Brighten Up Your Breakfast By Making A Spring Veggie Egg Bake

Sort of like a quiche though most similar to a casserole, an egg bake is the type of dish that's meant to both serve and satisfy a crowd. Recipe developer Kate Shungu's egg bake recipe has a distinctly springtime flair, with spinach, asparagus, and spring onions packing in plenty of flavor and green goodness. "I love how easy this egg bake is — just stir everything together and bake," Shungu says. She also highlights the fact that you can prepare the entire egg bake the night before you plan to eat, refrigerate it, and then simply bake it in the morning for a truly hassle-free brunch option that makes it perfect for a special brunch or a big family breakfast.

Another notable thing about this spring veggie egg bake is that it's loaded with protein, thanks both to the eggs themselves, and also to the addition of protein-rich cottage cheese in the mix. Despite being so nutritious, packed with both protein and vegetables, this egg bake also manages to taste pretty darn good, with cheeses like Gruyère and mozzarella adding a savory and salty depth to complement the vibrant green veggies. Overall, Shungu describes this dish as "light and tender, and perfect for spring brunches," and something tells us that your brunch guests will agree with that sentiment too.

Eggs, as expected, make up the bulk of this dish, so you'll need 10 of those in total. To round out the bake, you'll also need cottage cheese, shredded Gruyère and mozzarella cheeses, salt, baking powder, melted butter, flour, chopped baby spinach, sliced spring onion (or green onion), and asparagus.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Grease a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until beaten.

Stir in the cottage cheese, Gruyère, and mozzarella.

Stir in the salt, baking powder, melted butter, and flour.

Stir in the baby spinach and spring onions.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and lay the asparagus spears on top.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 F, then bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the egg bake no longer jiggles in the center.

Cut into squares to serve.

The beauty of an egg bake, or any type of casserole, is that you can customize it to your heart's content. When considering a specifically spring-inspired bake, however, you'll want to make sure that there are plenty of spring veggies at play. Asparagus is a popular and foolproof choice, so we recommend that you keep that in the mix. However, you can always add more veggies, like baby artichokes or peas, to play up the springy aspect of the dish. 

You can customize this dish for any season of the year. Take a more summery approach by incorporating halved grape tomatoes and basil for a warm-weather egg bake, or brighten up the cold winter months with a broccoli and leek-infused bake. Another option yet is to take a fall-themed approach by adding butternut squash and autumnal herbs like sage or rosemary to your bake — the seasonal opportunities are truly endless.

Finally, there are a couple of different cheeses at play in this bake, Gruyère and mozzarella, which can easily be swapped out for something you prefer or something you simply have on hand. Shungu suggests other mild options like cheddar, provolone, Colby Jack, or pepper Jack, though you could add a more tangy flair by way of goat cheese or feta.

There's something about an egg-based casserole that's so well-suited for brunchtime serving, and this spring veggie egg bake is no exception. Considering that the dish yields nine servings, it makes sense that you'd serve it to a group of friends (or a large family) for brunch. Another nice thing about this egg bake is that it's pretty crowd-pleasingly neutral, so the savory and fresh flavors that it offers up will pair well with an assortment of brunch pairings, both savory and sweet.

"Serve the egg bake with bacon or sausage, plus a sweet component like french toast casserole, muffins, pancakes, waffles, or these mini baked apple fritters," Shungu recommends. You could also go with something like overnight yeasted pancakes to make your life a little easier in the morning. Or add a boozy element to the mix by way of Irish coffee, or with the queen of brunch drinks, the Bloody Mary.

If you want to make this in advance or if your big brunch feast isn't enough to clear away every slice of this egg bake, you can always reheat leftovers, but be sure to do so slowly in the oven. Shungu calls for reheating slices in a 325 F oven for about 7 to 9 minutes, and she warns against microwaving as that method might ruin the texture.