Broccoli Egg Bake

This Broccoli Egg Bake works well as a high protein and low carb Meal Prep Breakfast or to serve as an easy savory brunch recipe.

Why We Love This Broccoli Egg Bake

I have loved making egg bakes, egg muffins and veggie egg cups for meal prep breakfasts for a long time. I also love making baked omelets or “crustless quiches” as they are sometimes called for serving for brunch.

I often mix up the veggies and fillings depending on what is in season, and what I have on hand. So I thought I would share with you my latest favorite egg bake combination with fresh broccoli and cheddar cheese.

This recipe is very similar to my Spinach Egg Bake recipe actually, with only a couple of changes. One is that I used fresh broccoli instead of frozen spinach. So I included instructions on how to cook the broccoli before adding it to the casserole dish.

The second, I used a square casserole dish to make this. Which makes it seem less like a crustless quiche and instead more like a breakfast casserole or breakfast strata. To be honest, it would work just fine in a pie plate if that is what you have!

I also tweaked the seasonings from the Spinach Egg Bake formula slightly. I wanted to highlight the flavor of the broccoli without overpowering it, and let the flavor of the cheddar shine through. Cheddar pairs so well with broccoli so I didn’t want to get too much other flavor in there! {Check out my roasted cauliflower and broccoli and Cheddar cheese recipe or this Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole if you need to be convinced of the magic combination of cheddar and broccoli.}

Ingredients For This Recipe

Broccoli

I used fresh broccoli for this and found that one small crown was just the right amount. It is okay if yours is a little smaller or a little larger. This recipe is very forgiving! I cut it up and steamed it to soften it.

Frozen Broccoli

You can also use frozen thawed broccoli. No need to steam it. I thawed it, drained it and then roughly chopped the broccoli before adding it to the casserole dish. The baking time takes about 5 minutes longer because the broccoli will be cold.

Eggs

I used a dozen fresh large eggs. If you are watching your saturated fat you can substitute fat free liquid egg instead. Follow instructions on the packaging for equivalents for 12 eggs.

Garlic, Smoked Paprika, Dijon, Salt and Pepper

To season the eggs, I used a combination of grated fresh garlic (which is great with broccoli), smoked paprika, dijon and salt and pepper.

Half and Half

I added a small amount of half and half to the egg mixture. You can use non-fat milk if you like.

Cheddar Cheese

I used 1 packed cup of freshly shredded white cheddar cheese. Look for sharp or extra sharp for the best strongest cheese flavor. Feel free to use yellow cheese or pre-shredded cheese instead.

How To Make This Broccoli Egg Bake Recipe

Cook The Broccoli

The broccoli needs to be cooked before adding to the casserole or it will not soften in time. Note that if you are using frozen broccoli it will be soft enough and doesn’t need to be cooked first. See note above under the “frozen broccoli” section of the ingredient notes.

Stove Top Instructions

1. Set a steamer basket in a large saucepan.
2. Fill the water up to the bottom of the basket level and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the broccoli to the steamer basket, cover and let it steam for 4 minutes.
4. Remove the basket from the steamer.

Microwave Instructions

1. Combine broccoli and 1/2 cup water in a large microwave safe bowl.
2. Cover with a layer of parchment, and then another layer of plastic wrap to trap the steam.
3. Microwave on high power for 4 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and parchment, and drain the broccoli.

Beat Egg Mixture

Whisk the eggs, garlic, Dijon, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl or batter bowl with a spout. Beat until the eggs are smooth for the best fluffy texture.

Layer The Casserole

Coat your casserole dish with cooking spray, brush it with oil or butter it with unsalted butter if you prefer.

Layer in the steamed broccoli (or thawed, drained and chopped broccoli.) It is okay if the steamed broccoli is still hot.

Gently pour the eggs over the broccoli without dislodging the broccoli and letting it all float to one side or the other.

Top with the cheddar cheese as evenly as possible.

Baking Instructions

As I said before, this recipe is very forgiving. But it is important to not overcook it if you can help it. Here are some tips:

• Cook the Egg Bake in the center of the oven.
• Set the timer for 30 minutes and then check on it. The center will be the last part to cook through.
• The outer surface of the egg bake will puff slightly as it sets up. This is normal, and how you will tell it is almost ready.
• You want to cook it until the center is just barely cooked through but not fully puffing into a dome.
• You can press a paring knife into the center to make sure it is not liquid.
• The egg will continue to cook though after it comes out of the oven. When it puffs up too much it can make the final texture a little spongy.

Meal Prep and Make Ahead Tips For This Breakfast Casserole

I love this recipe for meal prep because it is easy to make ahead. I bake one on the weekend, usually have a slice when it is fresh, then we enjoy the remaining portions through the week.

You can keep it in the casserole dish covered with plastic wrap or foil, or you can cut it into portions and keep them separate in glass storage containers.

Reheating Instructions

Microwave: Individual portions heat well in the microwave. Place portion on a microwave safe plate or leave in glass storage container if they are microwave safe (do not microwave plastic lids.) Cook on high power until steaming hot, 90 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on power of microwave.

Oven: To reheat the whole casserole Cover the casserole dish with foil and set in the oven at 350 degrees F. Bake until heated through and steaming hot.

To test if it is Hot: You can test if it is heated through with an instant-read thermometer (it should be 160 to 170 degrees F. Or slide a butter knife into the center of the egg and hold it there for a moment. Then pull it out and feel the temperature of it. If it is hot the center of the egg bake is hot!

What To Serve With This Broccoli Egg Bake Recipe

• For a quick breakfast on the go, you can pair this with a slice of toasted whole wheat bread or a Savory muffin.
• For a brunch menu, I think pairing it with ham would be great, and perhaps Sweet Potato Hash.
• For a make ahead brunch side dish to go with this (and ham) I love this Horseradish Potato Salad.
• You can make fruit salad or Melon Salad and mimosas or champagne cocktails for a celebratory meal.
• And my quick bread recipes are always a great way to add to the menu as well.

More Recipes You May Enjoy

This Breakfast Pita is made with spinach and roasted red peppers but can be adapted for whichever veggies you have on hand.

Our Cheese and Greens Omelet is a great protein-rich way to start the day.

This Healthy Green Smoothie is another breakfast idea for busy mornings.

This Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup looks amazing!

For a warm breakfast drink, try making a Matcha Latte at home!

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

Print