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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Hi Jenn,
I love this recipe and have made it before with the sandwich bread. I happen to have an extra 1lb. loaf of crusty country bread. Would that work as a substitute?
Chris
Sure – enjoy!
I have made this before and it is excellent. Can I substitute gluten free sandwich bread (store bought), and if so, are there any other adjustments I would need to make?
Glad you liked it! Yes, you can use gluten-free bread; no other adjustments are necessary.
Any chance I can omit the bread? If so, what adaptations might I need to consider?
You really need the bread for this – sorry!
I made this and several other of Jenn’s recipes for Christmas, 2023. This was, hands-down, the winner. It was perfect in every way, and there wasn’t a drop left. I should’ve made two. I made zero changes to the recipe and I stored it in the refrigerator overnight, not just the several hours minimum. Delicious.
I was looking for something easy and delicious to add to my Christmas breakfast and stumbled on “once upon a chef” and I am SOOO happy I did. My family loved this! I might have added more sausage than the recipe calls for but only because my family loves sausage! I also made the oatmeal bake and that was also a hit! Thank you for sharing your easy instructions and delicious recipes. I am a total FAN and love your website and your “story” and I am about to order a cookbook.
I made this a few years ago in an 8×8 pan and added too much liquid and it took forever to cook. This time I used a 9×9 pan and reduced all ingredients by 1/3. Turned out great! I added sauteed onion, red & green bell pepper and 2/3 lb sausage. Big hit on Christmas morning. Took a little longer than an hour to cook through. This will be the go-to for Christmas morning from now on.
This may have already been answered: Can I make it the day before and reheat the day of serving? Will reheating it dry it out? Thanks.
Yes, Peggy that will work. I’d reheat it at 325 degrees. Keep it covered with foil and then remove the foil for the last few minutes to crisp up the top. Hope that helps!
It helps tremendously. Thanks so much.
The best.
Can we sub white Broche bread cutting them to the size in the recipe?
Sure!
Can you use hash browns instead of bread? Love all your recipes but your pumpkin bread is always a hit!
Glad you like the pumpkin bread! I do think this could work with frozen hash browns. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it!
The casserole was delicious with hash browns just needed to add an hour to the cooking time!🤩
Glad it came out well — thanks for taking the time to report back! 😊