Ricotta Egg Bake with Spinach

This ricotta egg bake with spinach packs in leafy greens, veggies, cheese, and bacon for a crowd-pleasing meal ready for brunch or the week's meal prep. With a richer, fluffy texture from the ricotta, this versatile egg dish comes together by hand and freezes well.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Bake Time 55

Total Time 1 45

Servings slices

Calories 401kcal

Author Alyssa

Ingredients

1 pound bacon cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
1 large red bell pepper seeded and diced
1 large green bell pepper seeded and diced
1 medium onion diced
12 large eggs
15 ounces good-quality part-skim ricotta or whole
½ cup milk your preferred kind
2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup finely-grated Pecorino Romano
1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided, or your preferred kind

Instructions

Cook bacon: Cook bacon in your preferred manner until crisped, then chop it into crumbles. I like to bake it by placing the strips side-by-side in a single layer on a large, foil-lined rimmed sheet pan . Place the sheet pan on the middle rack of a cold (off) oven, then once it's in set the oven to 425°F. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy to your liking. Remove the bacon with tongs to a paper-towel lined plate to drain, then once cool enough to safely handle chop into large bite-sized bits. Set aside for now.
Heat oven & prepare pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside for now.
Sauté vegetables: Add olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Once heated, add the diced bell peppers and onion. Stir occasionally over the next 5-6 minutes as they soften. Then add the spinach leaves in batches (adding more once room opens up in the pan). Stir everything up as the spinach wilts over the next 3-4 minutes, the once wilted, remove the pan from the heat.
Combine the egg base: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth, then whisk in the ricotta (no need to drain) and milk. Whisk well to break up all large clumps, but small solid bits of ricotta are just fine to leave - it doesn't have to be totally smooth. Whisk in the Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
Fold in the rest: Add the crumbled bacon, sautéed vegetables, Pecorino, and about ¾ cup of the cheddar cheese to the bowl and stir to combine evenly.
Assemble and bake: Pour the egg mixture into the prepared pan and evenly scatter the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese over top. Bake uncovered for 50-55 minutes, or until the center is set and the internal temperature registers at least 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Slice and serve: Let the egg bake rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving, either warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Bacon type: Use what you like, but if thick/extra-thick cut make sure it's cooked until nice and crisp before crumbling, as those wider slices can lean chewy.
Cooking bacon: It's ultra important when baking bacon to use a rimmed pan to contain the significant amount of fat released.
Excess moisture: If you notice pooled moisture in the pan of veggies after wilting the spinach, you can dab it away with a paper towel before adding the veggies to the egg mixture (you don't need to wring it out or anything).
Storage: Once cooled, wrap leftover slices in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To freeze, place wrapped slices into an air-tight freezer bag (press out all excess air before sealing) and freeze for up to 3 months for the best flavor.

Nutrition

Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.