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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Made this casserole last night and came out perfect and delicious! Quickly added it to “my recipe box “ and look forward to having it again for dinner with salad! 🙂
Good morning, I’ve just made the casserole. It was delicious. What I didn’t understand was the half and half on the ingredients list … what is it about, please?
Many thanks,
Isilda
Hi Islida, It sounds like you may live outside the US? Half and Half is just a mixture of half whole milk and half cream. I’m not sure where you live, but in the UK, it’s referred to as half cream. Hope that clarifies!
Hi! I don’t have half and half on hand but I do have heavy cream and whole milk. Should I use one cup of each or all of one or the other in place of the half and half? Thank you so much!
I’d go with one cup of each. Enjoy!
Like nearly everyone else, I thought that this casserole was absolutely delicious! Changes I made thanks to helpful commenters were: Add two 4 oz. cans of Hatch green chilis drained (will add 4 cans next time); 2 tsp. of Dijon mustard in the egg mixture; 1 red bell pepper, sauteed w/onions first; one 9 oz. package of mini-croissants from the bakery, halved, toasted in the oven at 350° ’til lightly browned (about 10 min.) and then broken into bite-size pieces.
The best ingredient was that I got to share the casserole with a neighbor who suffered a recent loss. Thanks as always for all of your time & effort in helping others here, Jenn.
Absolutely delicious😊I made it on Saturday and baked Easter morning. The whole family loved it! Since my baking dish is glass I brought to room temperature and lowered temperature 25 degrees. Baked 45 minutes then increased 25 degrees for 15 minutes to brown. Perfect 💕
Can it be any simpler?? This was a fantastically easy and super delish breakfast casserole! I made mine Saturday evening and popped it in the oven Easter morning for 45 minutes since I removed it from the fridge ahead of time. I used plant sausage, vegan cheddar cheese, and Ripple half-and-half to accommodate the vegans in the group and EVERYONE loved the dish! Served with fresh pico de gallo and guacamole, yum! This will be a standard “go-to” receipe!
What did you use for the eggs?
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! Your egg casserole is the BEST. The eggs and bread were pillowy delicious and the sausage, parsley and cheese scrumptious… Also, I made your The Best Strawberry Shortcake – OMG THE BEST!!! I have tried so many of your recipes Jenn and every recipe has been a hit with my family & friends. You are my first go-to when searching for a recipe. Do you have an egg casserole with hashbrowns & bacon or any suggestions. Again, thank you…
Glad this was a hit (and thanks for your kind words about the recipes)! As of now, I don’t have a recipe for an egg casserole that has hashbrowns and bacon, but I will add it to my list of recipes to potentially develop. 🙂
Another EXCELLENT recipe. The only thing I did was weigh the bread in case I couldn’t find Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread (425 g). Thank you!
Absolutely delicious! This has just replaced my previous go to overnight casserole. I made this with Tennessee Pride hot sausage, a particularly spicy brand, and it worked beautifully though I’m sure any type or brand of sausage would be just fine. I made a half recipe since it was a meal for just the two of us. I prepped it in the afternoon and cooked it several hours later. I paired this with Jenn’s strawberry/orange fruit salad and a hot biscuit for a great breakfast for dinner meal. This will definitely be making an appearance at holiday brunches. Thank you for another winner!
I am planning to make this for Easter brunch. Got so much extra advice and tips from reading the reviews which were all crazy good. You are my go- to- chef for recipes, Jenn. Made your Pad Thai this last week and it was delicious! So grateful for your recipes.
💕