Did you know? Mexican-Style Breakfast Casserole shows up in searches 40% more during holiday mornings, making it a top choice for crowd-pleasing brunches. Mexican-Style Breakfast Casserole is bold, simple to scale, and perfect for social traffic from Facebook and Pinterest. This guide is tighter than a typical recipe post, with chef tips, troubleshooting, and smart swaps to save time and calories. In this guide, you’ll learn how to make, store, and adapt this casserole for common diets and busy mornings.
What Is Mexican-Style Breakfast Casserole?
Mexican-Style Breakfast Casserole layers potatoes or hash browns, eggs, cheese, and flavored proteins or vegetables, baked until set. It borrows taco seasoning, chiles, and Mexican-style cheese for bright, savory flavor.
This dish is versatile, feed-for-a-crowd friendly, and ideal for meal prep. Nutrition varies by ingredients, but a standard serving often provides a balanced mix of protein and carbs, with 300 to 500 kcal per serving depending on cheese and meat choices.
Quote: “Quick Facts about Mexican-Style Breakfast Casserole”
- Servings: 8 people
- Typical calories: 300 to 500 kcal per serving
- Protein: 15 to 30 g per serving, depending on meat
- Cook time: 45 to 60 minutes baking, plus 10 minutes prep
Nutrition reference, see USDA guidance for ingredient-specific data.
Mexican-Style Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 400 g hash browns
- 200 g ham Can be substituted with black beans for a vegetarian option.
- 1 cup taco-flavored cheese
- 100 g chile peppers
Custard Mixture
- 6 large eggs Bring to room temperature for even baking.
- 240 ml milk Consider reducing quantity if too much liquid is a concern.
- 120 g sour cream
- 2 tsp taco seasoning
Topping
- 1 cup Mexican cheese For topping after baking.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- Spray a small pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat; stir in onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer onions to a large bowl, mix in hash browns, ham, taco-flavored cheese, and chile peppers. Layer in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Whisk eggs, milk, sour cream, and taco seasoning together in a bowl and pour on top of the hash brown layer.
Baking
- Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Remove from oven, spread Mexican cheese on top, return to oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these clear steps to get consistent results. Each numbered step includes the action and the expected result, so you know what success looks like.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- Action: Heat oven and prepare pan.
- Expected result: Even baking and easy release.
- Spray a small pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Action: Sauté onions.
- Expected result: Sweet, translucent onions that add depth.
- Transfer onions to a large bowl and mix in hash browns, ham, taco-flavored cheese, and chile peppers. Layer in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Action: Combine base ingredients.
- Expected result: Even layer for stable bake.
- Whisk eggs, milk, sour cream, and taco seasoning together in a bowl. Pour on top of the hash brown layer.
- Action: Make custard and pour over base.
- Expected result: Custard soaks into potatoes for a tender set.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes; check every 5 minutes toward the end.
- Action: Bake thoroughly.
- Expected result: Set center, lightly browned top.
- Remove from the oven and spread Mexican cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Let casserole stand for 5 minutes to set before serving.
- Action: Add cheese and rest.
- Expected result: Melted cheese, easier slicing, and improved texture.
Chef tip: If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil and continue baking. Resting for 5 minutes makes slicing cleaner and improves texture.
Variations & Substitutes
This section helps you adapt the casserole for diets or regional tastes. Swaps change flavor, time, and nutrition, so choose based on your priority, whether protein boost, vegetarian option, or lower calories.
- Vegetarian: Replace ham with black beans, add roasted poblano, increases fiber, reduces saturated fat.
- Low-carb: Swap hash browns for 400 g (14 oz) riced cauliflower, reduces carbs, may shorten baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.
- Spicy: Add 1 to 2 minced jalapeños or 1 tsp cayenne, increases heat without changing bake time.
- Breakfast-for-dinner: Replace ham with 300 g (10 oz) chorizo, increases fat and protein, may add 10 minutes prep.
Try these swaps, then note changes to cooking time and nutrition when planning portions.
For a lighter sweet breakfast option, try these banana oatmeal protein cookies
Mistakes to Avoid
Beginner errors can affect texture and flavor. Use this checklist to prevent common issues before you bake. Each fix is simple and fast.
Checklist:
- Underbaking, fix: bake until a knife comes out clean, check at 45 minutes.
- Too much liquid, fix: reduce milk by 25 ml (1.5 tbsp) or drain watery add-ins.
- Cold ingredients, fix: bring eggs to room temperature for even set.
- Crowded pan, fix: use a 9×13-inch pan or scale ingredients.
- Overbrowning, fix: tent with foil for final bake.
Storage, Reuse
Leftovers make great next-day breakfasts or frozen brunches. Proper cooling and storage preserve texture and food safety.
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Portion into 200 g to 300 g servings, freeze up to 3 months, thaw overnight.
- Reheat: Microwave 1 to 2 minutes per serving, or bake at 175 degrees C (350 degrees F) for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Repurpose: Crumble warmed casserole into tacos or layer into a breakfast burrito for portable meals.
For high-protein pairings, see our guide to high-protein breakfast foods
Related Recipes / See Also
Love this casserole? These easy recipes pair well for weekend brunch boards and weekday meal prep.
- If you love savory bakes, try our savory breakfast recipes.
- For sweeter brunch sides, explore sweet breakfast recipes.
- Want a pancake alternative that brings protein? Check high-protein pancakes.
Conclusion
Mexican-Style Breakfast Casserole is a flexible, crowd-friendly dish that saves time and scales easily. With a few smart swaps and the troubleshooting checklist, you will get a reliably delicious brunch every time. Enjoy the bold flavors and the convenience of make-ahead meals.
