Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole
Easy, healthy and oh-so-flavorful, this dairy free breakfast casserole is packed with fresh veggies, potatoes and tasty homemade sausage! Both make-ahead AND freezer-friendly, it’s a fantastic option for busy mornings, brunches or even dinner. Gluten free, grain free and soy free.
In the mood for a super versatile recipe?
Well then say hello to this oh-so-tasty dairy free breakfast casserole!
Packed with bell pepper, fresh spinach, red potatoes and dreamy homemade sausage, it’s just about impossible to resist.
And with fluffy eggs and a creamy texture, you won’t even miss the fact that it’s not loaded up with tons of cheese.
Plus, it’s perfect for just about any situation.
- Make it on the weekend for a quick breakfast or lunch during the week.
- Serve with a big ol’ salad for dinner.
- Bust it out for special occasions – I’m looking at you potlucks, brunches or even Christmas morning!
Any which way, you cannot go wrong.
How To Make
So, let’s quickly discuss how this dish goes down:
Brown the meat. First up, we’ll add ground pork + plenty of spices to a skillet and cook until no longer pink.
Saute veggies. Using the same skillet, we’ll then soften an onion, pepper and potatoes, before stirring in some spinach.
Whisk eggs. Meanwhile, we’ll beat together some eggs, almond milk and seasonings in a large bowl until combined.
Assemble and bake. Finally, we’ll layer everything in a greased baking dish and then pop in the oven to bake until set.
Substitutions
- You can absolutely use 1 pound of breakfast sausage instead of the pork / spice mixture. Just please be sure that it’s dairy free! (And gluten free if needed.) I personally have a hard time finding breakfast sausage locally that doesn’t contain dairy, which is why I make the DIY version with meat + spices.
- Not feeling pork? Ground turkey, beef or chicken will all work. If your meat is on the leaner side, you may need to add some oil to the pan to keep it from sticking. Just use your judgment.
- Sweet potato can be substituted for the red potato if desired. It does add a hint of sweetness to the dish. Normally I’m ALL about sweet potatoes but found I much preferred the red potatoes here. So take that as you will!
- Baby kale or baby arugula would be delicious in place of the spinach.
- Another non dairy milk will work just fine instead of the almond milk. I also tested this with canned light coconut milk and it was fantastic that way as well.
Tips & Tricks
- Remember that your veggies (and meat) should be fully cooked AND seasoned before baking in the oven as part of the casserole – they won’t cook further during that time. So taste and make sure they’re tender and salted to your liking.
- And lastly, this is REALLY good served with some hot sauce if you want a bit of a kick.
How To Store
Make Ahead Option: If you’re looking to prep in advance but still enjoy the casserole freshly baked, I’d suggest the following.
Cook the meat and veggie filling as directed then let cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge (it can all be mixed in one container).
When ready to enjoy, just assemble and bake as directed. It will only take a few minutes to get in the oven.
Fridge: Alternatively, you can make the casserole completely, let it cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
Freezer: It also freezes well. Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Allow to thaw in the fridge then reheat briefly or serve at room temperature. {Eggs can get rubbery if they are reheated for too long.}
Additional Dairy Free Breakfast Recipes:
- Dairy Free Frittata
- Dairy Free Egg Muffins
- Dairy Free Crustless Quiche
- Dairy Free Quiche
- Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls
- Dairy Free French Toast Casserole
- Dairy Free Banana Pancakes
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole
Easy, healthy and oh-so-flavorful, this dairy free breakfast casserole is packed with fresh veggies, potatoes and tasty homemade sausage! Both make-ahead AND freezer-friendly, it's also gluten free, grain free and soy free.
Ingredients
For the meat:
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
For the veggies:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups cubed red potatoes (½ inch chunks)
- generous pinch of fine sea salt
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken or veggie broth, plus extra as needed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (5 ounce) package fresh baby spinach leaves
For the egg base:
- 12 large eggs
- ⅓ cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
For the meat:
- Set a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat. When hot, add in the ground pork, sage, thyme, parsley, allspice, salt and pepper and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Transfer the meat with a slotted spoon to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
For the veggies:
- Set the same skillet back over medium heat (if there’s no grease in the pan, add in the olive oil). Add in the onion, bell pepper, potatoes and salt, then cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add in the broth, give it a good stir then re-cover and let cook for about 8 to 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender (adding in additional splashes of broth as needed if really sticking to the pan).
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Working in batches, add in the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from the heat.
- Taste and season with additional salt as needed (I usually add about ¼ to ½ teaspoon, depending on how big my pinch of salt was), then transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly over the meat.
For the egg base:
- In a medium-large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, nutritional yeast, dijon, salt and pepper until well combined and smooth.
- Pour evenly over the veggies / meat in the prepared baking dish. Use the back of a spoon to press down gently on the veggies / meat to make sure it’s all coated by some of the egg mixture.
- Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until set in the center. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 279Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 266mgSodium: 442mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 23g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
Just made this for brunch with the family and all the adults really liked it, including those who have no problem with dairy or gluten. The only changes I made were 1) eliminated the nutritional yeast because what I had on hand was over the hill 2)I used only a handful of spinach leaves and chopped them before adding 3) cooked the potatoes and veggies an additional 5 minutes with and added 2 Tbsp of broth to get the potatoes completely tender and 4) used a good poultry seasoning blend, about 2 tsp, in place of the individual sage, thyme and parsley, because I didn’t have dried sage or parsley leaves on hand. I think this could be good with some mushrooms added to the veggies mix, could be good with fresh tomato slices and avocado laid on top when still warm, and definitely want to try it with a tomatillo salsa that I can. Worked great for brunch, but I can envision it as a great on the go snack, an appetizer or at a tapas party. The fact that it can be frozen, can be prepped in advance, and can work as a finger food make it super versatile. Thank you so much for creating this recipe!!
I’m so happy to hear this Mimi! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
Has anyone tried to “half” this recipe?
Hey Sandy – I haven’t tried it myself (as it freezes really well!) but I think it should do just fine halved. I’d bake in an 8×8 inch pan.
Can you make this ahead and reheat?
Yes, absolutely! If you head to the “how to store” section in the post you can see all the different options (partial make ahead and fully made ahead / how to store in the fridge and freezer).
Made this for Christmas brunch for 5 adults, only one of whom has a lactose sensitivity. It was absolutely delicious and everyone loved it. It was tasty and healthy. Made everything the night before keeping the eggs and milk mixture separate. We whisked up the egg mixture in the morning, and let the casserole bake while opening presents. Used ground turkey instead of pork, and lactose-free milk instead of almond milk. A real hit, and looking forward to the next time.
I’m so happy to hear this Pat! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
This looks delicious. Any recommendations to substitute for the yeast (allergy)?
Thanks.
Thanks Ann! Since the nutritional yeast is just there to add a touch of cheesy flavor, you could definitely mix in some dairy free shredded cheese of choice. I’d probably use somewhere around 1/2 to 1 cup.
I had to make several substitutions when I had to whip this up as a last minute casserole: had no spinach or peppers in the house, so I added chopped broccoli florets to the veggies and used some finely chopped kale for the greens. This was really, really delicious! The spiced ground pork made it extra awesome. No one even “missed” the fact that it didn’t have our usual amount of cheese….love that it’s dairy and gluten free so we can now accomodate more people’s sensitivities. Definitely making this one again .
Oh I love this! So happy to hear you enjoyed it Summer – thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
Made this for company brunch, and our guests lived it…so did we! I substituted ground turkey for the pork because one guest doesn’t eat pork. It was absolutely fabulous. Will make again, for sure.
So happy to hear this Pauline! Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
Love all the wonderful spices you have used for the pork. This is so delicious and GREAT for any meal.
Thanks Angie!