Egg casseroles are a well loved hearty breakfast, but not everyone can have them (or wants them). If you’re avoiding eggs due to food allergies, or you’re tired of the same old egg casserole, these recipes and ideas are for you.
Eggs serve many purposes in a traditional egg casserole, however, the function we’ll need to account for the most when going egg free is the binding. If you plop a bunch of mixed up ingredients into a casserole dish without some kind of binding agent, it’s not really a casserole. It’s more like, a very full sheet pan meal (it can still be super delicious though).
First, let’s take a look at how you can create your own casserole, then we’ll take a look at recipes for you to try. Each of the recipes is egg free, allergy friendly, and great for those with an egg allergy.
Base Ingredient Ideas for Egg Free Casseroles
To create a delicious egg free casserole, the first step is to select a base. This is your first of many basic ingredients that will come together to make your delicious and filling breakfast recipe. The base should be something that you can have a lot of, and is usually a carbohydrate. For example, onion wouldn’t be a great casserole base. Potatoes on the other hand make for an excellent base. Chickpeas, refried beans, and other creamy beans can work as well.
- Chick Peas (mashed)
- Hash Browns (homemade would give you better results)
- Mashed Potatoes (firm, seasoned only with salt)
- Refried Beans
- Shredded Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes (shredded)
- Tater Tots (sometimes smashed)
- White Beans such as Cannellini Beans or Navy Beans (mashed)
If you plan to use beans as the base, consider boiling them (with the lid on) for 10 – 20 minutes to soften them first. This will make the mashing process much easier, and the final texture will be very enjoyable.
I’ll also add, the JUST egg substitute is quickly becoming a popular base for egg free breakfast casseroles. Be sure to read over their ingredients, as it does contain major allergens, and may not be safe for those with Celiac Disease.
What to Mix Into Your Egg Free Casserole
What you add to your casserole will depend on the overall flavour profile you’re going for. Traditionally, these are some types of ingredients you’ll see people add to their egg mixture:
- Red Bell Pepper (small diced, and other colours work as well)
- Cooked Sausage Links (you could use vegan sausage if you have one you like)
- Cheese/Dairy-Free Cheese
- Ground Turkey Sausage (could also be made with other white meats or red meats)
- Veggie Mixture (can be small frozen vegetables such as peas or small diced fresh vegetables)
- Small Bread Cubes
Creating Variety in Your Breakfast Casseroles
Once you’ve made a few egg free breakfast casseroles, I encourage you to branch out. You can create variety by changing up what you mix in. A great way to do this is to start with small swaps. For example, if you normally use sharp cheddar cheese, use a smoked gouda cheese instead.
Another easy thing is to add fresh herbs to the top of your casserole before baking. If you’re a fan of spicy food, try mixing in hot sauce the next time you make an egg free breakfast casserole.
For those who plan to make an egg free breakfast casserole with meat, change that up each time. One week you could use a traditional breakfast sausage and the next week you can swap that with chorizo. If you have a sweet tooth and want a sweet breakfast, use a homemade meat blend that includes maple sugar.
Flavour Profile Ideas for all of the Entire Family
Creating an easy breakfast recipe that all of your family members will enjoy may feel like a challenge. Here are some ideas you can try out to see if everyone will enjoy your hearty dish.
Easy Taco Breakfast Casserole
Start with a base of shredded potatoes or tater tots. Season generously with taco seasoning. In a pan, cook down sliced onion and a ground meat of your choosing. Season well with taco seasoning and salt. Use a very generous amount of cheese as your binding agent. Mix the potatoes, meat, and cheese together in a large bowl. Transfer to your baking dish and bake in the oven until done. Top with dairy free sour cream and sliced green onion before serving.
Delicious Curry Flavoured Breakfast Casserole
For this, start with shredded Japanese Yam. It has a creamy taste and fantastic texture. Season your shreds with curry powder, and a touch of maple syrup. In a large skillet, cook a protein of your choosing. It can be meat or plant-based. Season with curry powder and be sure to add coconut milk. Combine the potato shreds with the meat and press it into a baking dish. Bake until golden brown and done. For an extra pop of flavour, open a can of full fat coconut milk. Whip the fat with maple and curry and top.
Meat Lovers Egg Free Breakfast Casserole
For this, I want you to think. pizza, but without the dough. Start with tater tots and season them with Italian Seasoning. Place them into your baking dish, and bake until they’re about half way done. Whilst that bakes, cook all of your meats. It’s up to you how many types you use. Personally, I’d use bacon, ground pork, and turkey pepperoni.
In a large bowl, combine the meats with a copious amount of cheese. Pull the tots out of the oven and add a layer of pizza sauce. Add the meat/cheese mix, then top with more tater tots. When the top layer of tots are done, your casserole is ready.
If You Plan to Eat Your Egg-Free Breakfast Casserole Cold
Here’s a setting agent hack: use cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup. When I make this at home (dairy free), it sets SOLID. You could mix your ingredients into a soup base, bake it in your casserole dish, fridge it, then have a totally set and absolutely delicious casserole the next day. You can think of this as a delicious overnight breakfast casserole.
Be sure to use mic in ingredients that taste great when cold, as not all ingredients live up to this standard.
Great Egg Free Breakfast Casseroles From Around the Internet
- Mashed Potato-Based Egg Free Breakfast Casserole on RAISE
- Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole by Safely Delish
- Hashbrown Casserole (a gluten-free breakfast casserole) by Mommy’s Home Cooking
- Egg Free Breakfast Casserole by Allergy Awesomeness (a great dairy-free breakfast casserole recipe)
- Easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole by Bowl Me Over (this one is dairy heavy)
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole by Easy Good Ideas
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 Photo Credit: Allergy Awesomeness Egg Free Breakfast Casserole |
 Photo Credit: Bowl Me Over Egg Free Breakfast Casserole |
 Photo Credit: Easy Good Ideas Egg Free Breakfast Casserole |
 Photo Credit: Mommy’s Home Cooking Egg Free Breakfast Casserole |
 Photo Credit: Safely Delish Egg Free Breakfast Casserole |
Answering Your Egg Free Breakfast Casserole Questions
What’s a good egg free casserole I could serve on Christmas morning?
Many people have a warm place in their heart for the special breakfast they eat each Christmas growing up. For a holiday breakfast that features an egg free casserole, I would consider a sweet potato based dish. This will allow you to bring in complimenting holiday flavours such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
I’d use shredded sweet potato as the base, diced onion, and candied bacon as my main mix-ins. I’d top this casserole with an unsweetened whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon and maple sugar.
Is it possible to make a vegetarian breakfast casserole? A lot of the egg free casseroles call for meat.
Yes, you can. You have a couple of choices. First, if you have a vegan sausage you enjoy. Just use that in place of the sausage that’s called for. Second, you could use something like banana flower, shredded jackfruit, or seared trumpet mushroom stems as a veg-based meaty alternative. Third, you could purchase commercial vegan ground meat alternatives and use that in place of the meat that’s called for.
Do I need to use a cooking spray in the baking dish when making an egg free casserole?
Usually, no, you won’t need to use a cooking spray. Personally, I don’t use cooking sprays for any of the recipes I develop and food comes out of the baking dishes easily. If you’re following a recipe that specifically calls for a spray, you can always reach out to the developer to find out if it’s necessary, or if you can use an alternative such as parchment paper.
A recipe I’m following calls for cheese. Can I use vegan cheese in its place?
Usually, yes. However, in the case of an egg free breakfast casserole, you need to determine what the role of the cheese is. If it’s there for flavour, you can totally swap the cheese for your fave vegan cheese.
If the cheese is more of a binding agent or glue, you’ll need to make a wise choice. Not all vegan and dairy-free cheese options behave the same. I can think of several that wouldn’t work well as a binding agent in a casserole. You know your dairy free cheese best, and will know if the cheese will be able to create a bind if needed.
I’m dairy free and the recipe I’d like to make calls for heavy cream. Is there an easy dairy free substitute?
No, there isn’t a 1:1 easy substitute for heavy cream that uses dairy-free milk. However, I’ve written this article on how to make and use dairy free substitutes. One of the sections in that article is all about replacing heavy cream. Start there and see if that will work for your recipe.
If the recipe requires whipping the heavy cream into something that will be folded in, you’ll need to consider using aquafaba instead. It’s not the same as heavy cream, but can help provide a light and airy result. It doesn’t work in all scenarios, so make sure you assess the recipe well, and reach out to the recipe developer if needed.