Basil Breakfast Bake
This is my go-to breakfast recipe when I have family staying with me or when I am hosting brunch. It is easy to serve and very satisfying for all those breakfast food lovers out there. I have shared this recipe many times with family and friends. You can even prepare all the ingredients the night before and refrigerate it overnight to bake in the morning. My kids love this recipe because the vegetables all taste like yummy breakfast food.
Ingredients:
1 package of bacon (12oz)
2 diced Red Vine Tomatoes
½ cup diced green onion (Roughly 7 stalks, green parts only)
1 cup chopped spinach
4 cups of frozen shredded hash browns (*I use Ore-Ida Potato brand here)
10 large eggs
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp. fresh minced Basil
Black Pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 F (if you intend to bake immediately after preparing)
Chop uncooked bacon width wise into small pieces (about 1/4 inch wide)
Add chopped bacon to a deep dish frying pan and cook over medium heat until completely cooked. Do not cook the bacon to really crispy.
Remove the bacon grease from the pan, leaving about 1 Tbsp. in the pan with the bacon.
Add diced tomatoes, green onion and spinach to the pan over medium high heat. Sauté until tomatoes appear softer and your greens are a richer green color.
Reduce to medium heat and add frozen shredded hash browns. Mix and combine ingredients. Remove from heat.
In a separate large bowl crack 10 eggs and whisk together.
Add chopped fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine.
Add your bacon and potato mixture from the pan to the large bowl and mix to combine ingredients together.
Spray a 9x13 ceramic or glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray (I use a clear glass baking dish). Add your combined breakfast mixture from the bowl into the baking dish.
If you are making this recipe the night before, cover your baking dish and place in the refrigerator.
To bake the breakfast bake, have an oven heated to 375 F. Bake Casserole 25-30 minutes. The breakfast bake will puff up in the oven and turn light brown on the top/sides. If you lightly press down on the top of the casserole with your finger it should be firm.
To serve, slice into squares. If you have individuals that do not have any food allergies and want more dairy with their breakfast, I serve this casserole with a bowl of shredded cheese on the side for individuals (my kids) to add on top of their own piece if they should choose.
*Please note that you should use unseasoned shredded hash browns. Different brands have different seasonings added to them. Some will have more salt than the brand I use and so you might want to skip the addition of salt in your recipe to avoid an overly salty bake if that’s the case.
Notes:
This recipe will serve 6 adults.
It is a great leftover and will keep well in the fridge.
It’s also a great breakfast potluck item, as it travels very easily.
I would not recommend freezing this recipe after you make it, it will turn watery and mushy and no one likes those textures.
Try switching out the tomatoes for one diced red pepper.