Breakfast casserole is the quintessential brunch menu dish…cheese, potato, bacon and eggs all wrapped up in one bite…yum! The first time I had a breakfast casserole was in college, my best friend Lauren was kind enough to invite me to her families Easter brunch since I was out of state. When she told me what was on the menu, I wasn’t really sure what an “Egg Bake” was…I found out it’s a breakfast casserole and needless to say I was pleasantly surprised!
Lately I like to work in “brinner” ever other week on our menu and egg bakes are my go to. It’s also a great idea for breakfast if you’re hosting guests over the weekend. It’s easy to put together, feeds a large group and is versatile with endless flavor concoctions!
This pancetta and leek breakfast casserole was inspired by a pasta dish I saw Ree Drummond whip up on The Pioneer Woman. She was making a pasta with pancetta and leeks it looked delish and decadent. I thought…potato leek soup is fabulous and pairs well with bacon…pancetta is similar to bacon just a little fancy…and I love egg bakes so there ya go!
How To:
Remove the tops, ends and outer layer from the leeks and discard. Slice and roughly chop the leeks, rinse in cold water to get rid of any dirt, then drain.
Chop pancetta into small cubes (to save a little time you can get pre chopped pancetta). Brown the pancetta in a medium nonstick pan until the fat is rendered. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the leeks and butter and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
If using frozen hash browns allow them to thaw at least 1 hour before baking. Spread the hash browns in a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish making an even bottom layer. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese evenly over the hash browns. I like to add half of the cheese at this point to ensure each bite has that stringy goodness!
I use half egg whites in this recipe to dial back the fat since we have delicious pancetta and mozzarella bringing that to the table already (feel free to use all whole eggs if you’d like). Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, salt, pepper, thyme and chives and pour over the hash browns and cheese. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 50-55 minutes. Insert a knife into the center, when it comes out clean the eggs are done. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella on top and bake another 2 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Pancetta & Leek Breakfast Casserole is a great way to put a fancy spin on a classic brunch dish!
Ingredients
- 20 ounces shredded hash browns (if using frozen thaw for at least 1 hour)
- 6 ounces pancetta, chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 whole leek, roughly chopped and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 6 whole eggs
- 6 egg whites (if using liquid egg whites that’s about 180 grams)
- 1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk (or any milk you prefer)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 cups low moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F, grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
- In a medium nonstick skillet brown the pancetta on medium heat until the fat is rendered, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 min. Add leeks and butter to the pan and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spread an even layer of hash browns on the bottom of the casserole dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella evenly over the hash browns. In a medium bowl whisk together the whole eggs, whites, milk, salt, pepper, thyme and chives. Add the pancetta and leeks to the eggs, then pour egg mixture over the hash browns.
- Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes. Insert a knife into the center to check, when it comes out clean the eggs are done. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella on top and bake another 2 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Nutrition: Yield: 12 servings, Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving: 7 SP, Calories: 212 Total Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 116mg, Sodium: 572mg, Total Carbohydrate: 12g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 0g, Protein: 11g
