Baked Cottage Cheese Egg Casserole

• 1 tbsp2 tbsp
  Garlic-Infused Olive Oilor 2 tbsp Olive Oil

  Olive Oilor 1 tbsp Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

  Swap Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

  Garlic-Infused Olive OilOlive Oil

  Tip

  Used to grease the baking dish. Carries garlic flavor without the fructans in raw garlic. Regular EVOO is registered as a swap.

  Source: Monash University: onion, garlic and infused oils

• 10 oz
  Chopped Frozen Spinachor 10 oz Fresh Spinach

  Fresh Spinachor 10 oz Chopped Frozen Spinach

  Swap Chopped Frozen Spinach

  Chopped Frozen SpinachFresh Spinach

  Tip

  Squeeze it dry before using, so the casserole does not weep.

• 1
  Red Bell Pepper

  Tip

  Dice into 1/4 inch pieces. For deeper sweetness, halve and broil 8-10 min until the skin chars, then peel and chop. Otherwise use straight raw for fresh crunch.

• 1 bunch
  Green Onion Tops

  Tip

  Slice the whole bunch thin, green tops only. The white bulbs are saved for stocks or skipped.

• 8 oz
  Turkey Sausageor 8 oz Italian Sausageor 8 oz Turkey Bacon

  Italian Sausageor 8 oz Turkey Sausageor 8 oz Turkey Bacon

  Turkey Baconor 8 oz Turkey Sausageor 8 oz Italian Sausage

  Swap Turkey Sausage

  Turkey SausageItalian SausageTurkey Bacon

  Tip

  Use chicken sausage if available. USDA lists turkey or chicken sausage as one food, so the nutrition shown is the same for either. Avoid sweet-apple or maple flavors here; the egg base is savory.

  Source: USDA FoodData Central: Turkey or chicken sausage (FDC 2706200, FNDDS)

• ½ cup
  Sun-Dried Tomatoes

  Tip

  Oil-packed for richness. Pat off excess oil. Read the label: avoid SKUs with seed oils; just tomato + salt + olive oil + maybe herbs.

• 12
  Egg

  Tip

  Whole eggs (not whites only). Yolks carry the choline, the custard fat, and vitamin D.

  Source: USDA FoodData Central: Egg, whole, raw, fresh (FDC 171287, SR Legacy)

• 2 cup
  4% Cottage Cheese

  • or 2 cup 2% Cottage Cheese
  • or 2 cup Cottage Cheese (Generic)
  • or 2 cup Lactose-Free Cottage Cheese

  Tip

  2% is the sweet spot for creamy texture + low weeping. Full-fat works (richer). Non-fat weeps; strain it 15 min in a fine-mesh first if that is all you have.

• 1 tsp
  Garlic Powder

  Tip

  Layers savory depth on top of the garlic-infused EVOO. Most cottage cheese egg bakes use it.

• Salt

  Tip

  Larger crystals dissolve cleanly into the custard. Half this if your cottage cheese SKU runs salty.

• Black Pepper

  Tip

  Freshly ground if possible; pre-ground loses aroma fast.

• ½ cup
  Sharp Cheddar Cheese

  Tip

  Block sharp cheddar, shred yourself. Pre-shredded has anticaking starch that turns grainy when melted.

• 1 tsp
  Dried Oregano

  Tip

  Mediterranean savory backbone. Crush between fingers before adding to wake up the oils.

• 4 oz
  Part-Skim Mozzarellaor 4 oz Mozzarella (Generic)or 4 oz Dairy-Free Mozzarella

  Mozzarella (Generic)or 4 oz Part-Skim Mozzarellaor 4 oz Dairy-Free Mozzarella

  Dairy-Free Mozzarellaor 4 oz Part-Skim Mozzarellaor 4 oz Mozzarella (Generic)

  Swap Part-Skim Mozzarella

  Part-Skim MozzarellaMozzarella (Generic)Dairy-Free Mozzarella

  Tip

  Half an 8 oz block of low-moisture part-skim mozzarella. Shred from the block yourself, pre-shredded has anticaking starch that fights clean melt. Folded inside the custard, not on top, so the feta keeps its crisp-on-top placement.

• 4 oz
  Feta Cheese

  Tip

  Block feta, crumble yourself. Pre-crumbled has anticaking starch that prevents the slight bake-crisp on top. 3 to 6 oz works; this recipe defaults to 4. Push higher for a more cheese-forward Mediterranean punch.

• Optional
• 1
  Lemon Zest

  Tip

  Microplane the zest of one whole lemon. Brightens the custard, plays against the feta tang or cuts through the cheddar richness.

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

   ~2m

2. Grease a 9x13 Pyrex with 1 T Garlic-Infused Olive Oil using a folded paper towel.

   ~1m

3. Grease a 9x13 Pyrex with 2 T Olive Oil using a folded paper towel.

   ~1m

4. Thaw 10 oz Spinach in the microwave.

   ~4m

5. Thaw 10 oz Fresh Spinach in the microwave.

   ~4m

6. Squeeze Spinach completely dry.

   ~2m

7. Squeeze Fresh Spinach completely dry.

   ~2m

8. Dice 1 Red Bell Pepper and slice 1 bunch Green Onion Tops thin. Use the green and dark-green tops of the green onion.

   ~3m

9. Brown 8 oz Turkey Sausage in a skillet over medium heat.

   ~8m

10. Brown 8 oz Italian Sausage in a skillet over medium heat.

    ~8m

11. Brown 8 oz Turkey Bacon in a skillet over medium heat.

    ~8m

12. Crack 12 Egg into a large bowl. Add 2 C Cottage Cheese, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1½ tsp Salt, and 1 tsp Black Pepper.

    ~2m

13. Dice 1 Red Bell Pepper.

    ~2m

14. Thinly slice 1 bunch Green Onion Tops. Use the green and dark-green tops of the green onion.

    ~2m

15. Finely chop ½ C Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

    ~2m

16. Crack 12 Egg into a large bowl. Add 2 C Cottage Cheese, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1½ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Black Pepper, and 1 tsp Dried Oregano.

    ~2m

17. Blend smooth with an immersion blender. Or transfer to a regular blender and blend smooth.

    ~1m

18. Fold the Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, and Turkey Sausage into the custard.

    ~2m

19. Fold the Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, and Italian Sausage into the custard.

    ~2m

20. Fold the Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, and Turkey Bacon into the custard.

    ~2m

21. Fold the Fresh Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, and Turkey Sausage into the custard.

    ~2m

22. Fold the Fresh Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, and Italian Sausage into the custard.

    ~2m

23. Fold the Fresh Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, and Turkey Bacon into the custard.

    ~2m

24. Fold the Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and 4 oz Mozzarella into the custard.

    ~2m

25. Fold the Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and 4 oz Mozzarella (Generic) into the custard.

    ~2m

26. Fold the Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and 4 oz Dairy-Free Mozzarella into the custard.

    ~2m

27. Fold the Fresh Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and 4 oz Mozzarella into the custard.

    ~2m

28. Fold the Fresh Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and 4 oz Mozzarella (Generic) into the custard.

    ~2m

29. Fold the Fresh Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and 4 oz Dairy-Free Mozzarella into the custard.

    ~2m

30. Pour evenly into the greased dish.

    ~1m

31. Bake on the top rack.

    ~25m

32. Sprinkle ½ C Cheddar Cheese evenly over the top.

    ~1m

33. Crumble 4 oz Feta Cheese evenly over the top.

    ~1m

34. Bake until internal temp reads 180F at the center or a toothpick comes out clean.

    ~25m

35. Broil until the top center is set.

    ~8m

36. Let rest.

    ~10m

37. Slice into 12 squares.

    ~2m