Breakfast Burrito Casserole Recipe

On any given morning, there is a very good chance I am eating a burrito for breakfast. Quick, filling, and totally customizable, it's become a staple in my routine and a dish I can make ahead again and again. Since they're freezer-friendly and easy to reheat, they've also become a go-to for gifting to new parents (who rave about receiving something they can eat one-handed). The only thing that isn't perfect about these warm, wrapped tortillas of egg and salsa is the prep, which can be tedious at best and cumbersome at worst, a daunting prospect when you don't have any ingredients prepped and a busy day ahead. That's why I developed a recipe that makes prepping breakfast burritos super easy, with no wrapping required.

This breakfast burrito casserole is inspired by New Mexico, home of the original breakfast burritos, and the place where I first fell in love with them.  In New Mexico, the stuffed tortillas are doused in red and green chile sauces and filled with green chiles, making for a hot and flavorful breakfast. This casserole takes inspiration from that, and features corn tortillas layered with salsa verde, green chiles, eggs, chorizo, bell peppers, and plenty of cheese, for a satisfying breakfast that is stacked with savory, spicy, zingy flavor and is easy to prep, heat, reheat, and eat, no matter how busy your schedule.

To make this casserole, you'll need chorizo, Spanish (or yellow) onion, red and green bell peppers, and garlic. You'll need tortillas to divide the layers, and though I love flour tortillas for tacos, I highly recommend corn tortillas in this casserole because their flavor and texture are better between layers of chorizo, salsa, and cheese. From there, you'll need a jar of salsa verde, a can of chopped green chiles, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, shredded pepper jack, just under a dozen eggs, some whole milk, and salt.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Heat the chorizo in a frying pan over medium heat, crumbling it with a spatula into fine pieces.

Once the chorizo is beginning to brown, add the onion and bell peppers. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic.

Arrange ⅓ of the tortilla quarters across the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan.

Spread ½ of the chorizo mixture across the tortillas.

Cover with ½ cup salsa verde.

Sprinkle with ½ cup of each cheese.

Repeat, beginning with the tortillas, then the chorizo mixture, then the salsa verde, then ½ cup of each cheese.

Layer the remaining tortilla quarters across the top.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the milk.

Stir the salt and chiles into the egg mixture.

Pour the egg mixture over the casserole.

Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of each cheese.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20, or until the egg is completely set. (A knife inserted into the middle should come out smoothly and cleanly.)

Serve immediately with sour cream and avocado, if desired.

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Between the oily chorizo, crushed green chiles, and a jar of salsa verde, this casserole is destined to have a high volume of liquid. The truth is, though, that the chorizo and bell peppers should release most liquid during the initial cooking process, the chiles fold into the eggs, and the salsa reduces in the oven, so the end result shouldn't be wet or runny at all. If it is, it means that the egg hasn't cooked yet — but don't worry, it's fixable.

The best way to determine if the casserole is finished is to slice into the center and check for excess liquid or residue on the spatula. You'll know quickly if it isn't done because the excess liquid will pool into the empty space left by the piece you remove. If this happens, simply return the casserole dish to the oven and continue cooking, uncovered, until the pieces can be removed without excess liquid remaining. If in doubt, let the casserole cook a little longer than necessary; with so many layers, it's hard to overcook this one.

This casserole is the perfect recipe for slow weekend mornings or as a breakfast to serve many guests, because it can be prepped up to 24 hours ahead of time, covered, chilled, and then baked the day you're ready to serve it. It's actually advantageous to prep the casserole in advance because the tortillas absorb the flavors of the chorizo, salsa, and chile-infused eggs, making it even more flavorful and softer in texture than it would be if you bake it directly after making it. Being that it contains a high volume of liquid, though, it shouldn't be prepped too far in advance, as the tortillas will begin to break down and turn mushy.

If you do need to prep the casserole more than 24 hours in advance, you can prepare all of the ingredients separately and then combine them shortly before baking. This means that you can cook the chorizo and peppers, slice the tortillas, and shred the cheese, so that all that you need to do before serving the casserole is to assemble. You can also beat the eggs and store them in a tightly sealed container for up to two days before you bake the casserole, which saves time and cleanup the day of. If nothing else, egg bakes are also some of the best types of casseroles to freeze, so you can bake, wrap, and freeze the casserole to heat up whenever you're ready to enjoy it. 

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