This savory Italian Breakfast Casserole combines three cheeses, roasted red bell pepper and a hint of onion. You can make this creamy cheesy Italian egg bake in just an hour.
Try other popular breakfast recipes like this one for Country Potatoes with Ham or these Southwest Egg Bites with Cottage Cheese.
The simplest way to make any morning better is with a delicious breakfast egg casserole. And this Italian egg bake can be one of the easiest ways to serve up eggs that certainly won’t disappoint.
What makes a baked egg casserole a great egg casserole? Certainly a beautiful custard texture, a blend of amiable cheeses and a touch of savory. And this is an egg bake without bread, which makes for an even fluffier lighter experience.
Eggs are combined with creamy soft cheeses. Flour thickens the custard base and the baking powder brings the “puff” to this casserole.
Roasted red bell peppers, brings a smoky and sweet layer of flavor and a touch of green onion brings it all home.
This Italian Breakfast Casserole is easy enough to prepare on a lazy Sunday morning. About twenty minutes prep time and a 35 minute bake in the oven. While the casserole is baking, grab a package of frozen hash browns, and fry some bacon or sausage and breakfast is served. Let’s take a look:
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Large Eggs
- Roasted Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- Green Onion
- The Cheeses: Cheddar Cheese, Ricotta Cheese, Parmesan Cheese
- All Purpose Flour
- Butter, melted
- Kosher Salt
- Baking Powder
Step by Step Instructions – It’s Easy
- Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder into a small bowl.
- Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Add melted butter, flour mixture, and cheeses and mix well at low speed. Then stir in peppers and green onion.
Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.
- Then stir in peppers and green onion.
- Pour into a greased 8 x 8 casserole dish.
- Bake this Italian Breakfast Casserole for 35 – 40 minutes. The top should be slightly browned and the casserole set up in the middle.
Questions You May Have
Yes. You can make it the night before. Complete all the steps and place in the casserole dish. Cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
You’ve got a jump start since this is an egg bake without bread. Make this complete gluten free by using a 1 to 1 gluten free flour.
This casserole is light and fluffy. And without any Italian Sausage, you’ve got lots of choices. Serve this with Fried Biscuits, a fresh fruit salad, a side of chicken Italian Sausage. Serving this for brunch? Serve it with a simple tossed salad with Red Wine Vinegar Dressing.
Tips For Success
- You most certainly can roast your own red bell peppers for this recipe, but make it easy by purchasing three roasted red bell peppers from the olive bar, or jarred roasted-red bell peppers.
- Use a cake tester to make sure the casserole is done and set up in the middle.
- Let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Variations
- Picture this Italian egg bake with with fine chopped sauteed asparagus and shallots.
- Add Southwestern flare by substituting the roasted red bell peppers with jalapeno peppers of Hatch chile peppers. Add a tablespoon of adobo sauce from canned chilles in adobo for an additional kick of excitement.
- Or a simple mixture of mushroom and chives. Just be careful with the moisture content in mushroom. Fry and lightly salt them to draw out moisture before adding.
I hope you give this Italian Breakfast Casserole a try. You’ll be glad you did.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Three Cheese Italian Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- 1 8 x 8 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 3 medium red bell peppers roasted and diced
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 9 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ cups Medium Cheddar Cheese grated
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano grated
- 3 green onions finely chopped (½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder into a small bowl.
- Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Add melted butter, flour mixture, and cheeses and mix well at low speed, then stir in peppers and green onion.
- Pour into a buttered 8 x 8 casserole dish and bake in middle of oven until top is golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- To serve, cut into 9 squares and garnish each with a dollop of sour cream and fine chopped heirloom tomatoes.
Notes
- You most certainly can roast your own red bell peppers for this recipe, but make it easy by purchasing three roasted red bell peppers from the olive bar, or jarred roasted-red bell peppers.
- Use a cake tester to make sure the casserole is done and set up in the middle.
- Let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Three Cheese Italian Breakfast Casserole … It’s What’s For Breakfast.
This recipe was first published September of 2018 and updated June of 2024 by adding step by step instructions.
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and believe that everyone should try to cook as often as they can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
The recipe calls for baking powder but the narrative talks about baking soda. Which is correct?
Hi Gail – thanks so much for your note. It’s baking powder. You don’t know how much I appreciate you catching that.
I love being retired because it allows me to make delicious dishes like this one any day of the week. And since we both LOVE eggs, this dish is perfect for us. Happen to have a jar of roasted reds that need to be used so great timing. Thanks Lea Ann!
Retirement does have it’s cooking benefits. 🙂 Thanks MJ
This looks like it’s loaded with flavor and goodness. Breakfast casseroles are always so good, and don’t know anyone who doesn’t like them. I’d love to have this for dinner, too. Good stuff — thanks.
I, too, love egg casseroles and use them especially during the holidays when you need to feed a few people but still enjoy the holiday. This one looks especially tasty with the ricotta and parm!
I’m such a fan of this kind of baked egg dish! Thanks for the shout-out for my Swiss Chard, Mozarella, and Feta Egg Bake!
I love breakfast casseroles and this looks delicious Chef, and sounds even better with your suggested sides. The peppers give it a great pop of color and I like the baking soda tip.