An overnight egg casserole filled with bacon, asparagus, tomatoes, and hash browns. Assemble it the night before to save time and wow your guests the next morning. You can easily make this vegetarian by omitting the bacon. Originally published December 13, 2014.
Table of Contents
- You’re gonna love this Asparagus and Egg Casserole
- Gluten Free Egg Casserole ingredients
- Asparagus Egg Casserole variations
- How to make Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole with Asparagus and Egg
- Troubleshooting Asparagus and Egg Casserole
- What can you serve with a breakfast casserole?
- How to store overnight Asparagus Egg Bake
- Asparagus Breakfast Casserole FAQs
- Overnight Bacon Asparagus Egg Bake Recipe
Charlotte: “Mom, your phone is wet.”
Me: “WHAT! Why is my phone wet?”
Charlotte: “Oh, Truman dipped it in the toilet.”
Me: “He WHAT?”
Charlotte: “He just dipped it, Mom. It’s no big deal.”
Me: “Char, you need to put the lid down after you go.”
Eric, from the other room: “She was using it.”
Me: “WHAT?? Is my phone covered in pee??”
Charlotte, nonchalantly: “Yup.”
In other news, Eric ran a marathon last week. No big deal:
Photo credit: Sarah from Snixy Kitchen
He looks cheerful at the halfway point. If I had run 14 miles, my face would not be nearly so happy—major props to Eric for that effort.
My brother Nathan and Sarah’s husband Lucas ran the race too, and we all had brunch afterward. I served this casserole, and Nathan admitted he was surprised by how much he liked it: “When you described this to me I thought it sounded kind of weird, but this is amazing.” He left with half the leftovers.
Insult my food: -1. Praise my food: +1. Take leftovers: +1. Final score: +1. You’re safe, Nate.
You’re gonna love this Asparagus and Egg Casserole
This dish is a hybrid of two favorite savory breakfasts: asparagus, tomato, and goat cheese quiche, and a hashbrown-and-ham breakfast casserole. Combining elements from both produces a rich, flavorful bake that’s ideal for holiday mornings or a relaxed weekend brunch. It assembles quickly, can be refrigerated overnight, and bakes the next morning for an effortless, impressive meal.
Gluten Free Egg Casserole ingredients
Use this short shopping list to gather what you’ll need. Full measurements and directions are in the recipe card below.
- Frozen shredded hash browns (30 oz. package)
- Salted butter
- Bacon
- Asparagus
- Tomatoes
- Green onions
- Goat cheese
- Eggs
- Half and half
- Seasoned salt
- Cheddar cheese
Asparagus Egg Casserole variations
Customize this casserole to suit your tastes or dietary needs:
- Vegetarian? Leave out the bacon.
- Not a fan of asparagus? Substitute steamed broccoli or sautéed spinach.
- No shredded hash browns? Use a 30-oz package of cubed hash browns instead.
- Skip goat cheese? Try crumbled feta for a similar tang.
- Swap roasted red peppers for tomatoes for a sweeter, smoky element.
How to make Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole with Asparagus and Egg
Here’s a concise overview of the method. See the recipe card below for exact quantities and timing.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Spread thawed hash browns in the dish and pour melted butter over them.
- Bake at 400°F for about 25 minutes, until the edges brown. Remove and cool while you prepare fillings. Reduce oven to 350°F.
- Cook bacon until crispy and reserve 1 teaspoon of bacon fat.
- Trim and chop asparagus and sauté in the reserved bacon fat about 5 minutes until tender but not mushy.
- Chop tomatoes and green onions.
- Layer asparagus, tomatoes, green onions, crumbled bacon, and crumbled goat cheese over the potatoes.
- Whisk eggs with half and half, salt, seasoned salt, and pepper. Pour evenly over the layers.
- Sprinkle 2 cups shredded cheddar over the top. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours if assembling ahead.
- Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.
Troubleshooting Asparagus and Egg Casserole
How do you fix a dry breakfast casserole?
If a casserole dries out, a quick fix is to drizzle warm hollandaise or a creamy sauce over the slices just before serving. To avoid dryness, cover tightly and refrigerate or freeze and consume within 3–5 days.
Why is my egg casserole rubbery?
Rubbery texture usually comes from excess moisture released by raw vegetables or meats during baking. This recipe minimizes that issue by pre-cooking bacon and asparagus. If you substitute vegetables, sauté them first and use similar quantities to maintain the correct ratio of liquids to solids.
Why is my breakfast casserole soupy?
Common causes of a soupy casserole are too much liquid, using frozen (not thawed) potatoes, adding uncooked vegetables or meat, or insufficient baking time. This recipe uses thawed hash browns, cooked fillings, and tested baking times to prevent a soupy result.
What can you serve with a breakfast casserole?
Because a casserole is a complete meal, simply serving juice and coffee works well. If you’d like a fuller brunch spread, consider sweet or bready items: rolls, scones, cinnamon rolls, pull-apart buns, or coffee cake complement the savory bake nicely.
How to store overnight Asparagus Egg Bake
Keep the baked casserole refrigerated for 3–5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave. If assembling in advance, refrigerate for no more than 24 hours before baking to preserve texture. You can also freeze the assembled casserole or the baked dish; if frozen assembled, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Asparagus Breakfast Casserole FAQs
This casserole is a great gluten-free option. Other breakfast ideas include crustless quiches or frittatas, creamy scrambled eggs, egg muffins, overnight oats made with gluten-free oats, and smoothies. These options offer variety while staying free of gluten.
A strata is a type of breakfast casserole that specifically includes bread layered with eggs, dairy, and often cheese, meat, or vegetables. Breakfast casseroles more broadly can be based on potatoes, biscuits, or eggs and come in many forms.
A frittata is like a crustless quiche cooked in a skillet and sometimes finished in the oven; it’s egg- and vegetable-focused. Breakfast casseroles are always baked and can include a wide variety of bases and mix-ins, though eggs are commonly used.
More savory breakfast!
Asparagus, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Quiche
Easy Breakfast Casserole with Potatoes and Ham
Egg Benedict Casserole (Overnight)
Savory Parmesan French Toast with Hollandaise Sauce
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Overnight Bacon Asparagus Egg Bake
Ingredients
- 1 30-oz package shredded hash browns, frozen, thawed*
- 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
- 8 strips bacon, chopped
- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, fresh, chopped (about 4 Roma tomatoes)
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 8 ounces goat cheese, cold, crumbled
- 7 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Spread thawed hash browns in the dish and pour the melted butter evenly over the top.
- Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to brown at the edges. Remove and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer to paper towels and reserve 1 teaspoon of bacon grease in the pan.
- Trim woody ends from asparagus, chop into bite-size pieces, and sauté in the reserved bacon grease about 5 minutes until fork tender but still firm.
- Chop tomatoes and green onions.
- Layer the asparagus, tomatoes, green onions, and crumbled bacon over the potato base. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top.
- In a bowl, whisk eggs, half and half, salt, seasoned salt, and pepper for at least one minute.
- Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and sprinkle with 2 cups shredded cheddar. At this point you may cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, until cheese is browned and the center is set.
Notes
*If your hash browns are still partially frozen, microwave them briefly with the butter until mostly thawed, then spread in the pan and bake.
To halve the recipe, bake in an 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan using 3 eggs plus one yolk. Baking time will be slightly shorter.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 547 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 25 g | Fat: 39 g | Saturated Fat: 23 g | Cholesterol: 241 mg