Cowboy Breakfast casserole with bacon, bits of vegetables, black beans and tons of shredded cheese is the most loaded breakfast casserole you will ever eat. Savory and amazing, this may be the last breakfast casserole recipe you will EVER need.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes for breakfast, oatmeal doesn’t cut it. On those days that I’m craving a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal, nothing beats Cowboy Breakfast Casserole. This casserole has it all: bacon, potatoes, beans, and all of it mixed together with melty, cheesy goodness.
Just like they used to do it on the range, this breakfast skillet is cooked using cast-iron. I LOVE working with cast iron. Not only does it hold and disperse heat really well, but being able to cook an entire meal in a single oven-safe skillet makes clean-up easy.
Whether you’re cooking for a whole crew or you want some leftovers for lunch, this loaded Cowboy Breakfast Casserole does the trick. With potatoes, colorful peppers, beans, and just the right amount of spice, I feel like I’ve been transported to the southwest and I’m about to ride into the sunset (or, I guess in this case, sunrise).
Oh, and did I mention it has bacon?
Cowboy Breakfast Casserole Ingredients
Breakfast casseroles are incredibly popular around holidays that celebrate parents like Mothers day and Fathers day as well as busy holiday mornings like Easter and Christmas. They are simple to assemble and carry to a home for celebrations and are SO filling that when you make a breakfast casserole, you need very little extra side dishes.
This particular casserole is LOADED with bacon, onion, peppers and beans and is probably the only thing you need to eat for about the entire DAY! So savory, this “cowboy” casserole is just as good for dinner as it is for breakfast and there are tons of toppings (like hot sauce, salsa, sour cream and guacamole) that are a fantastic addition.
- bacon
- diced onion
- russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- green pepper
- red pepper
- black beans
- green onions
- chili powder
- salt
- cumin
- paprika
- ground pepper
- eggs
- half and half
- shredded cheddar cheese
- shredded Monterey jack cheese
Easy Cowboy Breakfast Casserole Substitutions
This Cowboy Breakfast Casserole is super versatile too.
Here are some of the substitutions you can make to the recipe:
- Instead of Bacon–sausage, ham, chorizo
- Instead of Russet potatoes–hash browns, tater tots, sweet potato, yuca
- Instead of Black beans–pinto, or kidney
- Instead of Cheddar/Monterey Jack–any cheese
- Instead of Green onions–canned green chilies or fresh jalapeno
How can I make Cowboy Breakfast Casserole healthier?
I get it, you want to eat this all the time, so you’re looking for some healthy alternatives. Using only egg whites will cut down on cholesterol, while leaving out the potatoes is a great way to reduce the carbs.
You can also top Cowboy Breakfast Casserole with lots of extra veggies, including diced tomatoes, mushrooms, and (my personal favorite) sliced avocado.
Can I cook Cowboy Casserole without a cast-iron pan?
No cast-iron, no problem (although you’re missing out!). You can use any oven-safe pan or casserole dish for this cheesy breakfast.
What’s the easiest way to clean my cast iron skillet?
Cleaning your cast-iron can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! Make sure your skillet is well-seasoned before starting. Once the last crumb has been claimed, scrape the skillet with a metal spatula to remove as much egg residue as possible, and dump it out.
Add coarse salt to the pan along with a couple drops of oil. With a paper towel or clean cloth, rub the salt into anything stuck-on. I like to heat the skillet as I clean it for 30 seconds or so–a hot skillet is easier to clean than a cold skillet.
Repeat with salt as necessary, and finish with a thin layer of oil to keep your pan ready to go for its next use.
How can I use frozen hash browns in place of the potatoes?
Shredded or cubed, potatoes are sooo good in this Breakfast Casserole. If you have frozen hash browns, simply defrost them in the microwave. Sauté the onion and peppers on medium heat like normal, cover for 10-12 minutes but leave out the water.
Once removed from the heat, add the defrosted hash browns with the beans, green onion and spices.
How long can Cowboy Breakfast Casserole keep?
You can keep this in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If it’s still hot, make sure to divide the casserole into smaller containers to ensure it cools fast.
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes
As breakfast is literally our favorite meal of the day, there is no shortage of breakfast casserole recipes here on Salty Side Dish.
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Amish Breakfast Casserole
- Sausage Hash Brown Casserole
- Krispy Kreme Breakfast Casserole
- Spinach Mushroom Casserole
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Cracker Barrel Casserole
- Blueberry Breakfast Casserole
- Overnight Cinnamon Roll Casserole
Cowboy Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 russet potatoes - peeled and diced
- 1 green pepper - chopped
- 1 red pepper - chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup black beans - drained and rinsed
- 3 green onions - chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 10 eggs
- 1/4 cup half and half
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large skillet, cook slices of bacon until crispy. Remove cooked bacon from pan, drain excess grease on paper towels and cool before crumbling. Set crumbled bacon aside.
- In the same pan with the bacon grease, add chopped onion, tiny diced potatoes, and chopped up green and red peppers. Heat all together for about 5 minutes on medium heat until onion is tender.
- Add water and cover pan.
- Heat vegetable mixture for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are soft and tender.
- Remove from heat and add drained black beans, green onion, cooked bacon and all of the spices. Mix well.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine eggs and half and half. Whisk together well.
- Fold in half of each of the shredded cheese and pour entire mixture over the vegetables in the skillet.
- Use a spatula to evenly distribute the eggs and sprinkle top with remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake cowboy breakfast casserole for 30 minutes or until center is set.
- Let casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- They key to making breakfast casserole that includes fresh potato’s is PREP. Making sure vegetables and potatoes are chopped down evenly and small provides the best cooking experience. If vegetables, onions or potatoes are left to large or are all different sizes, the cooking time can vary.
- I know its tempting to skip rinsing the beans but make sure you do. Otherwise the bean "juice" will turn the egg a muddy brown color.
- Serve this cowboy breakfast casserole with hot sauce, sour cream, salsa and extra avocado on top
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