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 perfect for weekend guests, Christmas morning, or any occasion, look no further than this classic breakfast casserole recipe. 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, giving you more time to spend with your guests.
Brimming with savory sausage and tangy sharp cheddar, this casserole delivers robust flavor, a crispy golden top, and a creamy center. The recipe was passed on to me by one of my oldest and closest friends, Kelly Santoro, who got it from her friend Corey, who received it from his mother, who originally found it in an old spiral-bound church cookbook. Such is the path of a great recipe!
“It’s the perfect breakfast casserole. 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: Serves as the main protein and flavor base of the casserole. During the holidays, many grocery stores offer sausage in bulk, 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. Feel free to replace the pork sausage with chicken or turkey sausage for a lighter option.
- 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 spices in the sausage, while also contributing to the casserole’s cheesy, creamy texture. I love cheddar here, but any good melting cheese such as Monterey jack, Colby jack, gouda, or Gruyère will work nicely.
- Fresh parsley: Lends color and fresh, herby flavor.
- Large 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 nonstick large 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 bowl, leaving the grease in the pan. Reduce the temperature to medium heat, then add the onions to the pan along with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook the onions, stirring constantly, until soft and translucent, about 5 min.
Add the onions to the mixing bowl with the sausage, along with the bread cubes, grated cheese and parsley.
Stir well, then spread the mixture into an even layer in 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 put in the fridge for at least a few hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for about one hour, uncovered, until the dish has puffed up and the top of the bread is golden brown. Serve immediately.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 omitting the sausage, as it provides much of the casserole’s flavor. If you’d like a fantastic vegetarian option, I recommend my Spinach and Cheese Strata (“strata” is just a fancy term for a breakfast casserole).
Video Tutorial
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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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Comments
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Hi Jen,
Could I omit the cream since we are all lactose intolerant and could I use bacn instead of sausage due to allergies?
Thanks,
Veena
Hi Veena, It won’t work to omit the half-and-half here, but you could substitute lactose-free whole milk. And while I think this is best with sausage, you could get away with using bacon. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Thanks!!
I found lactose free half and half.
Veena
I love your recipes
Just made this for visiting family…a real hit. It took about 15 minutes to put together with the help of a sous chef granddaughter. If you live in Florida, I used Publix English Muffin bread torn into pieces… so good. Made it just as written but might think of using green onions next time for a bit of color. Thanks for the recipe! Mj
One more question! In some of the recipes you say not to brown the onions. Why?
When I say that in recipes, it’s because I want the the onions to be nice and tender, but not cooked too far beyond that point. And for garlic – if you brown it, it can take on a bit of a bitter flavor.
Hi Jenn!
Quick question… 95% of the bead we use around here is homemade. Is there a way to more accurately quantify how much bread I should use for this recipe? This time it is challah, if that helps at all 🙃 Thank you so much for the insight!! Your recipes are the best!!
Kristiana
So glad you like the recipes! 😊 I’ve never measured the bread once I’ve cubed it, but I suspect it should about be 10 – 12 cups.
No comment but a question, your thoughts on using croissants as a substitute?
Hi Ellen, you could use croissants, but it will be very rich.
Followed all directions. Had to bake longer than recommended as it was still cool inside.
Not much flavor and somewhat dry. Disappointed.
I love this recipe. I love how versatile it can be. I have made it as written but also with sourdough bread, jalepeno cheddar bread, stale baguettes, or whatever I have on hand. It’s delicious. Thank you Jenn.
I have a family of two, is there a way to successfully cut this recipe? I would love to avoid waste, we just could not eat a 9 X13 pan. Thank you
Hi Jamie, you can cut the recipe in half and use an 8 x 8 baking dish. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Wow! This breakfast casserole was so good! I made it twice this week for a family vacation breakfast. The first time I only let it sit for 30 minutes before baking. The 2nd time I let it sit overnight. Both were amazing, however, the one that sat overnight was definitely more creamy. Both were great and the family couldn’t say which was better, just different textures. Thank you for the amazing recipe! We also made your cheesecake. Your recipes are a staple in our house.
We love this recipe and have it every Easter! Thank you!
Grandson’s birthday party is the day before Easter so it’s a busy day. How would the casserole fair if I made it two days before I baked it instead of one?
Hi Sally, that should be fine (and so glad you like it)! Happy birthday to your grandson 😊