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This green chile egg casserole is a hearty, Mexican-inspired breakfast loaded with green chiles, eggs, cheese, and cottage cheese for an extra boost of protein. It only takes 15 minutes to prep, then the oven does the rest! Serve it for breakfast or dinner, add it to your holiday brunch menu, or make it ahead for easy meal-prep breakfasts throughout the week.
Eggs are part of my breakfast every morning. Starting my morning with a high-protein breakfast keeps me going until lunch and keeps me from feeling overly hungry the rest of the day. I love this green chile egg casserole because it’s effortless to make. You can be a beginner or advanced cook and you won’t find this recipe complicated.
The ingredients and flavors in this breakfast casserole are some of my favorites. Green chiles are the star of the casserole, they have a savory Mexican flavor without making it too spicy. It also uses cottage cheese, just like these cottage cheese egg bites and broccoli crustless quiche. Not only does it add extra protein, but gives the eggs a creamier consistency and extra cheesy flavor.
I love that it not only is great for breakfast, but any meal. I like to have it for dinner with black beans and rice. It’s one of my go-to egg recipes for meal prep because it keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I can reheat a slice and have a high-protein breakfast ready to go when I get back from my morning run.
Eggs – This egg casserole uses almost a dozen eggs, but you’ll be using just the egg whites for 2 of them. The egg whites lighten up the casserole and make it fluffier. Save the yolks and use them to make my chewy chocolate chip cookies!
Flour and baking powder – All-purpose flour gives the casserole structure and makes it easy to cut into slices. The baking powder gives it lift so it doesn’t completely deflate as it cools. If you prefer to make an egg casserole without flour, try this southwest breakfast casserole.
Spices – For extra Mexican flavor we’re using chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder. It adds a delicious savory, earthy flavor to the eggs. Be sure to use mild chili powder so it isn’t too spicy.
Cottage cheese – Cottage cheese adds both protein and a creamy cheesy flavor and consistency to the casserole. I recommend using low-fat or full-fat cottage cheese and one that has a thicker creamier consistency such as Good Culture.
Cheese – Monterey jack cheese and cheddar cheese are what I use, but you could replace with colby jack cheese or pepper jack. You could use a pre-shredded Mexican cheese blend, but I find that grating the cheese from the block melts better and tastes better.
Butter – A few tablespoons of melted butter give the eggs a richer flavor and help keep their texture soft instead of rubbery. You can omit the butter, but it will affect the flavor and texture.
Green chiles – I used canned green chiles, but you can use frozen or fresh fire roasted green chiles. If using frozen green chiles, defrost them and chop them up if they aren’t already. Mild or hot can be used depending on how spicy you like food.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Use room temperature ingredients. They will mix together better and the eggs will be fluffier when you whisk them.
- Add the flour mixture gradually in with the egg mixture. This will prevent any lumps of flour from forming.
- Don’t overbake the egg casserole. Overbaking will result in a dry rubbery texture. The casserole should fluffy and the middle should be set. I like to test it with a toothpick and see if it comes out clean.
- Make it gluten-free. Substitute all-purpose flour with an equal amount of 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Add meat. If you want to add meat to the breakfast casserole I recommend cooked bacon or breakfast sausage. It adds more protein and makes it extra hearty.
- Add veggies. Add chopped cooked vegetables such as onion, bell pepper, or corn.
- Toppings. If you love toppings, try sliced green onions, avocado slices, cilantro, salsa, green enchilada sauce, or a dollop of sour cream.
Can I Make Green Chile Egg Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can mix all of the ingredients together and pour them into the casserole dish then cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator overnight. You may need to add a few extra minutes of baking time since it will be cold.
You can also bake the casserole the day before you plan to serve it and reheat it in a 350° F. oven in the morning until it’s warm. Cover it with foil to prevent it from getting to brown and drying out.
Is the Cottage Cheese Texture Noticeable in Egg Casseroles?
No. The curd texture of the cottage cheese completely melts and disappears once the casserole bakes. Instead you’re left with a smooth cheesy consistency.
How to Store and Reheat Egg Casserole
Storage – Store the leftover green chile breakfast casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Let them defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat them in the microwave or oven.
Reheating – For a single serving, microwave the egg casserole for 30-60 seconds or until it’s warmed through. Loosely cover it with a damp paper towel to help prevent the eggs from drying out.
To reheat the entire casserole, preheat the oven to 350°F and cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. This is the best option when you’re warming multiple servings as it helps to retain moisture.
What to Serve With Green Chile Egg Casserole
Since this egg casserole with cottage cheese is full of protein, I like to make it a balanced meal and pair it with a carb and some fiber. If you’re serving it for breakfast try pairing it with these blueberry oatmeal muffins, peach quinoa muffins, or winter fruit salad.
If you serve it for dinner I like to have it with honey cornbread muffins and black bean and corn salad or cilantro lime rice and Mexican street corn salad.
Green Chile Egg Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 8 ounces mild diced green chiles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and egg whites until fluffy. Gradually add in the flour whisking continuously so lumps don't form. Whisk in the baking powder, spices, and salt.
- In a separate bowl combine the cottage cheese, melted butter, green chiles and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Stir together until combined and then pour in with the eggs.
- Stir everything together them pour it into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and then place it on the middle rack of the oven.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the middle is set and the edges are golden brown. If it starts getting too brown on top cover it loosely with a piece of foil. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Green Chile Recipes
If you love green chiles as much as I do, I think you’ll love these recipes!
