Baked Denver Omelet
Updated Feb 15, 2022, Published Apr 08, 2020
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Baked Denver Omelet is an easy quiche version of the classic with red pepper, green pepper and ham along with plenty of cheese! Diced jalapeno replaces some of the green pepper for a kicked-up modern twist and you don’t need any fancy omelet-making skills!
One of my favorite things to order when we go out for breakfast or brunch is a Denver omelet, also known as a Western Omelet, with plenty of spicy salsa on the side. With going out for breakfast not happening any time soon, I was craving my “go-to!”
One of my favorite places in the world is the Denver area and we visit friends and family there every year. We’re still hoping to do that this year but with everything going on right now, only time will tell.
So, rather than pine away for two of my favorite things, I made this Spicy Baked Denver Omelet!
What is a Denver or Western Omelet?
The origin of a Denver omelet, also known as a Western omelet, is believed to have originated as a sandwich for cattle drivers in the American West and possibly with Chinese railroad cooks as a portable egg foo yong.
No matter the origin, it always contains ham, peppers and onions and sometimes shredded cheese.
Ingredients:
- Cooking Spray
- Butter (can also use oil such as olive oil)
- Onion
- Red and Green Bell Peppers
- Jalapeno Pepper
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Diced Cooked Ham
- Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese
- Eggs
- Milk or Half-and-Half
How to Make a Baked Denver Omelet:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Heat butter over medium heat in a skillet or saute pan. Add the onion, red and green bell pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes just to soften.
- Add the jalapeno and cook for 30 seconds.
- Season vegetables with salt and black pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and let cool slightly.
- Add the diced ham.
- Add shredded Cheddar and Monterey jack cheese…
- Whisk eggs and milk (or half-and-half) together. Pour over the vegetable-ham-cheese combination.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until set and lightly browned on top.
- Cut into 6 to 8 wedges and serve.
And that’s it! A breakfast classic turned into an easy baked version with a jalapeno kick! No need to have any fancy omelet-making skills!
Because it’s crustless, Spicy Baked Denver Omelet is perfect for gluten-free, low-carb and keto diets, too!
Enjoy!
Storing Leftovers:
If there’s any of this delicious goodness left, be sure to store in the refrigerator.
You can microwave to reheat any leftovers, but the oven at 350 degrees will yield the best results.
For more great breakfast and brunch recipes, be sure to try my:
- Hash Brown Frittatas with Kale, Bacon and Cheddar
- Breakfast Strata with Asparagus, Artichokes, Ham and Gruyere
- Muffin Pan Stratas with Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Four-Cheese Strata with Zucchini and Tomatoes
- Crustless Spinach Artichoke and Jalapeno Quiche
- Crustless Quiche with Sausage, Bacon and Ham
- Oven-Baked Spanish Tortilla
Baked Denver Omelet
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped (approximately 2/3 cup)
- 1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped (approximately 1/3 cup)
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded if desired, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces diced cooked ham, approximately 1 cup
- 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, sharp, medium or mild
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup milk, or half-and-half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch round baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Heat butter over medium heat in a skillet or saute pan. Add the onion, red and green bell pepper and cook 3-4 minutes just to soften.
- Add the jalapeno and cook for 30 seconds.
- Season vegetables with salt and black pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and let cool slightly.
- Add the diced ham and cheeses and stir to distribute evenly.
- Whisk eggs and milk (or half-and-half) together. Pour over the vegetable-ham-cheese combination.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set and lightly browned on top.
- Cut into 6 to 8 wedges and serve.
Notes
- Kick up the heat by replacing some of the bell peppers with Poblano peppers.
- Cut into wedges if desired. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
- Wrap securely. Freeze 1-2 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator then reheat in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Hi! I have a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Would that work to bake it in?
Hi, Jacob, Thanks so much for your question. Unless your cast iron skillet is REALLY well-seasoned, it will stick like crazy. The other problem is the size. The recipe is scaled for a 10-inch baking dish so with a 12-inch you’d need to increase the amounts of each item so you don’t have a pancake. Do you have a nonstick muffin tin? You could bake the recipe in that and then you have perfectly portioned mini Denver omelets. A pie pan would also work. Thanks again and hope you can make it work!