No-Fuss Breakfast Bake: Make-Ahead Egg and Spinach Casserole

A breakfast bake earns its name when you can put it together without thinking hard. This one uses four whole eggs and four egg whites, 1 1/2 cups of whole milk, and 4 cups of day-old bread cubes. The spinach and onion get cooked first, so nothing watery ends up in the dish.

You can build it the night before and leave it covered in the fridge. In the morning the oven does the rest at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes. It serves six, which makes it a sensible choice for a table of people who wake up at different times.

The one thing to watch is the center. Eggs go from barely set to rubbery fast, so pull the pan when a gentle shake still gives you a small wobble and no more.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Grease the dish and add bread

Coat a 9×9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Scatter the bread cubes across the bottom in a single layer.

2. Cook the onion and garlic

Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and garlic and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft and starting to color.

3. Wilt the spinach

Add the spinach in two or three batches, tossing each one until it collapses, about 1 to 2 minutes per batch.

4. Season and cool

Stir in the lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper, cook 30 seconds more, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool a little.

5. Heat the oven

Set the oven to 350°F (180°C).

6. Whisk the custard

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, milk and mustard until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.

7. Combine everything

Stir the cooled spinach mixture and the chives into the eggs. Pour it all over the bread in the baking dish and press gently so the cubes are coated and the top sits even. Scatter the last 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the surface.

8. Bake until just set

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. It is ready when the eggs are just set and the middle barely moves if you shake the pan.

9. Rest and serve

Serve it warm or at room temperature. Either is fine, and it holds up well on a buffet.

Variations

• Add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet with the spinach, as long as you cook off their liquid.
• Swap the Parmesan for sharp cheddar if you want a stronger, melting cheese.
• Cook a little crumbled sausage or bacon first and use its fat in place of some of the olive oil, then scatter the meat over the top before baking.

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No-Fuss Breakfast Bake: Make-Ahead Egg and Spinach Casserole

A hearty make-ahead breakfast bake with eggs, whole wheat bread, spinach, onion and Parmesan. Assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning.

20 minPrep time40 minCook time70 minTotal6Servings

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• 4 cups whole wheat bread (day-old, can use multigrain, or rye bread, cut into 1-inch (2 cm) cubes)
• 1 yellow onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 6 cups fresh spinach (stems removed)
• ½ lemon lemon zest
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• fine sea salt (to taste)
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• 4 eggs
• 4 egg whites
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons whole grain mustard
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus 2 tbsp, divided)
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives (finely chopped)

Instructions

1. 1Grease the dish and add bread — Coat a 9×9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Scatter the bread cubes across the bottom in a single layer.
2. 2Cook the onion and garlic — Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and garlic and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft and starting to color.
3. 3Wilt the spinach — Add the spinach in two or three batches, tossing each one until it collapses, about 1 to 2 minutes per batch.
4. 4Season and cool — Stir in the lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper, cook 30 seconds more, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool a little.
5. 5Heat the oven — Set the oven to 350°F (180°C).
6. 6Whisk the custard — In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, milk and mustard until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
7. 7Combine everything — Stir the cooled spinach mixture and the chives into the eggs. Pour it all over the bread in the baking dish and press gently so the cubes are coated and the top sits even. Scatter the last 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the surface.
8. 8Bake until just set — Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. It is ready when the eggs are just set and the middle barely moves if you shake the pan.
9. 9Rest and serve — Serve it warm or at room temperature. Either is fine, and it holds up well on a buffet.

Cook's note: The bake is done when the center barely wobbles, not when the timer rings. Check it at 35 minutes and trust what you see.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American

Course: Breakfast

RecipesCooker20 minutes40 minutes70 minutes