This cheesy Low Carb Breakfast Casserole is the ultimate time-saver for busy mornings, a crowd-pleaser for brunch, or a people-pleaser on special occasions. Packed with crispy bacon, fresh broccoli, and plenty of melty cheese, my low-carb casserole is quick to make and perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd. It's a delicious, no-fuss way to start your day right. I'll show you exactly how to make it in your kitchen.
This recipe is: Low Carb, Keto and Gluten Free
Table of Contents
6 Reasons to Make A Low Carb Breakfast Casserole
- This recipe feeds a crowd of people easily!
- It's light, fluffy and packed with classic breakfast flavors.
- Perfect make-ahead meal to save time every morning.
- Completely low carb breakfast option to start the day.
- Great for special mornings like Christmas, New Years or even Valentines Day!
- Easy to make recipe that everyone will love to enjoy.
Is this Low Carb Breakfast Casserole truly Low Carb?
Yes, it is low carb at just 5g net carbs per serving. If you compare this to a traditional breakfast casserole recipe made with flour, hashbrowns, breadcrumbs and more... each serving is at or above 25g net carbs. This recipe is just perfect for anyone on a low carb diet or for people on a keto diet looking for a special breakfast option.
Low Carb Breakfast Bake Ingredient List
- ¾ lb bacon, diced (approximately 16 slices)
- 4 cups broccoli florets, diced
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup cottage cheese, full fat
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons water, approximate
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, ground
Ingredient Substitutions
- Bacon: use cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage (you can check out my recipe for Sage Breakfast Sausage or Sweet Fennel Sausage) or lightly browned diced ham. If you want something different, use shredded rotisserie chicken!
- Cheddar cheese: you can swap in any good melting cheese, but it needs a little bit of an edge to round out the flavors of the breakfast bake.
Additional Ingredients
- Veggies: You could sautee and add some sliced mushrooms, diced bell peppers, spinach, or even zucchini or yellow squash! They all taste delicious in this low-carb breakfast casserole.
- Olives: if you love black olives, add in 2-3 tablespoons of sliced black olives. They really complement the cheese.
- Pickled Jalapenos: Want to add some spice to this low-carb egg bake? You can use my recipe for homemade Pickled Jalapenos or toss in 2-3 tablespoons of diced, store-bought jalapenos. So good.
- Tomatoes: If you're looking to add tomatoes, my suggestion is to deseed them first. Otherwise, the breakfast casserole tends to turn a bit runny from the additional moisture. Add about ½ cup of diced, seeded tomatoes.
- Sour cream: Top with a dollop of sour cream. Its tangy flavor really pairs well with the breakfast bake.
- Garnish: I like to garnish with fresh chives or green onions. For a nice departure from tradition, you could add chopped parsley or even some tarragon.
Cooking Tools
To make this low carb breakfast casserole recipe, you will need the following kitchen tools:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Heavy bottom skillet with tight-fitting lid
- Wooden spoon
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Round or Rectangular casserole dish
How to Make a Low Carb Casserole: the Complete Cooking Guide
This recipe for low-carb casserole is really straightforward. We just need to cook off the bacon, soften the onion and broccoli, and then toss it all in the oven. Even if you're new to the kitchen, this recipe is easy.
Cooking Methods:
- Sautee
Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 3-quart casserole dish with butter or clarified butter.
- Cook the bacon until crispy in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove it from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the diced onion to the bacon grease and cook for 3-4 minutes or until transparent. Add the broccoli and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
- While the onion and broccoli cook, whisk the eggs in a large bowl until slightly frothy. Stir in half the cheddar cheese, half the mozzarella cheese, and the bacon bits.
- Add the cottage cheese, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and baking powder to the egg mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Stir the cooked broccoli and onions into the egg mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and bacon bits.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is set and golden brown on top.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Step 1: Dice the bacon and cook it in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy.
Step 2: Sauté the onions over medium heat until they are soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Add the broccoli and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until the broccoli is tender.
Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, heavy cream, water, kosher salt, black pepper, and baking powder until well combined.
Step 5: Stir the shredded cheddar, mozzarella, and cooked bacon into the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Step 6: Add the broccoli and onion mixture to the egg mixture.
Step 7: Gently stir until everything is evenly combined.
Step 8: Pour the prepared casserole mixture into a greased round ceramic baking dish, spreading it evenly with a spatula if needed.
Step 9: Place the prepared casserole dish in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C). Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
💡 My Pro Tip
Knowing when the low carb casserole is cooked through is a bit of an art form... until today. To ensure the low-carb breakfast casserole is fully cooked and the eggs are set without being runny, use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Just poke it into the center of the casserole (without it touching the baking dish), and when the temperature reads 160F, this is a safe temperature for cooked eggs and guarantees a firm, set texture. Yes.
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
- Use Pre-Cut Ingredients: you can buy store bought diced onions, shredded cheese and pre-washed broccoli florets to save on chopping and prep time.
- Use pre-cooked Bacon Bits: if you want, you can use my Crunchy Bacon Bits recipe and add them into the dish rather than waiting for the bacon to render and brown. This will save quite a bit of time and add some additional flavors.
- Use leftover broccoli: if you have steamed broccoli from a dinner or other meal, you can save five or more minutes by using pre-cooked broccoli. While you're here, check out my Spicy Italian Broccoli recipe... it works perfectly with this breakfast bake too!
What to serve with a Low Carb Breakfast Casserole:
This is a really filling dish for breakfast... so I'm going to suggest items that would complement the meal itself:
Storage and Reheating
This recipe is designed for leftovers. I make this recipe about once a month when I know my mornings will be really busy, and I want to stay on track with my low-carb meals. Let's look at how to extend the shelf life and reheat the low carb breakfast casserole properly.
Storing Low Carb Breakfast Bake:
- Once the low-carb breakfast bake has cooled to room temperature, place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. I find it easiest to slice the casserole into individual servings before adding it to the container.
Reheating Tips:
- The best way to reheat the low carb breakfast casserole is in a 350F oven or toaster oven. Place the casserole in an oven-safe container and heat it for 7-9 minutes or until warmed. The oven-heating method keeps the eggs light and fluffy.
- Reheating on the stovetop is not recommended. Typically, this casserole is thick and tends to overcook the eggs that are directly on the heat before it warms through.
- You can use a microwave on medium heat, but the eggs tend to change to a rubbery texture.
Freezing Tips:
- Typically, I don't freeze egg dishes as the texture tends to change when they defrost.
Final Thoughts:
Other Low Carb Breakfast Recipes You Will Love
I'm always being asked for creative low carb breakfast recipes. Here are a few that are based on eggs that I think you would like to see:
FAQs
A traditional breakfast casserole made with flour to thicken, with hash browns and crumbled breadcrumb topping has on average 25-30g net carbs per serving. A Low Carb Breakfast Casserole should have between 5-7g net carbs per serving.
A frittata starts on the stovetop and is finished in the oven under a broiler, is typically not as thick as a breakfast casserole and cooks more quickly. A frittata is typically made for 4-6 portions while a breakfast casserole has a serving size between 8-12 portions. A breakfast casserole bakes entirely in the oven, is thicker and has larger volume.
Cheesy Low Carb Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- ¾ lb bacon diced (approximately 16 slices)
- 4 cups broccoli florets diced
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 cup cottage cheese full fat
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons water approximate
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 3-quart casserole dish by greasing it with butter or clarified butter.
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until it’s crispy. Set the cooked bacon aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Using the bacon grease in the skillet, sauté the diced onion for about 3-4 minutes until it softens. Add the broccoli along with 3 tablespoons of water, cover, and let it steam for 5 minutes until tender.
- While the vegetables are cooking, beat the eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Stir in half of the cheddar cheese, half of the mozzarella cheese, and the crumbled bacon.
- Add the cottage cheese, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and baking powder to the egg mixture, stirring until smooth and evenly mixed.
- Fold the cooked broccoli and onions into the egg mixture, ensuring everything is well distributed.
- Pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar, mozzarella, and reserved bacon bits over the top.
- Place the casserole in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is set and the top turns golden.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”
