Roasted Poblano and Sausage Breakfast Casserole is deliciously filling with a warming, mild spice. Easy to make ahead, too!
The holidays are creeping closer so I wanted to share a breakfast casserole recipe with a twist to feed your friends and family who might be coming to town to stay.
Friday night I was having drinks with two of my best gal pals when one asked, “Do you have a fun breakfast casserole recipe? I’m sick of making the same one over and over and want a different idea for the holidays.” Little did she know that just a few hours prior I’d finished testing my Roasted Poblano and Sausage Breakfast Casserole!
A Flavorful Twist on Plain Breakfast Casserole
Eggs, hash browns, milk, salt, and pepper are combined with roasted poblano peppers (which are a CINCH to make) and spicy cheese to create a savory, filling breakfast or brunch with just a hint of warming spice. While there’s always a spot for plain ol’ breakfast casserole at my table, sometimes it’s fun to give it a fun and tasty twist.
Now, if you’ve got a brunch crowd to feed this holiday season, have this casserole baked and ready to go when family members wake up or trickle through the door. It’s great straight out of the oven, or even close to room temperature. My Mom always has a breakfast casserole baked and on a warming tray, or in the crock pot, for the holidays and we love smelling breakfast the minute we walk through their door.
How to Make This Recipe
Start by roasting 2 large or 3 small poblano peppers. Poblano peppers are very mild and just provide a hint of warming chili flavor in the final dish. You can get them right at the regular grocery store by the jalapeno peppers.
Rub the peppers with a little bit of oil then roast on a foil lined baking sheet for 20 minutes at 425, or until the skin is uniformly charred, flipping halfway through. Immediately transfer the peppers to a large Ziplock bag then seal and let them steam for 10-15 minutes. This will make peeling the skin off easily.
Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the outside skin then open the peppers up and scrape out the seeds.
Chop the peppers up, then you’re done! So easy, right?
Meanwhile, brown 1lb gluten-free pork breakfast sausage (I like Jimmy Dean,) then drain if there’s a lot of excess fat and set aside to cool slightly.
Last step is to whisk together 8 large eggs, 3/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped green onions, the chopped poblano peppers, 6oz shredded Pepper or Monterey Jack cheese (or a combo – just depends on how spicy you want the casserole!) and 4 cups shredded frozen hash browns that have been thawed.
Scoop the mixture into a nonstick sprayed 9×13″ casserole dish then sprinkle with another 2oz shredded cheese, cover with foil, and bake for an hour and 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove the foil then bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the casserole is set in the center, and brown and bubbly on top.
If you want to make the casserole ahead of time, cover with foil then refrigerate overnight. In the morning, pop it right into a preheated oven and bake per usual. Easy!
Since this breakfast casserole has a chili/Tex-Mex twist, I served it topped with chopped avocados and salsa. Unbelievably delicious!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 poblano peppers
- 1 lb gluten free pork breakfast sausage, Jimmy Dean recommended
- 8 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk, any kind
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- dashes green Tabasco sauce, optional
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 8 oz shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, divided
- 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil. Rub poblano peppers lightly with oil then place on baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until poblano pepper skin is evenly charred. Immediately transfer peppers to a plastic ziplock bag then let steam for 10-15 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel away skin then open peppers and remove the seeds. Chop the peppers then set aside.
- Meanwhile, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat then drain if necessary, and then set aside to cool slightly.
- In a very large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce (if using.) Add the green onions and chopped peppers then whisk to combine. Add the cooked sausage, hash browns, and 3/4 of the shredded cheese then stir to combine. Pour mixture into a nonstick sprayed 9x13" baking dish then sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover with foil.
- Turn oven down to 350 degrees then bake casserole, covered, for 1 hour and 10 minutes (it's ok if some liquid remains on top.) Remove foil then continue baking until cheese is golden brown and bubbly, 15-20 more minutes.
Notes
- To make ahead: follow directions up to covering baking dish, then refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking per instructions.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Great blog.
My new favorite breakfast casserole-delicious! I made it the night before and it worked great cooking it in the morning.
Made this for my family for christms breakfast this year and there’s one in the nice neighborhood right now for me to bring into the office – everyone loves it and it taste great right out of the oven or room temp. This is a real winner!
Oops! That should say *there is one in the oven right now! It’s early…
:)
I loved this recipe Kristin. When I roasted my poblanos and steamed them, they were very watery and stingy to handle. The skin didn’t peel off and I ended up just chopping the peppers. Should I roast them longer? Thanks!
This is a good recipe and well worth your time. I was a little skeptical of the bake time but followed the directions and it came out perfectly. I used three medium poblano peppers and pepper jack cheese, which gave it a very gentle heat, perfect for breakfast (although this would work well for dinner).
So glad to hear it, Liz, this is a favorite breakfast of ours too!
Has anyone tried freezing /reheating this breakfast casserole?
Do you have any suggestion on additional non-meat ingredients I could add to this casserole? My friend is visiting and she is vegetarian. I think she would like the twist of the poblano peppers, just looking for additional items to add some bulk since I’ll be removing the sausage. Thank you!
You could add vegetarian “sausage” crumbles!
This went in the oven this morning, it’s just my 18 month and I trapped in the house (here in DM) so the whole pan miiiight be gone by the end of the day ?
HAHA! Love it! :)
I made this casserole last night and brought it to work this morning. It was a complete hit!!! Soooooo yummy and full of beautiful flavors! I have used several of your recipes and they are always delicious and spot on! Thank you!
Wohoo – I am so glad to hear, Lyndie, such great feedback! Thanks so much!
Trying to figure out how to pin the recipes on the new website. Please help. Janice
Hi Janice! You can click on the pink “Pin It” circle that appears over any image when you hover over it, or click on the “P” right above the recipe name in the recipe card within the post. Let me know if you find them!