Do you like the idea of a hot, low-carb breakfast but don’t like getting up early to make it? I like casseroles like this chorizo egg breakfast casserole because they’re easy to make and throw in the oven. It’s also easy to reheat if the family doesn’t get up all at the same time or if you like to meal prep your breakfasts in advance. (I’ll be honest, meal prep is usually my number-one reason to get the casserole dish out.)
What I especially like about this chorizo breakfast casserole is that it’s not boring. It adds the zing of the chorizo spices to what you’d normally expect in an eggy breakfast casserole. That makes it a hit even with picky eaters who might normally roll their eyes at another casserole.
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What Is Chorizo, Anyway?
Chorizo is a type of spiced sausage that may have originated on the Iberian Peninsula, which is split between Spain and Portugal. (Portugal actually has a similar sausage called chouriço.) The Spanish version of chorizo is a cured sausage flavored with garlic and smoked paprika. It can be safely eaten raw.
Mexican chorizo is actually more common in North America and can be spicier than the Spanish variety. It’s typically found raw and uncured, so it should be cooked before eating. Chili peppers, vinegar, and assorted spices typically flavor Mexican chorizo.
Although Mexican chorizo is more common than Spanish chorizo in breakfast dishes like this one, I wouldn’t blame you one bit if that one joke in the Disney movie Coco was the first you’ve heard of it. Until recently, it hasn’t been as common as other sausage varieties, such as Italian sausage. Interest in chorizo has been growing due to interest in regional foods, though.
Equipment for Chorizo and Egg Breakfast Casserole
- Cooking Spray
- 13X9 Casserole Dish
- Frying Pan
- Plate
- Paper Towels
- Mixing Spoons
- Whisk
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Food Thermometer (highly recommended to make sure the eggs are done cooking)
Ingredients for Chorizo and Egg Breakfast Casserole
You may have most of these in your pantry or refrigerator already. It won’t surprise me if you have to run to the grocery store for a couple of things like the chorizo and heavy whipping cream, though. So be sure to print or save the recipe card below for easy reference.
- Vegetable Oil
- Small Yellow or White Onion
- Chorizo
- Eggs
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Garlic Powder
- Cheddar Cheese
- Fresh Spinach
About These Ingredients for Chorizo and Egg Breakfast Casserole
Curious about these ingredients? They probably sound pretty straightforward, but they each bring something unique to this casserole.
Vegetable Oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is mostly just used for cooking the onion and chorizo in before they’re added to the casserole mix.
Yellow or White Onion
1 small yellow or white onion, diced
I like to use a mild-flavored onion to balance the spice level in Mexican chorizo.
Chorizo
1 pound chorizo
Besides adding a common breakfast meat to this casserole, chorizo lets me skip most other seasonings when making this casserole. It’s so spicy that I’ll sometimes also have a good breakfast roll handy to help mop it up.
Eggs
12 eggs
When it comes to using up eggs, breakfast casserole is roughly on par with a good quiche or frittata. This is important if you have a neighbor with chickens who keeps giving you her excess eggs.
As importantly, most casseroles need a binder to keep from falling apart on your plate. The protein in eggs makes an excellent binder. Eggs also provide the egg flavor you associate with a good hot breakfast.
Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Like adding a little milk to your scrambled eggs, heavy whipping cream can help “fluff up” the eggs in this casserole.
Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Although chorizo adds most of the spice, I also like to add a little garlic flavor to the egg casserole to liven things up a bit.
Cheddar Cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
I’ll be honest, it’s hard for me to imagine an eggy breakfast casserole without cheddar cheese. It adds an additional cheesy flavor to the casserole that perfectly complements the eggs.
Fresh Spinach
1 cup fresh spinach
Ah, yes, the token vegetable, right? I kid, of course. The spinach adds a bit of color and helps balance the flavor of the chorizo and eggs.
Printable Chorizo and Egg Breakfast Casserole Recope Card
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 Small onion diced
- 1 lb Chorizo
- 12 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded, divided
- 1 cup Fresh Spinach chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13×9 pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a frying pan, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until translucent.
- Add chorizo and fry until cooked through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the chorizo-onion mixture to a plate lined with paper towels. Pat off the extra grease with additional paper towels.
- In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, heavy whipping cream and garlic powder. Whisk until well blended. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese and whisk to combine. Add spinach and chorizo mixture to eggs and stir well. Pour into prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is set.
Notes
Nutrition
Method for Making Chorizo Egg Casserole
Let’s jump right into making this casserole! It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to bake.
Step One: Preheat Oven and Prepare Casserole DIsh
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (190 degrees Celsius). Spray a 13×9 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Step Two: Cook Onion and Chorizo
Place vegetable oil in the bottom of a skillet. Add the diced onion and saute for about 5 minutes until translucent. Then add the chorizo, stir well, and cook until the chorizo is cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the chorizo-onion mixture to a plate lined with paper towels. Pat off the extra grease with additional paper towels.
Step Three: Mix Ingredients
Whisk together eggs, heavy whipping cream, and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. Then whisk 1 cup of the cheddar cheese into the egg mix. Add the spinach and chorizo mixture to the egg mixture and stir well.
Step Four: Add Chorizo Egg Casserole to Casserole Dish
Pour the egg and chorizo mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
Step Five: Bake Casserole
Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes until the center is set.
Safety note: The FDA recommends cooking casseroles containing eggs to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that the eggs are done. This helps kill any bacteria that might be lingering in the eggs. A food thermometer inserted into the center of the casserole can help you double-check that your breakfast casserole is done cooking.
Step Six: Allow to Cool, Then Slice
Let the casserole cool for a couple of minutes, and then slice it into about 15 slices. Serve warm.
Substitutes and Variations for Chorizo Egg Casserole
Already thinking of some ways to customize this breakfast casserole? I don’t blame you; it’s very customizable! Here are some of my favorite ways to customize it:
- Sauté Some Mushrooms! I like to slice some mushrooms and saute them in the same skillet as the chorizo. Then I mix them into the egg mixture with the chorizo.
- Add some green peppers. Sometimes when I want to add a bit of green besides spinach, I’ll also saute some diced green peppers.
- Use half-and-half when I don’t have heavy whipping cream.
- Try different types of cheese. Sometimes I like to try different types of cheese, such as American, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or Gouda. Any type of cheese that strikes a good balance between being too soft and not melting well when used as a casserole topper should work.
- Most types of pork sausage should work if you’re looking for an alternative to chorizo. Somebody tried hot sausage in her casserole, and that sounds good! I haven’t really tried turkey or chicken sausage in this recipe, but if you do, keep in mind that they are lower in fat than pork sausage. You may need to watch the turkey or chicken sausage a little more closely to make sure it doesn’t stick in the skillet.
- If you use a less spicy type of sausage, be sure to adjust the seasonings to your liking. When I couldn’t find chorizo, I added a few dashes of red pepper flakes to the mix, and it turned out about as spicy as I liked it.
FAQ for Chorizo Egg Breakfast Casserole
While making breakfast casseroles is usually pretty straightforward, we do get questions sometimes! I tried to answer some of the most frequently asked questions here. If you have a question I haven’t thought of yet, feel free to ask in the comments section, and I’ll do my best to answer!
Why does my casserole seem not quite done in the center?
If the eggs in the center of your casserole do not seem fully cooked in the center, your oven may be running a bit cool, or the casserole may not have baked long enough.
One easy way to check if your oven might be running cool: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (about 177 degrees Celsius). Place a spoonful of granulated sugar in an oven-safe dish and place the dish in the preheated oven. Set the timer for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, take the dish out of the oven. If the sugar is fully melted, the oven is correctly calibrated. If there are unmelted sugar crystals in the dish, the oven is running cool and may need to be calibrated.
Why is my casserole too watery?
This happens most often when one or more of the ingredients released too much water into the casserole while it was baking. Spinach is the most common culprit. If you rinsed the spinach off before adding it to the casserole, spread it on some towels and allow it to completely dry before adding it to the casserole.
Why is my casserole too greasy?
The chorizo probably still had too much grease on it when it was added to the egg mixture. Using the paper towels to remove excess grease can help.
My casserole turned out rubbery. What causes that?
It’s possible to swing too far the other way and overbake the casserole. It should only be baked until the center is set and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Then take it out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before slicing.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
I like to mix it the night before, put it in the casserole dish, and refrigerate it overnight. Then I’ll take it out of the oven and let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.
Can I freeze this breakfast casserole?
Individual slices of this casserole can be placed in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen. Then I’ll thaw slices in the refrigerator overnight when I want them for breakfast. I like to reheat them in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes for the best results. Don’t forget to remove the plastic wrap before reheating.
More Casserole Recipes
I‘ll admit that I’m particularly fond of casseroles when I want an easy meal that I can make ahead if I want to. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Praline Pecan French Toast Casserole
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Chili Mac Casserole
- Keto Breakfast Casserole with Ham and Eggs
- Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Keto Casserole
- Corn Pie Casserole
- Scalloped Corn Casserole
Did you try this recipe? Have a favorite variation? Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section, and don’t forget to rate this recipe!
