the 12 eggs, ¾ c cottage cheese, ½ cup of the parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- When the vegetables are starting to brown, remove them from the oven and pour egg mixture on top. Given everything another mix and then top it with the remaining ½ c of parmesan cheese.
- Bake everything in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is golden brown and barely jiggly. Bake time will vary depending on your oven.
- Hint: Be sure to spray your baking dish with a cooking spray before pouring the egg mixture in so that it doesn't get stuck to the pan!
Notes
- Crack your eggs on a flat, clean surface instead of the edge of the bowl. This helps make it less likely you'll get shell in the bowl.
- Dice the vegetables pretty small in order to ensure they distribute evenly through the egg mixture.
- Cut the finished egg bake into the portion sizes you want and store it in separate containers to have ready to grab and go in the morning.
- Meal Prep -To make this egg bake in advance for the following day, complete all the steps up until baking it. Cover the unbaked egg casserole in the prepared baking dish and store it in the fridge for up to 1 day. When ready, bake it according to the recipe instructions.
- Refrigerator - Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
- Freezer - Let it cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe container like a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge and heat in the microwave, on the stove top, or in a hot oven or air fryer.
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