Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe

This combination of eggs, breakfast sausage, cheddar, and bread is definitely worth waking up for.

Breakfast casseroles are the best way to feed a group of people with just one dish — especially when you’re bleary-eyed and still waking up. And this kid-friendly sausage and egg casserole checks all the boxes of what I like to eat when I want a full breakfast: breakfast sausage, cheese, eggs, and bread.

The best part? You can assemble the whole thing the night before. Here’s how to do it.

Ingredients in My Sausage Breakfast Casserole

One of my favorite things about this casserole is that it uses up whole quantities of many of the ingredients, which makes it both easy to shop for and easy to prep. Here are the main things you’ll need to have on hand.

Bread: Good ol’ white sandwich bread soaks up the custard easily, but don’t get the really soft, cottony kind. A heartier white sandwich bread will hold up best; I like the Oroweat brand (or Arnold in other parts of the country).
Eggs: A full dozen eggs go into the custard.
Half-and-half: One small carton (2 cups) provides moisture and the right amount of richness.
Breakfast sausage: You’ll need 1 pound uncooked breakfast sausage, preferably without casings, as the sausage in casings is harder to break up in the pan as it cooks. Look for it at the butcher counter or near the hot dogs.
Sharp cheddar cheese: For maximum convenience, grab an 8-ounce bag of pre-shredded cheese. I like white cheddar purely based on how it looks when it bakes up in the casserole, but orange cheddar will taste exactly the same.

How to Make Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Cook the sausage. You’ll start by cooking the sausage on the stovetop.
Make the custard. While it’s cooking, mix together the custard by whisking together the eggs, half-and-half, dry mustard, salt, and pepper.
Stir in the bread and cheese. Add the sandwich bread (cut or tear it with your hands if you don’t want to dirty a knife), cooked sausage, and half of the cheese to the custard. Stir to combine, which helps distribute the ingredients more evenly than layering them in the baking dish.
Bake the casserole. Pour the mixture into the dish, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake until golden-brown, 50 to 55 minutes.

Should You Cover Breakfast Casserole When Baking?

There’s no need to cover the breakfast casserole before baking, as leaving it uncovered helps get the top golden-brown. Bake until the casserole is set — a knife inserted into the center should come out clean.

Can You Freeze Sausage Breakfast Casserole?

The best part of this casserole is that you can assemble it right before baking or the night before, whatever suits your schedule best. If refrigerated overnight, let it sit at room temperature while the oven heats and bake for the same amount of time. You can even freeze the whole casserole, but I prefer to bake it first, as I don’t like freezing raw eggs. Simply thaw the baked casserole in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in the oven before serving.

If you’re not feeding a lot of people, you can easily halve this recipe or divide the mixture into two (8×8-inch) baking dishes before baking. That way, you can eat half now and freeze half for another time. Thawed squares can be rewarmed in the oven or microwave for a super-fast breakfast full of protein.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
14 to 16 ounces uncooked pork breakfast sausage
Cooking spray or olive oil
12 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups), preferably white
6 slices hearty white sandwich bread (8 to 9 ounces)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Remove the casings from 14 to 16 ounces pork breakfast sausage if needed. Add the sausage to the pan and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and starting to brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil. Place 12 large eggs, 2 cups half-and-half, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl and whisk until combined.
Grate 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 cups). Cut or tear 6 slices white sandwich bread into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups). Add half of the cheese (1 cup) and all of the bread to the egg mixture.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage into the egg mixture and gently fold until everything is evenly combined. Pour into the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 or up to 24 hours. Alternatively, this casserole can be baked right away: let the casserole sit while the oven heats so the bread has time to absorb the custard.
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. If the casserole has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature while the oven is heating.
Bake uncovered until the top is golden-brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

RECIPE NOTES

Make ahead: The casserole can be assembled, covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Uncover before baking.

The casserole can also be frozen fully baked. Let cool, cover first with aluminum foil and then plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature while heating the oven to 325ºF. Remove the plastic wrap and bake covered with aluminum foil until heated through, 50 to 60 minutes.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave until warmed through, 45 seconds to 1 minute.