Sausage, Butternut Squash and Kale Breakfast Casserole
Sausage, Butternut Squash and Kale Breakfast Casserole is an easy sausage egg casserole that’s perfect for brunch and meal prep breakfasts!
How was your Thanksgiving? We had one of the best years ever, and things went so smoothly for me this year with food prep that I thought I was forgetting something.
I have no idea why things felt so easy this year because I prepped the same way that I do every year with the exception of the gravy — I made it ahead and froze it. It worked well and I’ll definitely share that here at some point.
I made my Perfect Spatchcock Turkey and it was probably the best turkey I’ve ever made to date. When I went to carve it, the leg and thigh pulled right off like it was a rotisserie chicken. It was so tender and juicy, and I’ll never make it the traditional way again.
Now that we’re in full Christmas mode, I wanted to share this Sausage, Butternut Squash and Kale Breakfast Casserole because you need this on your holiday brunch menu!
I appreciate sweet brunch recipes like muffins, overnight french toast and coffee cake, but savory dishes like this breakfast casserole are my favorite.
Don’t let the title fool you either — this Breakfast Casserole is the perfect meal any time of day.
I prepared this sausage, egg and cheese casserole without bread, so it’s a great low carb option. This way, you can save those carbs for the coffee cake and muffins. 🙂
How to make this recipe
This breakfast casserole is a crowd pleaser and is so easy to prepare.
I used Diestel turkey breakfast sausage for this recipe, which is packaged in a chub so the sausage has no casings to remove. The sausage has so much flavor that it isn’t necessary to add onion, garlic or spices, which means maximum flavor with fewer ingredients.
- Simply cook the sausage in a sauté pan until cooked through, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Add the butternut squash to the same pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and cook covered over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until tender. If the pan becomes dry, lower the heat slightly and add a few tablespoons of water to the pan.
- Add the kale to the pan with the butternut squash during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking time. Stir and cook until wilted.
- Pour the filling into an 8×8″ square baking pan coated with cooking spray or 9″ cast iron skillet coated lightly with melted butter or oil.
- Whisk the eggs with milk, half of the cheddar cheese and salt and pepper to taste until well combined, then pour over the filling. Top with the remaining cheese and bake!
How to make this breakfast casserole ahead
I normally prepare the filling the night before and assemble the casserole in the morning, but the entire dish may be assembled and stored in the refrigerator overnight as well. Simply bring to room temperature and bake it off in the morning.
You may also bake the entire casserole in advance and microwave when you’re ready to eat it. This breakfast casserole is a great meal prep breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Recipe notes
- I love the hearty texture of the dinosaur kale in this sausage and egg breakfast casserole, but if you’re not a fan, use baby kale, spinach or swiss chard instead.
- Save time by using frozen butternut squash in this recipe! Cook according to package instructions and drain well before adding to this dish.
- This dish may be customized using any of your favorite vegetables or leftover roasted veggies!
- Make this breakfast casserole vegetarian by omitting the sausage and dairy free by omitting the cheese.
More savory brunch recipes to enjoy:
- Bacon and egg cups
- Mini crustless broccoli quiche
- Ham frittata
- Broccoli Strata
- Savory Dutch baby by Bon Appetit
If you try this recipe I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and rating below, or tag me @flavorthemoments on Instagram!
Sausage, Butternut Squash and Kale Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. turkey breakfast sausage, such as Diestel brand or your favorite
- 1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 2-4 tablespoons water
- 2 cups chopped dinosaur kale
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease an 8×8″ baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up into small chunks with a wooden spoon until cooked through about 4-5 minutes. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Add the butternut squash to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons water to the skillet and cook covered over medium heat until tender, about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat if the pan becomes too hot and add more water if it becomes dry.
- Add the kale to the pan with the butternut squash about halfway through the cooking time in order to wilt slightly.
- Combine the sausage, butternut squash and kale and pour into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Beat the eggs with the milk in medium bowl, then stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the sausage vegetable mixture, then top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes, then slice, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is easily doubled to feed a crowd!
- Save time by using frozen butternut squash in this recipe! Cook according to package instructions and drain well before adding to this dish.
- This dish may be customized using any of your favorite vegetables or leftover roasted veggies! Â
- Make this breakfast casserole vegetarian by omitting the sausage and dairy free by omitting the cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
12 Comments on “Sausage, Butternut Squash and Kale Breakfast Casserole”
Would you cook longer if using fresh butternut not frozen? What would you do differently?
Thanks! Scrumptious!
Hi Leezee — the recipe instructions are for fresh butternut squash. Frozen is just a time saving option. Hope that helps!
Oh yayyy! I’m thrilled you had a great Thanksgiving, Marcie, and everything went so smoothly – that is the best, right?! We spent our Thanksgiving finally picking up the newest addition to our family – a puppy! She is only 7 weeks so, needless to say, our holiday weekend was anything but peacefully! Luckily she is cute, so it kind of makes the crazy worth it. Anyways, this breakfast casserole is seriously screaming my name!!!!! I literally love everything in here, and eggs are my ultimate go-to. I will be eating this for breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch! ON REPEAT! Pinned!! Cheers!!!
Oh how fun! Puppies are so much work but I agree that it’s so worth it — congratulations! I want to eat this at all times of the day too. Thanks so much Chey! 🙂
I couldn’t wait to check out this recipe Marcie. While I love a sweet breakfast, when it comes to brunch, I love a savoury dish. And I would most definitely eat this for any meal of the day. So glad you and your family had a great Thanksgiving!
Thank you Leanne! I prefer a savory breakfast with a side of sweet mostly. 🙂
Okay, so I’m so pumped that you noted Diestel sausage. Their turkey chorizo if you haven’t tried it already is A M A Z I N G!
I’m happy to have found another Diestel turkey lover…it’s the only turkey I buy. I have tried the turkey chorizo and I totally agree with you –it’s amazing!
This does look like the perfect prep ahead casserole for brunch! I’m having family come visit this year so I’ll definitely have to whip up something similar. Glad you had an easy Turkey Day! 🙂
Thanks so much Sarah! 🙂
Could you use acorn squash instead?
Any type of roasted squash would work great!