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Lightened-Up Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole

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A quick and easy 30-minute breakfast casserole that’s cheesy, sausage-packed, and lighter than traditional versions. Perfect for busy mornings, brunch, or even dinner when you need comfort food fast.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 pound turkey breakfast sausage (no added sugar)
  • 2 cups frozen shredded hash browns (thawed and patted dry)
  • 1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (sharp cheddar preferred)
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook turkey breakfast sausage, breaking it apart with a spatula, until fully cooked and crumbly (5-7 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed and set aside to cool slightly.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, almond milk, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth and slightly frothy (about 30 seconds).
  4. Spread thawed and patted-dry hash browns evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  5. Sprinkle cooked sausage over the hash browns in an even layer.
  6. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage and hash browns. Use a spatula to gently nudge the mixture so it seeps into all the nooks and crannies.
  7. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly on top.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is set and the edges are golden brown. The casserole should jiggle slightly in the middle when shaken.
  9. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve warm.

Notes

For best results, pat hash browns dry to avoid sogginess. Use room temperature eggs for better texture. Let casserole rest 5 minutes before slicing. Cottage cheese is the secret to creamy texture without heavy cream. Can be assembled night before and refrigerated; add 5-10 minutes to baking time if starting cold.

Nutrition

Keywords: breakfast casserole, sausage casserole, cheesy casserole, lightened-up breakfast, 30-minute recipe, turkey sausage, hash brown casserole, easy breakfast

Find it online: https://sparklechew.com/lightened-up-cheesy-sausage-breakfast-casserole-easy-30-minute-recipe/