Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This egg white casserole with sweet potato crust and cottage cheese is the perfect make-ahead breakfast! Packed with protein (18 grams per serving) and lots of vegetables, it will keep you full all morning long.
How long it takes: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: 9 x 13 inch baking pan, oven, skillet, mixing bowl
Servings: 12
Protein-packed Egg Casserole
Mornings are hectic around here. We live quite a distance from school, so it’s rise and shine for my kiddos at 6:30 AM and we’re out the door between 7 and 7:15. I usually get up between 4:45 and 5:15 to squeeze in a workout and some work.
Breakfast is rushed, so I try to make mornings easier by prepping breakfast on the weekends whenever possible. Sometimes it’s pancakes but lately I’ve been just loving this breakfast casserole. It’s packed full of protein (turkey sausage! egg whites! cottage cheese!).
How to make This Egg White Casserole
As always, you’ll find the complete printable recipe at the end of this post. Here’s a quick low-down:
- Make the sweet potato layer. After I peel and wash the sweet potatoes, I use my food processor with the shredding attachment and the job is done in literally 30 seconds. If you don’t have a food processor or you’re in the mood for a workout, you could use a box grater. Mix the shredded potatoes with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread into a greased pan.
- Bake the crust. In order to get the sweet potatoes fully cooked, I pre-bake the crust while I make the filling, for 20 minutes.
- Cook the meat and vegetables. Sauté the ground turkey sausage, red bell pepper, green onions, and spinach in a large skillet. The sausage should be completely cooked, and the vegetables softened.
- Make the filling. Whisk the eggs and egg whites in large mixing bowl until combined. Add the milk, cottage cheese, and cheddar cheese to a large mixing bowl; whisk. Fold the cooked sausage and vegetables into the egg mixture.
- Bake. Pour the egg mixture over the pre-baked crust and pop in the oven. Bake until set, about 45 to 55 minutes.
- Serve. Serve immediately, or at room temperature, or store to serve later.
If you’re not serving this right away, make sure to pop it in the fridge after it’s baked and cooled for an hour. Wait to cover it up until it’s completely cooled, though, or you’ll end up with a lot of moisture on top of your egg white casserole from condensation.
Recipe Adaptations
- Try different vegetables. Broccoli is great, and we also love mushrooms and onions. Try asparagus when it’s in season.
- Use ham, another type of sausage, or bacon (or skip the meat). If you’re looking for a vegetarian recipe, omit the meat and add extra vegetables.
- Sub in regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes. This would give the casserole a hash brown vibe, in fact, you could probably substitute frozen hash browns (shredded).
- Make it with whole eggs. Instead of 10 egg whites, use additional whole eggs. Altogether, you’ll need 7 eggs to make the casserole.
Refrigerate/Freeze: Cool the casserole to room temperature before covering it. Leftover casserole can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. I haven’t tried freezing it but I’m thinking it would be okay; however, don’t freeze uncooked egg casseroles (USDA).
Reheat: Microwave individual portions gently until heated through.
More Breakfast Recipes
Egg White Casserole with Sweet Potato Crust
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded (about 2 medium sweet potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 16 ounces lean ground turkey sausage (pork sausage is okay, too)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (or any color)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh baby spinach
- 2 large eggs
- 10 egg whites (5 additional whole eggs can be substituted)
- ⅓ cup milk (I use 2%)
- 16 ounces cottage cheese (I use low-fat)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F. Lightly coat 9 × 13-inch inch baking dish with cooking spray,
- In a medium-sized bowl, toss the shredded sweet potatoes (see note) with olive oil, salt and pepper.16 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- Transfer the potatoes to the baking dish, pressing down into the bottom of the pan, and up the sides, if desired. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown on edges.
- Turn the oven temperature down to 375°F.
- While the crust bakes, cook turkey sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. When it's nearly done, add bell pepper and green onions and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until bell pepper is softened. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool slightly while you mix the eggs.16 ounces lean ground turkey sausage, 1 red bell pepper, diced, 3 green onions, thinly sliced, 2 cups tightly packed fresh baby spinach
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs with egg whites and milk, until well-combined. Stir in cottage cheese and cheddar cheese.2 large eggs, 10 egg whites, ⅓ cup milk, 16 ounces cottage cheese, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Fold turkey sausage mixture into the egg mixture until combined.
- When crust has finished cooking, pour egg and sausage mixture over the crust. Bake at 375°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until eggs are set in the middle (not jiggly or wet).
- Serve hot. If you would like to serve it later, cool in refrigerator, and then cover, and keep stored in fridge. Reheat before serving.
Notes
- Shredding sweet potatoes: Use the shredding attachment on your food processor, or shred by hand using the large holes of a box shredder. The sweet potatoes don’t have to be peeled if they are well-scrubbed and trimmed.
- Cooking tip: If your shredded sweet potatoes seem to have a lot of moisture, use a paper towel or a lint-free towel to wring or blot out some of the excess liquid.
- Variations: Make the casserole with whole eggs instead of egg whites. Omit the sausage (add extra veggies) to make it vegetarian. Substitute broccoli, asparagus, onions, or mushrooms if you prefer. Try a different type of sausage, or use cooked bacon or ham.
- Storage: Allow the casserole to cool before covering and refrigerating. It will keep for up to 4 days. Reheat single portions in the microwave (try not to overheat it).
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Why does the pinterest picture say 28 grams of protein per serving and the recipe says 18 g?
Great question haha! I’m guessing we edited the recipe after that Pinterest image made its rounds. Nutrition information is definitely an estimate, though!
I want to cook the sweet potato base a day ahead. Then add remaining ingredients the next day and cook egg dish. Is that possible?
I think that should work!
Can I cook the sweet potato crust the day before. Then add all remaining ingredients together and cook the next day?
Looking forward to making it for brunch!
That should work fine!
Hi! Is there a vegetarian sub I could use to replace the sausage?
You could just leave it out. Otherwise mushrooms are always a good choice!
I’ve made this a few times, and it’s become my favorite egg bake, it is so delicious with well-balanced flavors!
So glad you like it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I’ve made this many times for my family. They love it! Wondering if anyone has tried freezing it after baked?
I haven’t tried, but I think it would freeze well.
I am planning on serving this for company for breakfast tomorrow. Can I make ahead today and refrigerate? How will that change the cooking time?
I think that should work fine! I haven’t tested it so I’m not exactly sure on cook time, but I’d take it out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes before cooking if you’re doing it in a glass pan. If you put a cold glass pan in a hot oven, it may crack. If you do that, I’d still plan on adding 10-15 minutes to the bake time, but just keep on eye on it.
I have to say this is one of my favorite recipes ever. I’ve been meal prepping it weekly for over a year now and I just love it! So convenient and high protein! Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear that, Gwen! Thank you for taking the time to let me know, it means so much to me! And I’m impressed with your devotion to meal prepping… I always try but never get too far.
Have you tried to make this without cheese? I’m planning to make it and just leave it out. I love cheese, but my belly doesn’t.
You can definitely make this without cheese!
This was so so good!! Next time I make this (and there will be a next time), I might even double the sweet potatoes to make a thicker crust.
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that!