Cheesy egg asparagus casserole is a great addition to any family brunch table! Great with bacon or leftover ham inside for breakfast to start the morning. Family friendly, cheap with vegetables inside you’ll love.
If you’re looking for a Christmas morning casserole this will make you smile. We love breakfast casseroles. I can throw them together and enjoy a hearty meal using items in my fridge that need to be cooked, and I love using leftovers from the night before too. This and others added to our long list of easy casseroles for you to enjoy. (affiliate links present)
How to Make Ham and Asparagus Casserole
Ok so after the holidays you know I am not the only one looking for several different leftover ham recipe ideas (because sandwiches can get booooooring). Typically we have guests over so meal one the day after is this, and I go from there with the rest….
with Frozen Asparagus
Can only find frozen?? NO problem. We show you how to cook frozen asparagus beforehand so you can make this year round. We live in a small town so I get that produce isn’t available all the time. This is our favorite vegetable so I had to figure out how to make this happen even in the cooler months like February.
Who doesn’t love asparagus in the air fryer or grilled on the barbecue??!! Even if they weren’t in season you can swap it out for something else like broccoli. This breakfast egg bake is very versatile like that.
Ingredient Notes
You could use white, brown eggs, egg whites or even egg beaters already whipped in the carton to make this one. Just refer to the instructions as to how many cups 8 eggs is. We usually buy free range brown from local farmers because they have the best flavor and healthier. Added at room temperature is recommended to make as fluffy as possible.
Asparagus is the main star of the show. Fresh and thin pieces is the best by far. I cut the white ends off and discard as that is hard and not pleasurable. You can buy asparagus tips frozen and defrost just enough for ice to melt. You could opt for broccoli florets as a substitute if necessary.
Butter or lactose free alternative is needed. For the latter you will want to add a pinch of salt and pepper into the mix as those are typically without any seasonings.
You will want some whole or 2% Milk, or dairy free alternative, for the liquid element. For the latter I prefer plain cashew for the thickness or almond would be my second choice.
Optional Add-Ins
Garlic minced is a great add in with finely diced onions but both are optional. Recommended for sure to add flavor but up to you.
Mushrooms should be sliced, portabella is best if you ask me because they are firmer and keep their shape.
Cheese, we like white cheddar or Swiss, like our spinach quiche – and lots of it. I have used the dairy free Daiya brand and it is surprisingly great (except that it doesn’t melt well). Ham or bacon bits work but both need to be precooked before adding into the mix.
And we love a handful of crispy fried onions or crushed ritz crackers on the top if you want a little crunch, kinda’ like green bean casserole – ish. I’m a big texture gal so I like a bit of crispiness on top if I have some on hand. This is what it looks like when it is done.
Asparagus Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 1 casserole dish
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 8 eggs
- 1.5 cup milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup ham, diced, could use bacon bits
- 1 cup asparagus, fresh, sliced into 1″ pcs.
- 1 cup mushrooms, quartered
- 3/4 cup cheese, mozzarella, shredded
Instructions
- Grease casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Slice butter into small pieces and place into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle garlic and onions on top of butter. Place pan into a cooled oven and preheat to 350. (Remove pan when preheating is finished)
- In a large bowl, combine eggs and whisk well. Add milk and whisk well.
- Stir in spices. Add ham, asparagus, mushrooms and 1/2 cup cheese and mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and return to oven for an additional 5 minutes
- When you remove the casserole from the oven, it will be very puffy. Let set for 5 minutes as it settles. Slice to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Vegetarian option
You can see what is needed here above. Like I said, if you want to make it vegetarian then you would obviously skip all the meat and go with it as is. There are vegan egg options in cartons at the store, just follow the measurements which typically is 1/4 cup per egg needed.
Made in a slow cooker
If you wanted to cook this without an oven you could use these ingredients but follow the directions and timing in our Crockpot breakfast casserole instead. Leftovers should be placed into a dish, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1 minute.
FAQ
You would want to at least defrost it if frozen. If you want it to become soft then yes you could blanch or parboil it quickly first. In the case that you wanted it to keep it’s texture with a little bite to it then I would not cook before baking in a casserole or other dish, just cut into bite size pieces.
Thin!! Thick pieces will be tough to chew and taste woody, just skip it if that is all the store has. You wan the thickness to be about the size of a pencil ideally for the best taste and texture.
Other vegetable brunch ideas you’ll love
Breakfast bundt cake is made with refrigerated biscuits and eggs too. Only takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to bake so great for holiday mornings. Ground Beef Asparagus Pasta is great for a get together using the same veggies. Then check out our savory zucchini muffins where you could add in this veggie as well cut up into small bits.
Can you bake asparagus in a casserole?
You betcha! Using leftover ham from my crockpot ham recipe I made the other night I thought I’d throw it into an egg and cheese casserole and see how it would turn out, it was so yummy. It’s just one of our many leftover ham recipes on the site because….well I hate to waste food ever. We don’t want anyone to get hangry now so let me show you a quick rundown on how this is made.
can I use frozen asparagus
I might leave those on the counter for 30 minutes to defrost a bit first.