Hatch Green Chile Breakfast Casserole

I know it isn't officially Autumn until the end of this month, but the Labor Day holiday always seems to mark a change in the air, a change that seems to send summer on its way. The kids have been back to school for a few weeks now, the temperatures have cooled down, and no matter what the calendar says, I can smell Autumn in the air.

With Autumn always comes my favorite season in New Mexico - Hatch Green Chile season! Not only is it getting cooler outside, but the air is full of the smells of roasting chiles - that spicy, smoky smell that I can't get enough of, which is why I've been bringing it into my own kitchen too.

Roasting Green Chile in your own oven is so simple. I do it just like the Pioneer Woman and then I have my own freshly roasted green chile to cook up delicious recipes like this Hatch Green Chile Breakfast Casserole. You can even get Hatch Green Chile delivered to you if you're not right here in New Mexico to pick it up yourself.

This Green Chile Breakfast Casserole is so dreamy. It's the perfect reason to get out of bed in the morning if you are needing a little nudge. Baked in a spring form cake pan, this breakfast casserole looks like a gorgeous savory breakfast cake, making it the perfect dish for a nice brunch or breakfast with guests. It's also super simple so you can enjoy it even on a weekday morning.

The texture is somewhere between an omelet and pancakes and french toast. The sausage and green chile add a spicy burst of flavor, tempered by the cheese, eggs and bread. I always throw in a red bell pepper for the color and sweet crunch too. 

At our house, mixing the sweet and savory is kind of an obsession, so we drizzle just a tiny bit of real maple syrup over the top of our Hatch Green Chile Breakfast Casserole slices. If that's not your thing, this tastes amazing without anything extra. It's full of flavor and spice and I think it's going to be your new favorite breakfast recipe.

Yield: 6

Hatch Green Chile Breakfast Casserole

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Ingredients

• 7 cups stale french bread, cubed (about 1 ½ inch cubes)
• 7 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 lb ground sausage
• 6 to 8 freshly roasted green chiles, peeled, seeded, and diced
• ½ a medium red bell pepper, diced
• chopped green onions for garnish (optional)
• maple syrup for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large cast iron skillet, cook the sausage over medium high heat until completely cooked through. Add the bell pepper and cook for an additional 3 minutes to soften pepper. Break up sausage into small crumbles with spatula. Set aside ¼ cup of meat and pepper mixture.
2. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and mustard.
3. In a large bowl, combine the bread, egg mixture, green chiles, sausage and bell pepper, and 1 ½ cups of the cheese. Stir to combine well. Cover with plastic or transfer to a large ziploc bag, then place in fridge and let sit for approximately 30 minutes or until egg mixture has been entirely absorbed.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease and 8 inch spring form cake pan. Pour in the bread mixture. Top with reserved sausage and cheese then cover loosely with tin foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and set in the middle. Remove from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before removing spring form. Garnish with green onion and serve with a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.

Yum

More delicious Hatch Green Chile Recipes:

Roasted Green Chile Relleno Casserole (Vegetarian)

Hatch Green Chile Raspberry Muffins

Huevos Rancheros Cups with Green Chile Avocado Sauce