Truly the perfect brunch dish, this blintz casserole is eggy, cheesy, sweet, savory, creamy, and crispy. With just a handful of ingredients, itโs simple to put together and worthy of special occasions like Motherโs Day.
You may be asking yourself โ what is a blintz?
A blintz is a thinly rolled pancake or crepe that is stuffed with sweetened ricotta or cottage cheese. It was one of my momโs all time favorite foods. Often accompanied by fruit or jam, blintzes are frequently served at Jewish delis or on special occasions and Jewish holidays.
The following casserole rendition is adapted from my familyโs recipe Rolodex, though my great-aunt Pat told me, โKnowing your grandmother, itโs probably from an old Betty Crocker cookbook.โ
For ease and uniformity, the recipe specifies pre-made frozen blintzes, which can also be found in gluten-free versions. The short list of additional ingredients creates a casserole that really shines and can be a centerpiece for a special brunch at home.
To better describe the final product, during our recipe testing, Ann and I gave out samples to friends and family who had never even heard of blintzes before. The response was consistently positive, but when we asked people to describe what it tasted like, responses were quite varied. Answers included Dutch baby, cheesecake with crusty edges, egg and cheese, French toast, and even cannoli!
Does that help you envision what this casserole tastes like? 🤣
Because itโs a traditional way to enjoy blintzes, we served it alongside Annโs Easy Blueberry Lemon Sauce. Some taste-testers preferred the blintz casserole plain, with no sauce at all, but the sauce stands well on its own for many other recipes. (Ann mixed a generous spoonful of leftovers into these overnights oats over several days. She said it was double blueberry deliciousness and so good!).
I think this recipe is perfect for a brunch because then you donโt have to decide which whether youโre hungry for breakfast or lunch. The ingredients epitomize having it all in one dishโsweet and savory flavors, filling eggs, decadent cheese, and textures ranging from light and creamy to crispy.
Whichever way you eat itโand however you describe the taste โ I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has over the years.
UPDATE! Since this was published, I went to Wegmanโs in Lancaster, PA and found the frozen blintz in the frozen pasta aisle.
Blintz Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter, melted
- ยฝ cup (120ml) orange juice
- ยผ cup (48g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240g) sour cream or whole milk Greek yogurt
- 6 large eggs
- 8-12 blintzes (frozen or fresh; and no need to thaw if frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350โ.
- Pour the melted butter into the bottom of a 9x9 pan.*
- Mix the OJ, sugar, sour cream or yogurt, and eggs.
- Lay theย blintzesย on top of the butter and arrange evenly in pan.
- Pour the wet mixture evenly over theย blintzesย until they are fully covered. If using a smaller pan size, or fewer blintzes, you will likely not need all of the mixture to achieveย this. There wonโt be much mixture leftover anyway, but any extra can be discarded.
- Bake for 1 hour or until bubbly and lightly brown across the surface with some lightly crusty edges. The smooth creamy blintzes are the star of the show, but a crispy edge can look appealing at service if you want to leave in a few minutes longer. Just keep an eye out for burning.
- Let cool for 15 minutes before serving. The casserole may be enjoyed warm or room temperature, plain or topped with Blueberry Lemon Sauce or jam of choice.
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