Got leftover holiday ham? Make this fluffy, creamy, cheesy Healthy Ham and Broccoli Egg Bake recipe and enjoy it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner!
Easter holiday + leftover ham = this Healthy Ham and Broccoli Egg Bake recipe!
If your family's Easter is anything like my family's Easter, then you just might have an overload of leftover ham after the holiday dinner.
We always cook the biggest ham we can find, planning in advance the bounty of leftovers that are to come.
That night, I'll have dreams of frying up thick slices of ham in a pan with a couple of sunny side up eggs for breakfast the next morning.
I always end up eating ham and eggs every morning for the whole week.
The perfect meal on a low carb diet
After the Easter holiday, I'm ready to go on a healthier, seriously low carb diet.
I set aside all of the bread, chips, and desserts for meat, vegetables, and eggs.
This ham and egg bake recipe was written down a long time ago on a piece of paper as "Ham and Broccoli Quiche" and was in the low carb section of my recipe box.
I'm pretty sure I adapted it from an Atkins recipe from the 90s, when low carb was king.
It does have 4 tablespoons of AP flour in it, so it's not entirely gluten-free.
I've made it a few times without the flour, but it turns out a little watery.
You can use coconut flour to make the egg bake gluten-free and turn it into a true Paleo, Whole30, or Keto casserole.
Reasons to LOVE this egg casserole recipe:
- So easy to put together, with only 10 minutes of prep time, so it's ideal for a weeknight dinner!
- It's a all-in-one meal with protein (ham and egg), veggie (broccoli) and dairy (cheese!)
- It's a super economical family meal
- The leftovers are killer sliced up and fried in a skillet
Seriously, one of the best things about this dish is the leftovers.
I'll make it for dinner one night and then lightly fry the leftover slices for breakfast the next morning.
A two-in-one meal! Wooohooo!
Some side dish recipe suggestions:
- Mashed Potato Pancakes ~ If you've got leftover ham, you've probably got some leftover mashed potatoes too. Make some crispy potato pancakes as the perfect accompaniment to this egg bake.
- Easy Pico de Gallo ~ I love a cool fresh tomato salsa with herbs on the side with cooked eggs. The flavors really go well together, especially with the fried casserole slices.
- Lyonnaise Potatoes ~ Because crispy potatoes fried in fat with onions rule and one potato recipe suggestion is never enough (two is better).
- Caramel Coffee Glazed Nutella Donuts ~ I know this is a healthy recipe post, but donuts are awesome and must be included in every recipe list!
Next time you have ham leftovers, make this Healthy Ham and Broccoli Egg Bake and let me know below what you served with it!
Don't forget to fry up leftover slices for another breakfast, lunch, or dinner too.
RECIPE
Healthy Ham and Broccoli Egg Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, minced, both green & white parts
- 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 1 large head of fresh broccoli
- 2 cups cooked ham, chopped
- 16 ounces cottage cheese
- ¼ cup all purpose flour (to make low carb: substitute 1 tablespoon of coconut flour for the ¼ cup of flour)
- 12 fresh eggs, beaten
- 8 ounces cheese, shredded (any variety of firm cheese, like cheddar, colby, pepper jack, monterey jack, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/ 176C. In a small pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and sauté the onions and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- Separate broccoli head into small florets and steam in a large saucepan for 1 minute. Drain and set aside to cool. Once cooled, finely chop broccoli and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add cooled garlic and onion mixture, finely chopped broccoli, chopped ham, cottage cheese, flour, eggs, and shredded cheese. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Lightly grease a 13X9 baking dish. Pour in the egg mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until fully cooked and middle does not jiggle.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Store leftovers in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Can heat up leftovers by frying a slice of leftover egg bake in a pan with a little bit of butter or oil.
- TEA reader Cat made this recipe truly low carb by substituting 1 tablespoon of coconut flour for the ¼ cup of AP flour. She said the texture is perfect and not watery at all!
fitoru fitness
Have you ever tried this recipe without the flour? Do you think omitting it will make any noticeable difference to this dish?
Karrie
It is watery if flour is completely omitted, but you can substitute 1 tablespoon of coconut flour for the 14/ cup of wheat flour.
Craymond
Very tasty. Chopped red pepper adds another layer of flavor
Karrie
Thanks Craymond and great idea on the red bell pepper! I'll try that when I make this after Christmas with the ham leftovers.
Pere
Really healthy and delicious. We made it with iberico ham and the result was yum yum.
Karrie
Thank you Pere and the Iberico ham is a fantastic addition to the casserole!
Dort
This is sooooo good! Will use 1 Tblsp garlic instead of 2 Tblsp next round as my husband claimed it was too much. Not for me, but oh well!
Karrie
Reducing garlic in a recipe? That's crazy, Dort! lol! So happy y'all liked it and thanks for taking the time to review it 🙂
Denmark
At first, I was hesitant about tasting it, It looks not appetizing but when you taste it it's actually good.
Karrie
Egg casseroles aren't the prettiest but they sure taste delish! Thanks for the review Denmark and glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Samantha B
Found this looking for low carb recipes on pinterest and had everything on hand. Made for a very satisfying dinner and leftovers in the morning were yummy!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thanks Samantha and love that you liked it the recipe!
Cecilia
We had so much ham left over ham from Easter! This recipe looked easy enough so tried it and we all loved it. Thank you for sharing, and the photos are awesome!
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thank you so much Cecilia. You have absolutely made my day!
sherry cuatt
Mmmmmm Soo good. Made this as skillet meal an used cooked rice to absorb broccoli liquid
Karrie
Thanks and great idea on using the rice Sherry!
Stephanie
Made this last night as a meal prep for breakfast. THIS IS SO DELICIOUS!! What a great way to use leftover ham and make an easy breakfast. Thank you so much for sharing.
Karrie
Isn't it so delish???!!?? Thanks so much Stephanie and I love this recipe for meal prep too! Also, really appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Cat
So delish! Love everything about it! I used 1 tablespoon of coconut flour instead of 1/4 cup of AP flour and it was perfect, not watery at all. I really recommend that tiny adjustment for those wanting to keep this delish dish truly low carb but wanting the texture to be right. Thanks for the great recipe!!!!!!
Karrie
Thank you so much for your comment Cat and so happy you liked it! Love that the coconut flour worked and I added your instructions in the recipe's notes. Next time I make this, I'm using coconut flour!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Oh girl, I feel ya! There definitely needs to be a balance of making food and eating said food. Glad this bake is on the healthier side. And now with Halloween and Christmas upcoming, watch out. My treadmill is gonna get good use, lol. XOXO
Milena | Craft Beering
Ha! So you like yoga - I didn't now that about you:) This is a breakfast for champions Karrie, love it! Noosa is Chris' favorite thing to eat after dinner. The peach and the blueberry are his top flavors. They are based nearby, just outside of our city's limits. Since I am a plain yogurt die hard fan, I'll take your bake and let Chris deal with Noosa:) Have a great weekend!
Gaila
I can totally relate, I have been trying to be healthier and lose some weight. I have tried to eat the good carbs and proteins and it seems to be working. Have been eating a lot of broccoli and zucchinis lately! your recipe is just perfect for me! Have a nice weekend my friend!