# Baked Cottage Cheese Egg Casserole

> A high-protein breakfast bake anchored on cottage cheese and eggs, blended smooth for a custard interior with a cheese-topped golden crust. Two variants: Mediterranean (feta + sun-dried tomato) or Sausage & Cheddar.

Recipe page: https://goodguteats.com/recipes/cottage-cheese-egg-casserole/

- Makes: 12 servings, 1 slice each
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
- Versions: Mediterranean, Sausage & Cheddar

## Mediterranean

Total time: ~1h 32m.

### Nutrition

Per serving, estimated from the ingredients: 193 calories, 16 g protein, 7 g carbs, 12 g fat, 2 g fiber.

### Ingredients (for 12 servings)

- 1 tbsp Garlic-Infused Olive Oil
  - Swap: 2 tbsp Olive 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](https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/all-about-onion-garlic-and-infused-oils-on-the-low-fodmap-diet/)
- 10 oz Chopped Frozen Spinach
  - Swap: 10 oz Fresh 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.
- 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)](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171287/nutrients)
- 2 cup 4% Cottage Cheese
  - Swap: 2 cup 2% Cottage Cheese
  - Swap: 2 cup Cottage Cheese (Generic)
  - Swap: 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.
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  - Tip: Mediterranean savory backbone. Crush between fingers before adding to wake up the oils.
- 4 oz Part-Skim Mozzarella
  - Swap: 4 oz Mozzarella (Generic)
  - Swap: 4 oz 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. Thaw 10 oz Spinach in the microwave. (~4m)
4. Squeeze Spinach completely dry. (~2m)
5. Dice 1 Red Bell Pepper. (~2m)
6. Thinly slice 1 bunch Green Onion Tops. Use the green and dark-green tops of the green onion. (~2m)
7. Finely chop ½ C Sun-Dried Tomatoes. (~2m)
8. 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)
9. Blend smooth with an immersion blender. Or transfer to a regular blender and blend smooth. (~1m)
10. Fold the Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and 4 oz Mozzarella into the custard. (~2m)
11. Pour evenly into the greased dish. (~1m)
12. Bake on the top rack. (~25m)
13. Crumble 4 oz Feta Cheese evenly over the top. (~1m)
14. Bake until internal temp reads 180F at the center or a toothpick comes out clean. (~25m)
15. Broil until the top center is set. (~8m)
16. Let rest. (~10m)
17. Slice into 12 squares. (~2m)

## Sausage & Cheddar

Total time: ~1h 37m.

### Nutrition

Per serving, estimated from the ingredients: 188 calories, 16 g protein, 5 g carbs, 12 g fat, 1 g fiber.

### Ingredients (for 12 servings)

- 1 tbsp Garlic-Infused Olive Oil
  - Swap: 2 tbsp Olive 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](https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/all-about-onion-garlic-and-infused-oils-on-the-low-fodmap-diet/)
- 10 oz Chopped Frozen Spinach
  - Swap: 10 oz Fresh 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 Sausage
  - Swap: 8 oz Italian Sausage
  - Swap: 8 oz Turkey 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)](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2706200/nutrients)
- 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)](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171287/nutrients)
- 2 cup 4% Cottage Cheese
  - Swap: 2 cup 2% Cottage Cheese
  - Swap: 2 cup Cottage Cheese (Generic)
  - Swap: 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.

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. Thaw 10 oz Spinach in the microwave. (~4m)
4. Squeeze Spinach completely dry. (~2m)
5. 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)
6. Brown 8 oz Turkey Sausage in a skillet over medium heat. (~8m)
7. 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)
8. Blend smooth with an immersion blender. Or transfer to a regular blender and blend smooth. (~1m)
9. Fold the Spinach, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion Tops, and Turkey Sausage into the custard. (~2m)
10. Pour evenly into the greased dish. (~1m)
11. Bake on the top rack. (~25m)
12. Sprinkle ½ C Cheddar Cheese evenly over the top. (~1m)
13. Bake until internal temp reads 180F at the center or a toothpick comes out clean. (~25m)
14. Broil until the top center is set. (~8m)
15. Let rest. (~10m)
16. Slice into 12 squares. (~2m)

Recipes, not medical advice.