This delicious keto breakfast casserole features sausage, egg, and cheese, and an extra boost of nutrition with shredded zucchini. Make it ahead for brunch or an easy grab-and-go breakfast. It’s even wonderful for dinner!
Everyone loves a good breakfast casserole. I mean, what’s not to love? Sausage, eggs, and cheese all mixed together and baked into an easy one-pan meal. It’s perfect for brunches, holidays, and family get-togethers.
But many of these concoctions aren’t exactly keto-friendly. They often contain hashbrowns, bread, or canned biscuits to give them more structure. While they might be easy, they aren’t always the healthiest option.
I created this Keto Breakfast Casserole many years ago as an easy make-ahead brunch. It became an instant hit for my family, and has graced our table countless times. It’s a delicious, savory dish that really satisfies.
If you need more savory breakfast ideas, try my Keto Breakfast Pizza or the Denver Omelet Muffins too.
Why you will love this recipe
Instead of the starchy bread or potatoes, this keto breakfast casserole takes shredded zucchini and coconut flour. The zucchini adds moisture and nutrition, and the flour adds structure and fiber.
And it’s ridiculously easy to make! Unlike many keto zucchini recipes, you don’t need to salt and drain the squash. Just grate it and add it right into the batter.
The flavors come together so beautifully. I like to use sausage that has a little heat, like hot Italian. But milder breakfast sausage works nicely as well, and you can add a little red pepper flakes if you’re feeling zesty!
And this casserole is an ideal make-ahead breakfast. It heats up beautifully, so you can make it one day and feast on it all week. Or you can freeze the whole lot and re-warm it when you need it.
Ingredients you need
- Bulk sausage: Although breakfast sausage might seem more appropriate for a keto breakfast casserole, I prefer hot Italian sausage. I think the flavor comes through a little better. You can also use chicken sausage if you prefer. If you can only find link sausage, simply remove the casings before cooking.
- Eggs: It wouldn’t be a breakfast casserole without plenty of eggs!
- Heavy cream: The cream adds richness and flavor, and it makes the casserole puff up a little more.
- Garlic: Some fresh minced garlic adds great flavor.
- Zucchini: Unlike many recipes, you don’t need to salt or drain the zucchini. Just stir it right into the mix!
- Coconut flour: This gives the keto breakfast casserole structure and makes it more filling.
- Cheddar cheese: I love to use sharp cheddar here, for extra flavor. But you can use any cheese you like, including mozzarella or pepper jack.
- Pantry staples: Baking powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes.
Step by Step Instructions
1. Brown the sausage: Add the sausage to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until no longer pink.
2. Prepare the batter: In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, garlic, and shredded zucchini. Stir in the coconut flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined, then stir in the sausage.
3. Sprinkle with cheese: Spread the batter in a 9×13 inch glass or ceramic baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheese.
4. Bake until golden: Bake the keto breakfast casserole until the cheese is melted, the top is golden brown, and the center is cooked through. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips and FAQ
Bakeware: Use a glass or ceramic casserole dish for this recipe and make sure to grease it well so that you can get the slices out nicely.
Flour options: If you prefer to use almond flour, you will need 1 ½ cups to replace the coconut flour.
Dairy-Free option: Use coconut milk in place of the cream and either skip the cheesy topping or use some dairy-free cheese shreds.
Freezing and re-heating: Keep the keto breakfast casserole in the baking dish and wrap it up tightly to avoid freezer burn. Then let it thaw completely before warming in a 300ºF oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
This keto breakfast casserole has 6.8g of carbs and 2.8g of dietary fiber per serving. Which means it has a net carb count of 4g for each hearty serving.
Keto Breakfast Casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months, as long as it’s tightly wrapped up.
Look for the top to be golden brown and firm to the touch. If you insert a toothpick or skewer in the center of the casserole, it should come out clean or with small crumbs attached.
More popular keto zucchini recipes
- We make batches of Zucchini Lasagna in the summer and freeze them for the colder months.
- Cheesy Zucchini Casserole is a wonderful and easy summer side dish.
- Want a sweet zucchini dessert? Look no further than Keto Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies!
- You simply can’t beat the smell of Keto Zucchini Bread baking in the oven. The flavor is out of this world, too.
Want more EASY KETO BREAKFASTS? Check out my cookbook! Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers
Keto Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb bulk Italian sausage or breakfast sausage
- 10 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb zucchini coarsely grated
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9×13 inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the sausage until browned and cooked through, breaking up any clumps with the back of a wooden spoon.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and garlic. Stir in the shredded zucchini (no need to drain it!).
- Add the coconut flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir until well combined and there are no lumps from the flour. Stir in the sausage.
- Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan and sprinkle the top with the cheese. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. A tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Remove and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Kathy Cooke says
This is very good, and the coconut flour and cheese give you crispy tops and edges. Quick to throw together. I made my own breakfast sausage from a keto recipe, which was delicious, and used that instead of Jimmy Dean or whatever else people use. Great straight out of the oven. Even better out of the toaster oven the next morning after the flavors have truly melded.
Lauren says
Made this a few days ago and eating for breakfast as I type this. Very good and flavorful. I added a Ppinch of cracked red pepper in place of hot sausage. I may reduce the flour by a little bit next time. But overall flavor and texture is great.
Christine T. says
I haven’t tried this yet, but it will be a great recipe to try once my zucchini are ready to harvest. 🙂
Wendy Elman says
Fantastic casserole! I made it for Mother’s Day brunch and everyone wanted the recipe.
Enki says
Can I replace the coconut flour with almond flour?
Carolyn says
Yes but you will need triple the amount.
Joan Ferrato says
Hi Carolyn,
I didn’t make this yet because I would like to know if I could use carton egg whites?
Thanks
Nel says
If I plan to make this casserole in an 8×8 pan, would you think I could halve all the ingredients?
Carolyn says
Yes. For future reference, it’s easy to figure out. 8×8=64 and 9×13=117. 64 square inches is a little more than half of 117.
Tonya says
I was honestly worried about trying this recipe, BUT…. it was a huge hit with the whole family! I’m glad I gave it a shot.
Julie Cox says
I find Carolyn’s recipes and advice full of good content and a reliable resource for eating and staying in the keto lifestyle for life.
Gail B says
I followed the directions exactly but it came out a bit dry. Can it be the brand of coconut flour (Organic Better Body Foods) I used or can I add more moisture somehow? I really want to try this again. It looks great, like your picture but lacking a little flavor and moisture. Help please! Thank you! Grateful to have found your blog. I’m still learning to cook this way. Blessings! Gail
Carolyn says
If it came out dry, it likely got over-baked. Brands of coconut flour can make a difference but this has so many eggs and so much liquid, I can’t think that the brand would be the problem. Did you bake it in a metal pan, by chance?
Flavor is easy to add… both before and after! You could top it with cheese or what have you now to help offset the dryness.
Next time, try taking it out a bit earlier. Or use only 1/3 cup coconut flour. Hope that helps!
Kevin says
Made this and was great. Cut it up for multiple breakfasts. I added some sauteed mushrooms because I needed to use them. Next time I will use a little less garlic and maybe sweat the cucumbers to remove some moisture. Other than that I now have 9 simple breakfasts.