This is one of those cozy breakfast casseroles moms have been making forever. It started out years ago as a bread strata, but over time it turned into this gluten-free version that honestly tastes just as good, maybe even better. It’s warm, cheesy, and full of simple ingredients you probably already have at home.
It’s perfect for weekends, holidays, or when you’ve got family staying over and want something easy you can just pull from the oven and serve. No stress, no fancy steps, just real homemade breakfast food.
Yield: 12 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45–50 minutes
Total time: about 1 hour
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 7 ounces)
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 12 ounces baby spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- 16 ounces cottage cheese
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
You will also need a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and a large skillet.
Instructions
First thing, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350°F. Take 1 tablespoon of butter and grease your baking dish so nothing sticks later.
Now grab a large skillet and melt about 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add your chopped onion and sliced mushrooms. Cook them for about 3 to 4 minutes, just until the onions look soft and the mushrooms shrink down a bit.
Next, add your garlic. Stir it around for about a minute. Don’t walk away here because garlic cooks fast.
Now start adding your spinach. It will look like a lot at first, but it wilts down quickly. Add it in handfuls and stir until it softens. Cover the pan and let it cook for about 5 minutes until everything is nice and wilted.
Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool a bit. If there is extra water in the pan, just drain it out. Then chop everything a little smaller so it mixes better later.
In a big mixing bowl, add your eggs and whisk them well. Then add cottage cheese, shredded cheddar, green onions, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together until it looks creamy and combined.
Now add your cooked spinach and mushroom mixture into the bowl. Stir everything together so it is evenly mixed.
Pour the mixture into your greased baking dish and smooth the top with a spoon or spatula.
Bake it for 45 to 50 minutes. You will know it is done when the top looks golden and the center is set, not jiggly.
Let it sit for about 10 minutes before cutting. This helps it hold together better when you slice it.
Make Ahead Tips
This is one of those recipes that works really well ahead of time.
You can fully mix everything the night before, cover it with foil, and keep it in the fridge. Then just bake it in the morning. If it goes in cold, it may need about 5 to 10 extra minutes in the oven.
Or you can bake it completely, store it in the fridge, and just reheat slices the next day at 325°F for about 30 to 35 minutes until warm and bubbly again.
Notes
If you want to change it up, you totally can. Add cooked turkey sausage if you want it more filling. Or switch up the cheese if that’s what you have in the fridge. Mozzarella makes it mild, pepper jack gives it a little kick.
And if you’re feeding kids or want grab-and-go breakfasts, you can even bake this in muffin tins instead. Same mix, just smaller portions.
Freezing Tips
If you want to be extra prepared, this casserole freezes really well. Just cut it into squares, wrap them up, and freeze. When you need a quick breakfast, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm it up in the microwave or oven.
It stays good in the freezer for about 3 months.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 242
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Carbs: 5g
Protein: 15g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 554mg
Cholesterol: 129mg
Calcium: 280mg
Iron: 1mg
These are just estimates and can change a bit depending on what brands you use.
This is one of those recipes that just feels like home. Simple, cheesy, and always gone fast.