This sweet potato breakfast casserole earns its place in your weekly prep every time. It gives you a complete, balanced meal in one dish, with protein from the eggs and ground pork, fiber and complex carbs from the sweet potato, and vitamins and nutrients from the vegetables. It takes about 20 minutes of active work, bakes hands-off, and gives you a full week of breakfasts ready to go.
The homemade breakfast sausage is worth making from scratch. A simple blend of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, fennel, sage, and a pinch of cayenne turns plain ground pork into something that tastes far better than anything pre-seasoned from a package. This casserole works just as well for a relaxed weekend brunch as it does portioned into containers for the week ahead.
Nutrition
266 Calories | 14g Fat | 9g Carbohydrates | 24g Protein | 2g Fiber
Per Serving
Serves 8
Ingredients
Casserole:
- 1 1/2 tsp avocado or olive oil
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed (about 2 cups diced)
- 1/2 small red onion, diced or thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced or thinly sliced (about 2/3 cup)
- 3 cups spinach leaves
8 large eggs - Fine salt and black pepper, to taste
Homemade Breakfast Sausage:
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp crushed fennel
- 1/4 tsp ground sage
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne
Optional for Serving:
- Sliced avocado
- Hot sauce
- Sliced green onion
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil and set aside.
Cook the sweet potato. Heat the oil in a medium or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced sweet potato and a dash of salt. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender. - Brown the sausage. While the sweet potato cooks, add the ground pork and all sausage seasonings to a separate sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain any excess fat if needed, then set aside.
- Add the remaining vegetables. Once the sweet potato is tender, add the red onion and red bell pepper to the pan. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Stir in the cooked sausage and remove the pan from the heat.
- Whisk the eggs. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, add a dash of salt and pepper, and whisk until fully combined.
- Assemble and bake. Transfer the sweet potato and sausage mixture to the prepared baking dish. Pour the whisked eggs over the top, then press down gently so all ingredients are submerged. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the center is fully set.
- Rest and serve. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before cutting into 6 to 8 squares. Serve with sliced avocado, a drizzle of hot sauce, or sliced green onion if desired.
- Store. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or longer from frozen.
Pro-Tips
- Cover the sweet potato while it cooks. Keeping a lid on the pan traps steam, significantly speeding up cooking time. Without the lid, the sweet potato takes considerably longer to soften and can brown on the outside before the inside is tender. This one step keeps the prep moving efficiently.
- Drain the sausage if it releases excess fat. Depending on the fat content of your ground pork, some fat may pool in the pan after browning. Draining before adding it to the casserole dish keeps the egg mixture from becoming greasy and helps the casserole set cleanly.
- Press the ingredients down before baking. After pouring the whisked eggs over the top, use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently press everything down so it is submerged in the egg mixture. This ensures even cooking and helps the casserole hold together when sliced.
- Use the slow cooker if you prefer a hands-off option. Spray the insert with cooking spray, add the sausage and vegetable mixture, pour the eggs over the top, and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours until the center is set. This works well if you want to set it up before bed and have it ready in the morning.
- Swap the vegetables based on what you have. The sweet potato, bell pepper, onion, and spinach combination works well, but this casserole is very forgiving. Diced zucchini, broccoli florets, asparagus, or butternut squash are all solid options. Frozen hash browns can also replace fresh sweet potatoes and go in without any pre-cooking.
Taking control of your nutrition starts with practical skills. This recipe is more than just a meal; it’s a blueprint for using what you have to create something nourishing and delicious. By incorporating simple, sustainable habits like this into your routine, you can build lasting skills that support your goals and simplify your busy life.
