Short on time in the morning, but still craving an elevated breakfast? Make my Cauliflower Leek and White Cheddar Egg Bake! It’s meant to be prepared and baked ahead of time, so you can easily heat up a slice, or two, each morning. I like to serve along side toast and a quick spring greens salad. Make it today and you’ll thank yourself later.
Some days, I’m craving a bowl of cereal for breakfast, and other days I want something a little more substantial and adult-friendly. This Cauliflower Leek and White Cheddar Egg Bake is just that. It’s packed with flavor, veggies, and lots of protein from the eggs and cottage cheese. Make on Sunday and enjoy a slice each morning with a side of toast. It will keep you feeling energetic all morning long.
Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Egg Bake
- Great for meal prep – This egg bake is perfect when serving a big crowd for breakfast, but it is also great for meal prep. I like to prepare this egg bake ahead of time, so each morning I can quickly warm up a slice. It can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Packed with flavor – The cooked leeks and gruyere cheese add so much flavor to this vegetarian egg bake recipe. Cauliflower is pretty mild by itself, but when cooked with the leeks until they start to brown, it takes on a great nutty taste. I like to serve with a side salad and a tangy vinaigrette to add even more flavor and help cut the heaviness of the egg and cheese.
- Versatile – Once the egg bake has been re-heated, it can be enjoyed by itself, with toast and salad, on a bagel or English muffin, or wrapped inside a tortilla. I usually eat for breakfast, but this veggie-filled egg bake is also great for brunch or a light lunch.
Why Your Body Will Love This Meal Prep Breakfast
- Protein – Eggs are a complete protein, which means they contain all nine essential amino acids the body needs to grow, develop, and repair itself. A diet rich in eggs can help improve muscle health and decrease malnutrition.
- Heart Health – Eggs contain a good kind of cholesterol that helps lower the bad kind.
- Vitamins – Eggs contain vitamins B12, A, B6, D, selenium, iron, riboflavin, choline, calcium, zinc, and folate. They’re great for the immune system, skin, and brain and eye health.
Vegetarian Egg Bake Recipe Tips
- Grease the pan – Make sure to grease the baking pan well, or the eggs will stick to the bottom. Either butter or oil can be used.
- Season well – When making a casserole-like recipe, it’s important to season it well, since it’s usually quite a bit of food. Make sure to season the cauliflower and leek mixture while it is cooking, as well as the egg and milk mixture.
- Arrange the veggies in the pan before adding the eggs – Try to arrange the cauliflower and leeks evenly in the bottom of the pan, so that each piece of egg bake is packed with flavor and veggies. You can then pour the egg mixture over, rather than mixing everything together and then pouring it into the pan.
Cauliflower Leek and White Cheddar Egg Bake Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs – I used 10 large eggs for this recipe. You can also use the pre-mixed carton of eggs if you like.
- Milk – I like to add a little bit of milk to the egg mixture to make it fluffier. The milk also helps make the eggs stretch farther. I used extra creamy oat milk, but regular milk will also work.
- Cheese – I used extra-sharp white cheddar for this recipe. It has great flavor and goes well with the cauliflower. Gruyere would also be a great option, but any kind of cheese will work.
- Cauliflower – I used about 3 cups of cauliflower florets, which I lightly steamed before adding to the eggs. Frozen cauliflower would also work well in this recipe.
- Leeks – Leeks are onions with a mild, sweet flavor. They taste really good when they’re thinly sliced and then caramelized on the stovetop. A sweet white or purple onion can also be used, if needed.
How To Make This Vegetarian Egg Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, grease a 9×13 baking dish with oil or butter, and set aside. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 teaspoons oil. Once butter is melted, add in the sliced leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook leeks until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add in the minced garlic, cauliflower florets, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix well, then cook for about 30 seconds before adding 1 tablespoon of water to the pan. Cover with a lid and let the cauliflower steam until just fork-tender, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the leeks don’t burn. Allow the cauliflower and leeks to cool for a few minutes, then evenly arrange them in the greased baking dish.
- To a large bowl, add all of the cracked eggs and the milk. Whisk until well combined into a pale yellow, slightly frothy mixture. Next, add 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, along with about 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and mix well.
- Carefully pour the egg and cheese mixture into the baking dish, over the cauliflower. Make sure that the eggs are touching all sides of the pan and gently tilt it if not. Evenly cover with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
- Place the egg bake in the pre-heated oven and bake until cooked through and the top is lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Egg bake can be eaten immediately or refrigerated for 4-5 days.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- This recipe is gluten-free.
- Eggs are a big part of this recipe, so it’s not one that I would make vegan.
- Can this egg bake be prepared ahead of time? Yes, you can prepare this recipe until you get to the point of putting it in the oven, but cover it and refrigerate it instead. When ready to bake, bring to room temperature and then place in the 400-degree oven.
- Can this egg bake be made ahead of time? Yes, you can make this egg bake ahead of time, and it is great for meal prep. Slice and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Re-heat in the microwave for about 40 seconds.
- How should this recipe be served? You can eat this egg bake on its own, serve it with toast and salad, or cut it up and enjoy it in a tortilla. It’s also great for making breakfast sandwiches.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Make Ahead Breakfast Recipes?
High Protein Pumpkin Orange Breakfast Cookies
Peanut Butter and Jelly Overnight Oats
High Protein Vegetarian Breakfast Sandwiches
Cottage Cheese Egg Salad Recipe
Pina Colada Baked Oatmeal Cups
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Cauliflower Leek and White Cheddar Egg Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Short on time in the morning, but still craving an elevated breakfast? Make my Cauliflower Leek and White Cheddar Egg Bake! It’s meant to be prepared and baked ahead of time, so you can easily heat up a slice, or two, each morning. I like to serve along side toast and a quick spring greens salad. Make it today and you’ll thank yourself later.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large leeks (about 2 cups once diced)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups small cauliflower florets
- 10 extra large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk, plant based or regular
- 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with oil or butter and set aside. Prepare the leeks: trim the dark green tops off, as well as the very bottoms of the leeks. Next, cut the leeks in half, down the center, lengthwise and then thinly slice them into half moons, you should have about 2 cups.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and 2 teaspoons oil. Once butter is melted, add in the sliced leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook leeks until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add in the minced garlic, cauliflower florets and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Mix together well and cook for about 30 seconds before adding in 1 tablespoon of water to the pan. Cover with a lid and let the cauliflower steam until just fork tender, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure that the leeks don’t burn. Allow the cauliflower and leeks to cool for a few minutes and then evenly arrange them in the bottom of the greased baking dish.
- To a large bowl, add all of the cracked eggs and the milk. Whisk together well, until you have a pale yellow mixture that’s a little frothy. Next, add in 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, along with about 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and mix together well.
- Carefully pour the egg and cheese mixture into the baking dish, over the cauliflower. Make sure that the eggs are touching all sides of the pan and gently tilt it, if not. Evenly cover with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
- Place the egg bake in the pre-heated oven and bake until cooked through and the top is lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Egg bake can be eaten immediately or stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: American
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