I was at a church brunch recently and the ladies at my table started talking about egg casseroles. It was fun to hear everyone’s take on them for both sides – the cooking them and the eating them. After listening contentedly for a few minutes, I chimed in with a few thoughts myself.
I love to add some flare to my egg casseroles whether it be a particular spice, or a bold and delicious cheese.
I went on to tell them about this one dish egg casserole that I brought and why I chose the extra-sharp, how it took what felt like 9 minutes to locate the extra-sharp cheddar cheese in the cheese department, and how I used the English muffins because it’s what I found in my freezer.
I love the balance of flavors and textures in this egg casserole. The crushed red pepper gives a hint of heat. The paprika brings a bit of smoky sweetness, and the ham and broccoli work perfectly with the rich and deep flavor of the extra-sharp cheddar cheese.
This might just be my new favorite egg casserole. It’s got great bold flavors and it’s rich in taste! The key is using the extra-sharp cheddar. I ended up buying a block and grating it myself, as it was much cheaper than buying it already shredded! So if you have sharp cheddar, or mild. on hand…wait to make it until you can pick up some extra-sharp!
So, go dig out that leftover ham from your freezer and get this one dish breakfast, lunch or dinner into the oven!
Watch and Learn How to Ham & Broccoli Breakfast Casserole
Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole with Extra-Sharp Cheddar
Ingredients
- 4 whole wheat English muffins, cut into bite size pieces
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups leftover ham, diced
- 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 12 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh fruit; as side dish
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 913-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, toss together the cut English muffin pieces with the broccoli florets, diced ham and about 3/4 cup of the shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese.
- Once tossed, pour into the baking dish.
- In the same mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, paprika and crushed red pepper. Add in a few dashes of salt and pepper as well.
- Pour the egg mixture over top of the ingredients in the baking dish.
- Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, sprinkle the remaining shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese over top of the casserole.
- Bake, covered, at 375 for 45 minutes.
- Prepare fresh fruit.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the casserole puffs up and slightly browns on top.
- Serve Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole with fresh fruit.