Cottage Cheese Egg Bake (Breakfast Casserole)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Dec 22, 2025 (last updated Apr 16, 2026) 
If you’re looking for an easy cottage cheese egg bake casserole that’s protein-packed and so easy, this one’s for you! With sharp cheddar, ham, and roasted red pepper it has a fluffy, satisfying texture; plus everything comes together in one bowl with no pre-cooking. It’s just the thing for make-ahead breakfasts or special occasion mornings.
5 star review
“This turned out really good and with minimal effort. Very versatile recipe! ”
– Connie
Baked Eggs with Cottage Cheese Work So Well for Meal Prep
On busy weekdays, I love having something in the fridge that makes breakfast a total non-decision (I mean, who doesn’t?!?), and this cottage cheese egg bake has quickly become that for me. It’s based on the classic mix of fluffy eggs and milk, but with the addition of cheddar, cottage cheese, roasted red pepper, and green onion giving it a bright, savory lift that feels so satisfying first thing in the morning. I went with Denver-omlette vibes when creating this one, and it truly came out so well. The ham adds that salty, cozy depth, and the whole thing feels comforting without being heavy, which is exactly what I want when I’m easing into the day.
Okay, now, let’s talk texture. The eggs bake up soft and tender, almost custardy in the middle, thanks to the cottage cheese and a little baking powder to help everything puff. You get tiny bursts of sweetness from the roasted red peppers, and the top sets into this golden, lightly puffed layer that feels like a small win every time I slice it. And because it all comes together in one bowl, there’s no equipment to drag out, no big cleanup, but instead just simple steps that give you something genuinely helpful all week long. I make this egg bake whenever I’m leaning into meal prep, packing lunches, or just trying to build in a little more calm for the mornings ahead, similar to my sheet pan cottage cheese eggs and cottage cheese banana bread, which are great.
This egg casserole reheats beautifully, slices cleanly, and plays well with whatever you’re in the mood for, whether that be fruit, greens, toast, or nothing at all. I happen to know it works exceptionally well as a breakfast-for-dinner moment, too! This version stays true to the classic baked-egg vibe but removes all the extra work, so you get something familiar, comforting, and flexible without the fuss. It’s a quiet little routine-saver, and I hope you love it. And, if you love a make-ahead breakfast, my French toast casserole can be made the day before while still baking up beautifully.
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make an Egg Bake with Cottage Cheese
Testing Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
- When I tested this, whisking the eggs and baking powder until they’re really frothy made the whole bake lighter and fluffier.
- If you’re making this ahead, let it cool fully before slicing; it holds together better and stays tender.
- I love keeping a few slices in the fridge for grab-and-go mornings. They reheat gently without drying out!
Cottage Cheese Egg Bake (Breakfast Casserole)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese (or 2%) (240g)
- ½ cup whole milk (120ml)
- ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (85g)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup jarred roasted red pepper, finely chopped and patted dry (120g)
- ¼ cup green onion, thinly sliced (15g)
- ½ cup cooked ham, diced (75g)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with olive oil spray.
- Mix the Base: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and baking powder until well combined and frothy, about 30-60 seconds. Add the cottage cheese, milk, shredded cheddar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the Veggies and Ham: Fold in the roasted red pepper, green onion, and diced ham until evenly distributed.
- Bake Until Set: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center is set and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. The texture will continue to firm slightly as it rests.
Notes
- Cottage Cheese: I tried this one with both whole-milk and 2% cottage cheese; whole milk gives the softest texture, but both work great.
- Peppers: Roasted red peppers can be a little wet, so be sure to pat them dry as it helps the bake set perfectly.
I would love to try adding shredded potato to this recipe to make it a little more satisfying for some of the people in my family. Have you ever done that?
Melissa, I haven’t… I feel like it could work, the only think I would worry about is the potatoes releasing additional liquid, which could impact the custards ability to set correctly. You could try it at the same ratio of the other add-ins (1/2 cup) and perhaps just make sure the shredded potato is squeezed very, very dry (if hand shredding) or patted dry (if using frozen). If you give it a try let me know how it turns out!
This turned out really good and with minimal effort. Added some spinach. Very versatile recipe!
Connie, yay, I’m so happy to hear this one turned out well for you! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!
Can I make this the night before and pop it in the fridge? Thanks!
Rachel, yes, this one works well as a make ahead option! You may need to add an additional 5 minutes to the cook time if it’s going in the oven cold, but otherwise you should be good to go. Let me know how it turns out!
Also when I just mixed the egg and baking powder, it got lots of little white chunks in it. Never got fluffy or foamy. I used a hand whisk.
Hi Rachel, were the with chunk the baking powder that hadn’t dissolved, or the cottage cheese curds? It’s normal for the cottage cheese curds to still be visible after whisking, they will essentially “melt” into the casserole as it cooks and shouldn’t be too noticeable at that point. Ideally you want the eggs to get frothy when whisked vigorously for about a minute (a hand whisk should do the trick), but if that didn’t happen for you the final result should still come out okay. I hope that helps!
It was when I was just whisking the egg and baking soda. So strange!!
It turned out tasting so good though. Thanks!
Rachel, I’m glad to hear it turned out well. Thanks for reporting back!
Finally got around to making this and it’s a smash hit, as always. The recipe was so quick and easy to prep that I threw it together while cooking dinner and then baked it while we were eating.
My partner hates cottage cheese and he loved this. My coworker forgot her lunch so I told her to have some of the casserole I had in the fridge for my morning snacks, she loved it. We all love it!
Danielle, yay, I’m so happy to hear this one was a hit even with your cottage cheese hating husband! Thanks for sharing your notes and for leaving a review!
So easy, took me a bit longer than I expected due to chopping and cooking a fresh pepper.. the other choice was jarred hot peppers! Also I can’t find lactose free cottage cheese without thickeners so I used full fat lactose free cream cheese mixed with some 2% yogurt. Seemed to have worked great and I will be enjoying this for a few more breakfasts. Thank you Robin for sharing this recipe. Nice job!
Great notes, thanks so much for sharing. So happy to hear you enjoyed, and appreciate you leaving a review!