There’s absolutely nothing better than waking up on Saturday or Sunday morning and getting a breakfast burrito to wash away all of your previous nights’ drinking. I’ve eaten so many breakfast burritos (and often) throughout the years that I do believe myself to be a connoisseur on the subject. The best in the Los Angeles region are at Corner Cottage in Burbank. It’s potato heavy, which makes my potato loving heart so happy, and the salsa they serve it with is incredible. The second best is right down the street from me in Pasadena at a place called Tops and it’s really good. I like these because they’re made with crispy hash browns and they’re giant. I prefer bacon in my burritos but I’ll take them anyway I can get them. With all that being said, I wanted to create an easier way to serve breakfast burritos for a crowd. That’s where this Chorizo Breakfast Burrito Casserole comes into play. It’s perfect for the holidays and for breakfast and for brunch and for dinner. Basically, I’m saying it’s perfect all day every day of the year, and I hope you’ll give it a try!
Let’s start by making the different fillings for this casserole. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the chorizo and begin breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the chorizo has cooked through and begun to brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
**Note: If you don’t like chorizo or can’t find any at the store for some reason, you can definitely use breakfast sausage or even bacon in this casserole instead! Just cook as directed!**
Peel the potatoes and grate using the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to shredded potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water. This will remove excess starch and prevent the potatoes from turning brown. Drain and then transfer the potato shreds to a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry very well.
**Tip: If you’d like to speed things along, you can totally use either frozen hash browns, that you’ve thawed or those fresh hash browns that you can now find in the refrigerated section. Just cook as I instructed below!**
Using the same skillet you cooked the chorizo in, set over moderate heat. Add the remaining oil and once hot, add the shredded potatoes. Season liberally with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Then using a spatula press the potatoes together to pack them in. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to fully brown the bottom. Flip over the potatoes to cook the second side. Once done, remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper until evenly combined. If you’d like to add a bit of a kick here, you can also add a few dashed of hot sauce as well!
To assemble the casserole, place two tortillas on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, overlapping to make them fit. Top with the browned chorizo, spreading out to create an even layer.
Next, top with the browned hash browns, which you can break up and place on top to make them fit into an even layer.
**Tip: You want to make sure each layer is even so that when you slice it, everyone gets a bite of each ingredient with each serving!**
Carefully pour in the beaten egg mixture. Bake uncovered, in a preheated 375°F oven until puffed up and almost done, about 20 to 25 minutes.
**Note: You don’t want to cook it all the way at this point because we still have one more step and it’ll continue to cook later on!**
Meanwhile, to make the salsa, cut the stems off the dried chiles and remove the seeds. Place a saucepan over moderate heat with the oil. Once hot, add the arbol chiles and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes to toast. Add the hot water, turn off the heat and then cover with a lid. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes or until the chiles have softened and cooled somewhat. Place all the remaining ingredients into a blender, along with the drained arbol chiles. Blend on high until the salsa is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
**Tip: You can make this ahead of time and just keep in the fridge for about a week. It’s great on so many other recipes and so I always like to make this salsa all the time and just have it on hand!**
Once the casserole is almost done, remove from the oven and then top with half of the shredded cheese. I’m using a Colby Jack cheese but you can use whatever cheese you have on hand!
Place the remaining two tortillas on top and then finish off with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, to finish cooking the center of the casserole and melt the cheese.
Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting up and serving. This will give the casserole a chance to settle and make it easier to slice later on!
I like to serve it with a bit of fresh sliced avocado and that homemade salsa we made earlier! A little dollop of sour cream wouldn’t hurt either. Fresh lime juice? Why not!
If you don’t have the time to make the salsa, feel free to use store-bought salsa because that shouldn’t prevent you from making this recipe. The casserole itself it amazing!
This is such a great recipe for brunch or breakfast for a crowd. Or if you’re looking for that great casserole to serve on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning! You can prepare it before hand and just bake on the morning of.
I hope you’ll give this one a try soon! I really like it, and not only because I love breakfast burritos so much, but because it’s completely versatile so you can customize it as you need to! Make it vegetarian or use your favorite breakfast meat! I hope you’ll give it a try….don’t forget that salsa, it’s bomb dot com.
Chorizo Breakfast Burrito Casserole
Ingredients
Casserole:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound chorizo sausage
- 3 medium russet potatoes
- kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 12 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 4 large 12-inch flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
Salsa:
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 6 dried arbol chiles
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 1 14.5-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- 3 scallions trimmed
- 4 serrano peppers less if you want to control the heat
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish, set aside.
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the chorizo and begin breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the chorizo has cooked through and begun to brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Peel the potatoes and grate using the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to shredded potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water. This will remove excess starch and prevent the potatoes from turning brown. Drain and then transfer the potato shreds to a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry very well.
- Using the same skillet you cooked the chorizo in, set over moderate heat. Add the remaining oil and once hot, add the shredded potatoes. Season liberally with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Then using a spatula press the potatoes together to pack them in. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to fully brown the bottom. Flip over the potatoes to cook the second side. Once done, remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper until evenly combined.
- To assemble the casserole, place two tortillas on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, overlapping to make them fit. Top with the browned chorizo, spreading out to create an even layer. Top with the browned hash browns and then pour in the beaten egg mixture. Bake until puffed up and almost done, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and then top with half of the shredded cheese. Place the remaining two tortillas on top and then finish off with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, to finish cooking the center of the casserole and melt the cheese.
- Meanwhile, to make the salsa, cut the stems off the dried chiles and remove the seeds. Place a saucepan over moderate heat with the oil. Once hot, add the arbol chiles and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes to toast. Add the hot water, turn off the heat and then cover with a lid. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes or until the chiles have softened and cooled somewhat. Place all the remaining ingredients into a blender, along with the drained arbol chiles. Blend on high until the salsa is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Cut the casserole into squares and serve with the salsa, avocado or sour cream! Enjoy!
I feel like this is the best idea I’ve ever heard…except I’m subbing tater tots for the has browns!
I approve of the tater tot addition and I’m only mad I didn’t think of it before. I love tater tots!
If I wanted to make this ahead (say, night before), how far would I assemble it/chill in fridge before taking out, bringing to room temp, and baking?
You definitely can! I would assemble up to the point when you pour in the beaten egg mixture. Just pour it in, cover and refrigerate. Then take it out while the oven preheats and bake as directed. Then you can finish it off with the cheese and tortilla at the end!
Thanks, Jonathan!
Any suggestions for substituting the dried arbol chillies? Don’t think they are easily available here in Queensland.
I can get canned chipotle chillies.
You can definitely use canned chipotle chillies (I’d say about a tablespoon or so, depending on your heat preference).