Here’s a weekend meal prep staple that will soon become your new breakfast (or lunch or dinner) go-to. This Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole is made with homemade breakfast sausage, is veggie-filled, and is a healthy, satisfying, reheat-and-eat meal. Not only is the recipe great for meal prep, it’s also a wonderful addition to a special holiday morning, such as an Easter brunch, Christmas morning, or Mother’s Day menu.
This recipe was created in partnership with our friends and farmers at the Minnesota Pork Board.
Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole Is Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo-Friendly, And Protein Rich
As a team of registered dietitians, we do our best to share healthy recipes that everyone and anyone can enjoy. Whether you have a food allergy or sensitivity, or specific dietary preference, we have a delicious recipe waiting for you. Though this healthy breakfast casserole recipe is made without dairy and gluten and is Whole30-friendly, it’s a flavorful egg bake that everyone will love.
Recipe Highlights
A simple recipe that’s meal prep-friendly, delicious, and healthy!
- Made with ground pork and eggs. Two budget-friendly foods that are also quality sources of protein, making this recipe satisfying and well-balanced
- Rich in important nutrients, including fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and antioxidants thanks to the sweet potato, bell pepper and spinach.
- Meal prep-friendly. This recipe is great for making ahead and enjoying the next day or in the days to come.
- Features a homemade breakfast sausage that’s made from real-food ingredients.
What Are The Ingredients In The Casserole?
This Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole is quick to make and made with all wholesome ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Avocado or olive oil
- Large sweet potato – may also substitute butternut squash, regular potatoes, or hash browns (no need to cook the frozen hash browns before adding)
- Ground pork – to make the homemade breakfast sausage. We recommend making the recipe as follows with our homemade breakfast sausage. You can also use your favorite store-bought breakfast sausage. Now, you could make it with turkey sausage but, we prefer pork sausage for this recipe. Much more flavorful!
- Sausage seasoning – garlic powder, Italian seasoning, fennel, ground sage, salt and black pepper, and cayenne.
- Red onion – may substitute yellow onion or green onion
- Red bell pepper – change up the veggies with what you have on hand. Other great options include zucchini, broccoli, and asparagus
- Spinach – or whatever greens you like or have on hand
- Large eggs – maybe also mix in egg whites if you wish
- Optional for serving – sliced avocado, hot sauce, and/or sliced green onion
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How To Make This Paleo Egg Casserole?
It takes just a few simple steps to make this recipe. Here’s what to do:
- Preheat oven and prepare the casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium or large skillet sauté the sweet potato. To speed up the cooking of the sweet potatoes, cover the pan with a lid. Eventually you’ll add the peppers and onion to the tender sweet potatoes and continue cooking. Once the peppers and onions are soft, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Then, stir in the sausage and remove the pan from heat.
- In another sauté pan on medium heat make the ground pork sausage.
- In a medium or large bowl, whisk eggs.
- Add the sweet potato and sausage mixture to the prepared baking dish. Then pour whisked egg mixture over the top. Make sure to submerge all of the ingredients so that they are covered with the eggs.
- Bake and enjoy. Serve with sliced avocado, hot sauce, and/or green onion if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
How to Serve Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole?
This egg casserole recipe is a well-balanced meal all in one. With the combination of sweet potato, eggs, pork sausage, and veggies, it contains an adequate source of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. While this breakfast casserole is great served on its own, if you’re looking to add something more to the meal we recommend serving it with a side of fresh fruit or a mixed green side. If you’d like, you can top it with a few slices of avocado or a drizzle of hot sauce.
How to Meal Prep This Recipe
This recipe is great for making ahead because it reheats well. Here are the simple steps to meal prep the recipe:
- Prepare the recipe, start to finish, as written.
- Allow the egg casserole to cool and then transfer to an airtight container.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for longer.
- When ready to enjoy, reheat the number of portions you need in a microwave safe container or on a plate for 1-1 ½ minutes. Longer if frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
You sure can! Any kind of cheese will make a great addition in this casserole include feta cheese (our favorite), mozzarella cheese, cheddar, colby jack, and even goat cheese.
Yes, you can! To do this, spray the insert of the slow cooker with cooking spray. Then add the sausage and veggie mixture. Pour the egg mixture over top. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the center is set.
A quiche is made of a mix of eggs and cream or milk almond milk for dairy-free) and poured into a pastry crust along with chopped or diced meats and an assortment of chopped or diced veggies. A breakfast casserole, also known as an egg bake, is similar to frittata because it is not baked in a pasty crust. Breakfast casseroles can range quite a bit. In general they contain eggs as well as a variety of ingredients like vegetables, cheese, and breakfast meats and are baked in a casserole dish.
Pork sausage is seasoned. Ground pork is unseasoned. Pork sausage is made from a combination of ground pork plus a blend of seasonings.
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Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
This veggie-filled, satisfying breakfast casserole is great for meal prep because it reheats well or can be enjoyed as part of a special occasion breakfast or brunch. It’s made with a homemade breakfast sausage using ground pork as well as sweet potatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and spinach.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons avocado or olive oil
- 1 sweet potato, cubed (~2 cups diced)
- ½ lb. ground pork (may sub pre-made breakfast sausage of choice*)
- ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon fennel, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- pinch of cayenne
- ½ small red onion, diced or thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- ½ red bell pepper, diced or thinly sliced (about 2/3 cup)
- 3 cups spinach leaves
- 8 large eggs
- Fine salt and pepper
- Avocado, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease a 9×9-inch square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or oil.
- In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add sweet potato. Dash with salt. Cover and let cook for about 10-12 minutes or until sweet potatoes are slightly tender. Stir occasionally.
- Meanwhile, in another sauté pan on medium-high heat add the ground pork and seasoning and cook until browned. Drain pork if needed.
- Add the peppers and onion to the tender sweet potatoes and continue sautéing for 3-4 minutes.
- Once peppers are soft and onions are translucent. Add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted, then stir in the cooked sausage and remove pan from heat.
- In a bowl, crack the eggs, add a dash of salt and pepper, and whisk.
- In the 9×9 baking dish, add the sweet potato and sausage mixture then pour whisked eggs over the top. Make sure to submerge all of the ingredients so that they are covered with the eggs. Bake in the oven for 20-24 minutes or until the center is set.
- Remove from the oven and let set for 5 minutes. Cut into 6-8 servings.
- Serve with sliced avocado, and/or drizzle of hot sauce if desired.
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Notes
*If you use a pre-made breakfast sausage of choice, omit the seasonings.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 209
- Fat: 14 g
- (Sat Fat: 10 g)
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Carbohydrate: 9 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 3 g)
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 267 mg
Dietary
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Avalon says
This is so good! I’ve recently discovered that I have a dairy allergy and this is the first breakfast that I haven’t missed the dairy! Served with avocado and tobasco
Stacie Hassing says
Perfect Avalon! Thank you for sharing this feedback. We appreciate the 5-star review!
Jen says
I used two pans as directed in the beginning. I don’t have a 9×9 pan so I just poured the eggs over the sausage veggie potato mix in my cast iron and put it in the oven. This came out great!
I made my own Italian seasoning because I was out of it. The homemade sausage has ruined me for store-bought sausage!
Thank you!
Stacie Hassing says
You are so welcome Jen! Thank you for the great feedback and 5-star review!
Heidi says
This is so delicious and easy to make! I had to omit the garlic, onion, and black pepper due to allergies. I’m obsessed with this! Even without the seasonings, it still has tons of flavor.
I never thought to make my own breakfast sausage. I can now enjoy allergy-friendly sausage. Thanks ladies!
Jessie Shafer says
We’re so glad you love this recipe, Heidi!
Dawn says
I’ve made this twice in the past two weeks. Definitely will be making it a couple times a month.
Jessie Shafer says
We’re so glad this has become a regular in your household. Thank you for the feedback and 5-star review, Dawn!
R Huffman says
This is delicious! I love all your recipes! I really appreciate all the veggies. My husband on the other hand is always suspicious about all the veggies. However, he always comes back later saying ‘that was good!’. Keep ’em comin’ please!
Becs says
Quick question: any sub suggestions for fennel? No one in my fam likes it but I don’t want it to be bland. Thanks!
Stacie Hassing says
You could simply leave it out, this will still be full of flavor! Enjoy.