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Easy Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Casserole: Best Make-Ahead Recipe

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This make-ahead breakfast casserole features layers of bread, sausage, and cheese soaked in a creamy egg mixture, baked to golden perfection. It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser for busy mornings and holiday brunches.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 cups cubed day-old sourdough or French bread (about half a loaf)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Optional: ¼ cup chopped green onions for garnish

Instructions

  1. Brown the sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through (6-8 minutes). Leave about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan for flavor. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Prep the baking dish: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray, making sure to get the corners.
  3. Layer the bread: Spread the cubed bread evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. Do not pack it down.
  4. Add the sausage: Sprinkle the cooked sausage evenly over the bread cubes.
  5. Top with cheese: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the sausage and bread. Reserve about ½ cup of cheese for the top.
  6. Make the egg mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, dry mustard powder, salt, and pepper until the mixture is a uniform pale yellow and slightly frothy (about 30 seconds).
  7. Pour the egg mixture: Slowly and evenly pour the egg mixture over the entire casserole. Gently press down on the bread cubes with a fork or your fingers to help them soak up the liquid.
  8. Rest the casserole: Cover the dish with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. This allows the bread to fully absorb the egg mixture.
  9. Preheat and bake: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the casserole from the fridge. Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set (a knife inserted in the middle should come out clean).
  10. Rest before serving: Let the casserole sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before cutting. This helps it set up properly for clean squares.

Notes

Use day-old bread for best texture. If using fresh bread, cube it and dry it in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes. Do not over-soak the bread (8-12 hours is ideal). Let the casserole rest before cutting for cleaner slices. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free bread. For a lower-carb option, swap bread for frozen shredded hash browns (thawed and squeezed dry).

Nutrition

Keywords: breakfast casserole, sausage casserole, make-ahead breakfast, easy breakfast recipe, cheesy breakfast casserole

Find it online: https://tablemira.com/easy-cheesy-sausage-breakfast-casserole-best-make-ahead-recipe/