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Keto-Friendly Meaty Breakfast Casserole

Everyone needs a good breakfast casserole in their cooking repertoire. Keep reading for a delicious keto-friendly spin on this classic make-ahead staple.

Keto-Friendly Meaty Breakfast Casserole

Most people, when they have company over, try to stick to things they’re really good at making. For reasons that continue to baffle my husband, those are the moments I tend to get really creative in the kitchen.

We had dear family friends over last month, and in addition to the staple brunch-y items like cinnamon rolls, french toast, and fruit, I wanted to make an egg dish ahead of time that would also use keto-friendly ingredients and taste good for anyone (diet or not). I had a few additional stipulations from the hubs, and because I couldn’t find something online that already covered all my bases, my Keto-Friendly Meaty Breakfast Casserole was born!

Guys it’s so delicious.

We are typically not huge egg casserole people but this one is something special. As you might have guessed by the detailed instructions below, it is a bit labor intensive, but it is SO WORTH IT. I’ve made it every week since, and portioned it out in serving sizes for the week. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

What you need

  • 16 ounce bag of microwavable riced cauliflower
    (because ricing your own cauliflower is SO MUCH MORE WORK)
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1/2 red pepper
  • 4 large cloves of garlic
  • 12 ounce package of breakfast sausage
  • 12-16 ounce package of bacon
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
  • 12 eggs
  • Small package of grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 2 large avocadoes
  • Package of green onions
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Olive oil
  • Cooking spray

Meat & Veggie Prep

  1. Set aside a large mixing bowl for all the veggies and meats. Spray a 9X13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F if you’re planning to eat the casserole on the same day.
  2. Begin cooking the bacon. For me this step takes a while, so I am usually multitasking this with the rest of the food prep. Cook through, but don’t burn or crisp. As it’s cooked, pat the bacon down with paper towels to remove excess oil, shred, and place in the mixing bowl.
  3. Microwave riced cauliflower according to the package instructions and place in the large mixing bowl. This does not need to be heated through, but should definitely not be frozen.
  4. Remove breakfast sausage from it’s casing, and cook through in a prepared skillet/frying pan. Add cooked sausage to the cauliflower and mix well.
  5. Rinse and re-spray the frying pan. Dice the onion, pepper, and garlic and sauté them in the frying pan with a small amount of olive oil to soften them. Combine veggies with the cauliflower and meats and mix well.
  6. Transfer veggies and meats to the prepared baking dish.

Egg Mixture Prep

  1. In another large mixing bowl, crack all 12 eggs and whisk by hand.
  2. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste, still whisking by hand.
  3. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and meat in the prepared baking dish. At first glance, it will look soupy because the cauliflower doesn’t absorb the eggs as much as a bread or potato base breakfast casserole will. I’ve often given the ingredients a good stir in the baking dish to make sure the egg mixture is distributed evenly.
  4. Add 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese to the top of the casserole.
  5. Bake or cover. If you’re planning to eat the casserole on the same day, go ahead and pop it in the oven for 45-60 minutes. If you’re baking additional items at the same time, switch their position half-way through and plan to go the full hour. If you’re only baking this one casserole, check it at 30 minutes, and then again at 45 to make sure you don’t crisp the top. When you think it’s done, check it with a kitchen thermometer to make sure the center of the casserole reaches 165F. If you’re making the casserole ahead of time, cover it and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.

Topping Prep

  1. While the casserole is cooking, halve the grape or cherry tomatoes, chop green onions, and cut avocados into cubes.
  2. After the casserole is done, place avocado, tomato, and green onion onto the center of the casserole to preference as a garnish. There will be leftovers that can be added to individual servings later.
  3. Set out salt and pepper for guests to use and enjoy!