Breakfast Casserole
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In need of a brunch dish that’s both delicious and easy? My breakfast casserole, brimming with sausage and Cheddar cheese, is your answer. Simply assemble it the night before and bake it to golden perfection in the morning!
If you’re on the lookout for a delicious yet stress-free brunch option, look no further than the classic breakfast casserole. This comforting dish combines traditional breakfast ingredients—eggs, meat, vegetables, cheese, and bread—baked in a single pan for ease. The best part? You can assemble it the night before and simply bake it the following morning, leaving you more time to spend with your guests.
This version, brimming with savory sausage and tangy sharp cheddar, delivers robust flavor, a crispy golden top, and a creamy center. The recipe was given to me by one of my oldest and closest friends, Kelly Santoro, who got it from her friend Corey, who got it from his mother, who originally found it in an old spiral-bound church cookbook. Such is the path of a great recipe!
Table of Contents
“I’ve made this recipe a few times now and it’s quickly become my family’s go-to holiday or special event breakfast. So simple, so easy to prep, and so flavorful.”
What You’ll Need To Make The Breakfast Casserole
- Sweet or spicy pork sausage: Acts as the main protein and flavor base of the casserole. Around the holidays, many grocery stores offer sausage in bulk style, eliminating the need to remove casings. If bulk sausage isn’t available, you can easily remove the meat from its casings by squeezing it out or snipping the casing with scissors and peeling it away.
- Yellow onion: Provides a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.
- White sandwich bread: Serves as the structure of the casserole, absorbing the egg mixture and giving body and texture to the final dish.
- Grated sharp cheddar cheese: Adds a rich, tangy flavor that complements the sausage, while also contributing to the casserole’s cheesy, creamy texture.
- Fresh parsley: Offers a burst of color and fresh, herby flavor, brightening the overall taste.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, creating the custard-like base that solidifies when baked, giving the casserole its structure.
- Half-and-half: Enhances the creaminess and richness of the egg mixture, contributing to the moist and tender texture of the casserole.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by cutting the bread into cubes. Set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break the meat into small clumps, until browned, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the sausage to a large mixing bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Turn the heat down to medium, then add the onions to the pan along with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook the onions, stirring constantly, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the onions to the mixing bowl with the sausage, along with the bread cubes, grated cheese and parsley.
Toss well, then spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture.
Cover tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least a few hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for about one hour, uncovered, until puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately.
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Frequently Asked Question
Yes, you can freeze the casserole before baking. Assemble the casserole according to the recipe, but don’t bake it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to two months. When you’re ready to bake, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed.
The best way to reheat the breakfast casserole is in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), cover the casserole with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out, and heat for about 20 minutes, or until warmed through. For individual portions, a microwave can be used, heating in 30-second intervals until hot.
I don’t recommend it, as turning this particular casserole into a vegetarian dish would require too many adjustments due to its reliance on sausage for flavor. However, for a fantastic vegetarian alternative, I recommend trying my Spinach and Cheese Strata (“strata” is just a fancy term for a breakfast casserole).
Absolutely! You can substitute pork sausage with either chicken or turkey sausage to suit your dietary preferences or for a lighter version of the casserole.
Video Tutorial
Breakfast Casserole
In need of a brunch dish that’s both delicious and easy? My breakfast casserole, brimming with sausage and Cheddar cheese, is your answer. Simply assemble it the night before and bake it to golden perfection in the morning!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 pound sweet or spicy pork sausage (casings removed)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 loaf (18 slices) white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm, crusts removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half
- Scant teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
- In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break the meat into small clumps, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large mixing bowl, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Turn the heat down to medium, then add the onions to the pan along with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook the onions, stirring constantly, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the onions to the mixing bowl with the sausage, along with the bread cubes, grated cheese, and parsley. Toss well, then spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Bake for about one hour, uncovered, until puffed and golden brown. Slice into squares and serve immediately.
- Note: The cook time is based on cooking the bread pudding directly out of the refrigerator. If it's left to sit out at room temperature before baking, check for doneness after 45 minutes.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: To freeze the casserole before baking, assemble it according to the recipe, but don't bake it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to two months. When you're ready to bake, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 669
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated fat: 20 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Sodium: 1098 mg
- Cholesterol: 251 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can this be frozen ahead of time?
Hi Kate, I’ve never tried freezing this dish, and not sure how well it would freeze with the eggs and dairy. Sorry!
This dish is regular in my freezer :))
Good to know, thank you! Cooked or uncooked, Marijeta?
Made this for the first time (I am very brave, but trust your recipes) for a potluck for our bridge group. As I moved through the room visiting the comments were: “Did you try this?? Who made it? It’s DELICIOUS!” and so on with variations. The cassserole dish was completely empty in short order. Like the others who have left rave reviews, I agree this is a keeper. The worst part is that because of my calorie counting I only tasted a small spoonful of it. Your recipes are the best on the net and my “go-to” site when I want to try something new. Thanks so much! Sigrid Price, Napa, CA
Stop what you’re doing and make this-IMMEDIATELY!! This is the best strata ever! My family loves it every time I make it. Do yourself a favor and double it for leftovers-you’ll thank me later! Jenn-I love that I can trust that every recipe you publish is fabulous! You’re my go to for new, interesting recipes!
I made this for my mom’s bridge group luncheon of eight women, substituting turkey sausage for the pork. They all raved about it! It was great to be able to make ahead, and then have her house smelling so wonderful as it was cooking in the oven as they arrived. As you suggested to one commenter, I made the strawberry and orange salad as a side dish – also a big hit! Perfect combo.
I trust every recipe you provide. I don’t think I’ve ever had a miss. Well done!
I substituted pork sausage for ground beef. My 3,5 (veeery picky) and 2-year-old DEVOURED their plates (hurraaaay). Is there a way to make it taste more like the original recipe? What seasonings would you recommend? Sould I add some pancetta? Thank you:)
So glad they enjoyed it, Marijeta! I’m not sure what you mean by the original recipe, but I’m sure a little pancetta would be delicious and you could always use fresh herbs, like thyme or rosemary.
I’m sorry I didn’t make my question clear enough. When I said “original recipe” it meant the recipe how you posted it. Since I substitute ground beef for sausage it is a bit healthier but it’s definitely not tastier. I’m curious is there a way to make ground meat taste more like sausage 😀
Ahh- got it! Yes, sausage does have a lot more flavor – Some spices I would add to ground beef to more closely mimic sausage — a bit of oregano, Italian seasoning, whole or ground fennel seeds, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Hope that helps!
This recipe is outstanding – perfect for a breakfast gathering! I have made this multiple times to take to school for our staff, and it is always a hit. I am a faithful fan of Jen’s awesome recipes!
This delicious bread pudding is loaded with flavor! I made it for New Year’s Day brunch and all were delighted. I try to eat healthy and this is just a bit more cheesy creamy than I normally cook but worth the splurge for the holiday. It is very satisfying and easy to make.
Hi Jenn
This sounds delicious and would love to make it. Is there a way you could send me the ingredients for two? Thanks your recipes are great, appreciate any help you can give me.
Hi Mary, So glad you like the recipes. If you want to make this to serve two, Math is not my strong suit, but I’d cut all the ingredients by 2/3. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Made some changes so I didn’t want to rate this the 5 stars it probably deserves. I halved the recipe to make in 8×8 pan.
Used Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles, added chopped red & green pepper with the onion, but forgot to saute before adding to the bread cubes (oops – but turned out fine). Also added about 1/2-1tsp of ground mustard.
My bread seemed a little dry after I added the egg mix, even though I stirred it well, so I added another egg and some more 1/2 and 1/2. MISTAKE!
Took almost 2 hours of baking to absorb all the liquid. Next time, rather than pouring the egg mixture over the bread in the pan, I’ll mix bread, vegs, & egg mix in a bowl to make sure all the bread is absorbing the egg mix.
All of that said, it was delicious and is added to my favorites!
Dry Mustard powder is key !
Made this for Christmas breakfast, after having transported the dry and wet mixes to the house I’m staying at. Verdict: request to make this a Christmas tradition! Excellent and easy.