As a Colorado girl, you think I’d know how to make a Denver omelet. But that’s not the case. I found myself one morning Googling "Denver omelet", and thought this is silly.

It turns out a Denver omelet calls for peppers, onions, ham, and sharp cheddar cheese. Reading this, I scrunched my nose. Ham in sandwiches, sure. But ham in an omelet? I was not convinced. But, I was determined to make a Denver omelet. Or at least something like it, because what I really wanted to make was a breakfast casserole that we could keep in the fridge all week and eat each morning. (I’ve become lazy with cooking in the morning lately, so having something already made is key to eating a good breakfast). The only other requirements? Hash browns. Because hash browns are awesome (I know I don't need need to tell you that).

I took a few notes, and headed to the store with a vague idea of a casserole in my mind.

Walking through the butcher section, I perused various types of ham, but just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I opted for chorizo instead. You can do either--it’s really whatever suits your fancy. Either way, you’ll end up with a hearty vibrant casserole inspired by the Denver omelet.

This make-ahead-breakfast was such a winner in our house that it is sure to become a regular. And the best part? Well, I think it was the hash brown base! Not usually part of a Denver omelet, but worth adding in.

So, if you’re trying to feed breakfast to a crowd this week, or just trying to get ahead of your own schedule, this casserole is your answer!

P.S., if you like this recipe, you'll LOVE Foraged Breakfast, a collection of 18 breakfast recipes made using whole ingredients.

Denver Omelet Breakfast Casserole

Published December 26, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4-6 | Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter, plus more for greasing pan
2 cups thawed frozen hash browns or shredded potatoes (I used this brand (affiliate link!))
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 link or 1/4 cup diced chorizo sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces (traditional would be cured ham, but I prefer chorizo)
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk of choice
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F, and generously grease a 9x16 inch baking dish.
Place thawed shredded potatoes in the pan, and gently press into an even layer on the bottom. Season with half of the salt & pepper. Set aside.
Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add sausage pieces, and cook until browned. Use a spatula to transfer sausage to the baking dish, spreading in an even layer over the potato layer.
Now, sauté the onion and bell peppers in the skillet, adding additional coconut oil if the skillet is dry. Sauté until the onions are transparent. Then, transfer onion and pepper mixture to the baking dish, spread in an even layer and mixing with the sausage.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and remaining salt & pepper. Whisk until frothy, and then pour egg mixture into casserole pan. Bits of bell pepper and sausage should still be visible, but the egg mixture should be evenly distributed through the pan.
Place pan in oven and bake for 20 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, pull the casserole from the oven, top with cheese in an even layer, and bake for 5-10 more minutes, until cheese is bubbling and the casserole is cooked through.
Allow to cool 5 minutes, and then top with cilantro for garnish. Serve hot. (Hot sauce is great on this casserole, if you like hot sauce on your eggs!)