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High Protein Amish Breakfast Casserole – Hearty, Simple, and Satisfying

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • Eggs (10–12 large)
  • Low-fat cottage cheese (1 cup)
  • Shredded cheddar (1 1/2 cups) or a cheddar–Monterey Jack mix
  • Breakfast sausage (1 pound) or thick-cut bacon
  • Frozen shredded hash browns (3–4 cups), thawed and patted dry
  • Onion (1 small), finely diced
  • Bell pepper (1), finely diced (optional)
  • Spinach (1–2 cups), chopped (optional)
  • Garlic (2 cloves), minced
  • Milk (1/2 cup), dairy or unsweetened dairy-free
  • Olive oil or butter (1 tablespoon)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Paprika or smoked paprika (1 teaspoon)
  • Fresh chives or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Cook the meat: In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks, 6–8 minutes. If using bacon, cook until crisp. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
  • Sauté the veggies: Add onion and bell pepper to the skillet with a little oil if needed. Cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Add spinach and wilt, 1 minute. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Prep the hash browns: Pat thawed hash browns dry with paper towels. Spread them in the greased dish. Drizzle with a little oil or dot with butter. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper, and paprika.
  • Layer the flavor: Scatter the cooked sausage (or bacon) and sautéed veggies evenly over the hash browns. Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheese over the top.
  • Whisk the eggs: In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cottage cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and paprika until smooth. The cottage cheese should break up but doesn’t need to be fully pureed.
  • Combine and bake: Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layers. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 40–50 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
  • Rest and serve: Let it rest 10 minutes so it slices cleanly. Garnish with chives or parsley. Serve warm.