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Easy Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Casserole Recipe

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A foolproof, crowd-pleasing breakfast casserole made with simple ingredients like eggs, sausage, cheese, and bread. Perfect for holidays, brunch, or lazy weekends, it’s quick to assemble and can be made ahead.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb breakfast sausage (e.g., Jimmy Dean or Johnsonville)
  • 8 large eggs (room temperature preferred, but cold works)
  • 2 cups whole milk (2% is fine, but whole milk gives richest texture)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
  • 6 cups cubed day-old French bread or sourdough (brioche or challah for richer casserole)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (shred from block for best melting)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
  • ½ cup diced onion (optional, sautéed with sausage)
  • ½ cup diced bell pepper (optional)
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions (for garnish, optional)
  • A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Brown the sausage: Place 1 lb breakfast sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until deep golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
  3. Prepare the bread: Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. If bread is fresh, toast lightly in oven for 5 minutes to dry it out.
  4. Layer the casserole: Spread half of the bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish. Sprinkle half of the cooked sausage over the bread. Top with half of the cheddar and half of the mozzarella. Repeat layers: remaining bread, remaining sausage, and remaining cheeses.
  5. Whisk the egg mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together 8 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon onion powder until smooth and pale yellow. Do not over-whisk.
  6. Pour and soak: Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the casserole. Gently press down on bread cubes with a fork to help them absorb the liquid. Let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  7. Bake: Place dish in preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, until center is set (jiggles slightly, not sloshy), edges are golden brown, and a knife inserted in center comes out clean. If top browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil for last 15 minutes.
  8. Rest and serve: Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped green onions if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

For make-ahead: Assemble casserole completely, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 12 hours. In the morning, let sit on counter 20 minutes while oven preheats, then bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes if needed. Do not over-bake; casserole continues to cook as it rests. Shred cheese from a block for best melting. Use day-old crusty bread for best texture. Let casserole rest 10 minutes before cutting for clean slices.

Nutrition

Keywords: breakfast casserole, sausage casserole, egg casserole, brunch recipe, holiday breakfast, make-ahead breakfast, easy breakfast casserole

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/easy-sausage-and-cheese-breakfast-casserole-recipe/