Ingredients:

  • 1 lb breakfast sausage
  • 1 lb thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
  • 12 large eggs
  • 16 oz small curd cottage cheese
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 30 oz frozen shredded hash browns, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  3. In the same skillet, brown the breakfast sausage until fully cooked. Remove the meat and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.
  4. Sauté the finely diced sweet onion in the remaining fat until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the 12 eggs until well combined. Stir in the cottage cheese, shredded cheddar, shredded Swiss/Jack cheese, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
  6. Fold the cooked bacon, sausage, sautéed onions, and the dried hash browns into the egg and cheese mixture.
  7. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
  8. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 12 generous squares.