Crock Pot Cheesy Breakfast Casserole - Recipes That Crock! (2024)

FAQs

Why is my breakfast casserole soggy? ›

According to Allrecipes, the vegetables you selected are the most common culprit for your watery casserole, due to the high percentage of moisture that some of them contain in their raw form which seeps out as they cook down in your dish.

Prop the lid up for evaporation.

While your dinner cooks, prop the lid open a bit so that moisture can escape and thicken the stew naturally without extending the cooking time too much. Skewers or chopsticks between the lid and the crock of the slow cooker work well for this.

Preheating the crock before adding ingredients or cooking on the highest setting for the first hour will ensure a rapid heat start and will shorten the time foods are in the temperature danger zone. This is highly recommended when cooking meat or poultry in a slow cooker.

The casserole is covered and refrigerated overnight to allow the liquid ingredients to be absorbed into the bread. This is a perishable mixture and should be cooked the morning or day after assembly.

To prevent a soupy casserole, be sure to fully thaw any frozen vegetables in a colander over a bowl, and pat dry, squeeze excess moisture out of greens like spinach or chard, and quickly precook watery fresh vegetables like onions, mushrooms or squashes just until they release their moisture.

Mix the cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water to make a paste (called "slaking" or "making a slurry"). Whisk this paste into the hot liquid and let it simmer, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. The sauce should thicken as it cooks and it is easy to add extra cornfliur if the sauce should be thicker.

Not adding enough liquid can lead to burning.

"It's important to add enough liquid to ensure the bottom of your dish doesn't burn."

For Liquid - As there is little evaporation when cooking with a slow cooker, you need to reduce the amount of liquid. As a general rule, reduce the liquid (such as stock, wine or water) by about half of the original amount.

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

When to add cheese to a slow cooker? ›

Add dairy products last: If dairy ingredients such as milk are added too soon in the cooking process, they will curdle (break apart and produce a grainy residue of milk solids and water). If cheese is added too soon, it can seize up and become gluey, or the fat in the cheese can separate out into an oily layer.

Yes. Most people fret when it comes to cooking two dishes at once, but it's your oven's job to keep the internal temperature set to what you selected. It may have to work a little harder when two or more cold dishes are inserted but trust that it will do its job.

Egg Casserole

They are heartier than a quiche, leaning more towards a strata in texture. If you are dairy-free, you can use almond, cashew, coconut, hemp, rice, soy milk, or any other non-dairy milk you prefer.

First things first — don't panic. Just because your casserole is starting to look a bit soupy doesn't mean it's beyond saving. In fact, all you need to do is add some pasta noodles or grains to your base. This trick works for the simple reason that both types of ingredients soak up water as they cook.

Be sure to drain ingredients well, squeezing out excess moisture whenever possible. Watery ingredients will create a watery egg bake. Season every layer to achieve a more flavorful egg bake.

Nuts. Naturally crunchy and unlikely to get soggy like the other foods on this list, nuts make a delicious choice for casserole topping. Good, neutral options include chopped walnuts or almond slivers. For bolder flavor and color, opt for pistachios, or make it an extra rich dish with a sprinkling of toasted cashews.

Covering the dish will trap the steam in and keep it moist while it heats. How do you moisten a dry casserole? Add a little water or milk to the top of the it before reheating.