High-Protein Breakfast Casserole
Per serving (1 slice (1/8 of the casserole))
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
8g of protein per 100 calories, more than 6 of the other 11 breakfast recipes here.
I build this one the night before more often than not, which is really the whole point of a casserole like this. Cottage cheese blended into the egg mixture is what pushes the protein number up past a standard sausage-and-hash-brown bake without changing how it tastes. This is one of those recipes where leftovers may actually be more useful than the first serving. I cut the whole pan into portions once it cools and reheat individual pieces for breakfast during the week.
Why you'll love this
- 28g of protein per slice from turkey sausage, eggs, and blended cottage cheese
- Assembles the night before, so morning is just turning on the oven
- 8 slices per pan, built to reheat well through the week
Recipe
High-Protein Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Brown the turkey sausage with the onion and bell pepper in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the sausage apart, for 6 to 8 minutes, until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
- Spread the thawed hash browns in an even layer across the bottom of the baking dish. Top with the cooked sausage mixture.
- In a blender, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, about 20 seconds.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the hash browns and sausage. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheddar on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil, top with the remaining cheddar, and bake uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the center is set, no longer jiggles, and reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 8 portions.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Blender or food processor
Notes
- I blend the egg mixture instead of just whisking it. The cottage cheese disappears completely into the texture that way, instead of leaving visible curds throughout the bake.
- I assemble this the night before through the point of pouring the egg mixture over the top, then cover and refrigerate. In the morning it goes straight into the oven, no extra prep.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 365 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28g |
| Carbs | 18g |
| Fat | 20g |
| Fiber | 1g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Turkey sausage: FDC #173871 (Sausage, turkey, fresh, cooked), 1 lb raw (454g), scaled to a 75% cooked yield for ground meat = 340g cooked.
- Onion: FDC #170000, 1 small = 70g.
- Red bell pepper: FDC #170108, 1/2 medium = 59.5g.
- Hash browns: FDC #170043 (Potatoes, hash brown, frozen, plain, unprepared), 3 cups = 630g (FDC: 1/2 cup = 105g).
- Eggs: FDC #171287 (Egg, whole, raw, fresh), 10 large = 500g.
- Cottage cheese: FDC #172179 (Cheese, cottage, creamed, 4%), 1 cup small curd = 225g (FDC: 1 cup small curd = 225g).
- Milk: FDC #171267 (Milk, reduced fat, 2%), 1/2 cup = 122g.
- Cheddar: FDC #173414, 1.5 cups shredded = 170g.
- Batch totals: 226.5g protein, 2,908 kcal, 155.8g fat, 144.4g carb, 11.3g fiber; divided by 8. (2026-09-28: previous 465 kcal / 32g was not reproducible from these ingredients.)
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze individual portions for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F or in the microwave in short bursts.
FAQ
Can I assemble this the night before?
Yes, that’s how I usually make it. Assemble everything through pouring the egg mixture over the top, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Bake straight from the fridge, adding a few extra minutes to the covered bake time.
Can I use regular pork sausage instead of turkey?
Yes, though it will be noticeably higher in fat. Turkey sausage keeps this leaner without changing the technique at all.
Do I have to thaw the hash browns first?
It’s worth it. Frozen hash browns release extra water as they bake, which can leave the bottom layer soggy instead of set.
Looking for more meal-prep breakfasts: the cottage cheese egg bake is a lighter, vegetable-forward version of the same idea.
For how turkey compares with chicken, beef, and pork, see High-Protein Meats.
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