Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole (+Video)
One of the best Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole recipes out there! Made with bread, cheese, Jimmy Dean sausage, and eggs, it's a hearty meal and the best idea for an easy Christmas morning breakfast. It's a great, easy make ahead breakfast recipe!
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Introduction
Have I got a treat for you today! This Overnight Breakfast Casserole with Sausage is one staple recipe in my arsenal. You're going to love the hearty flavor combo in this one.
It has the rich flavors of sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, mustard (yes, mustard), and eggs. The ingredients work together for a crowd-pleasing breakfast or brunch recipe. And the best part? The morning prep work so easy.
Let's jump right into it!
One of my go-to breakfast recipes!
Way back in 2011, before Pinterest was even a big thing, I published the original version this recipe on the blog. That post didn't even have a picture on it. But it continues to be a favorite recipe in our home, even after all these years.
It's gotten a couple of revamps over time. With the new school year coming up, I thought everyone could use an easy make ahead breakfast like this.
If you need a go-to, quick, easy sausage breakfast casserole, this is it. Its main ingredients are sausage, bread, eggs, and cheese. There's not much more to it. But, when combined, every ingredient shines, bringing out the best flavors at breakfast.
No real bells and whistles here; this is your basic staple recipe that I assure you you'll go back to time and time again.
A Family Tradition
I can't take credit for this recipe – as a matter of fact, my father-in-law is famous for this one. I've tried for years to make it as well as he does. I can't. Nobody can.
In our family, we're convinced he has some kind of voodoo magic over this casserole. He makes it so much better than everyone else. Or, he's holding back a couple of secret ingredients from the rest of us. 🙂
Even so, I continue to try. I'm able to *almost* make it as well as he does.
This makes for an easy make ahead breakfast or even a breakfast for dinner (that's what we did last week). It's hearty enough to be a full meal on its own. I usually pair it with some fruit or a light toast/bagel. It doesn't need a lot of extra bells and whistles at all.
I'm a sucker for a make ahead recipe. This one is easy to whip up the night before (hello, easy Christmas morning breakfast).
If you happen to have guests over for brunch, keep this recipe around. No need to stay in the kitchen cooking. It's as simple as prepping overnight and popping in the oven the next morning!
Variations for this Recipe
The flavors in Overnight Breakfast Casserole work so well together. With a bread base, you're going to top with sausage (you could also use bacon or ham) and cheese. Then, you'll pour a simple egg mixture over that and allow it to sit overnight.
Allowing this to mellow out overnight lets that mixture soak into the bread. This gives it a rich, almost creamy base with a crunchy topping and tons of rich flavors.
There are lots of possible variations too. You could use shredded hash browns, diced potatoes, or biscuits instead of bread. You can also add an addition of onions, green chiles, or bell peppers, even topping with avocado or salsa. The cheese can be whatever you'd like; colby jack, pepper jack, or swiss cheese would be great additions.
It would be great jazzed up but it's also wonderful all on its own.
Can I make breakfast casserole in a Crock Pot?
This would be great if made in the Crock Pot or other slow cooker. Layer in the bottom of a Crock Pot like you would in a regular baking dish. Allow that dish to sit in the fridge overnight; bake on low for 4-6 hours.
As much as I love my Instant Pot, I wouldn't recommend making this breakfast sausage casserole recipe via pressure cooking. There's not enough liquid is in the recipe to make that work. Of course, you could use the Instant Pot on the slow cooker function (regular, 4-6 hours) if needed.
I love the crunch you get on top from baking this sausage breakfast casserole. But, the slow cooker function might be an easier option if you need a hands-off approach to casserole prep.
Video
FAQs
Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 oz hot Jimmy Dean sausage can sub equal parts of bacon or ham
- 10 slices white bread crusts removed
- 2 cups whole milk
- 10 eggs
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp pepper
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard can use 2 tsp dry mustard, but yellow mustard is more accessible
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Cook and crumble the sausage in a large skillet. Drain the cooked sausage.
- Remove crusts from white bread and tear into 1" chunks. Layer in the bottom of a 9×13" baking dish greased with cooking spray or butter. Layer cheese over bread; add drained sausage over cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and mustard until blended. After you stir, pour this egg mixture over the top of the casserole, ensuring all of the bread is soaked.
- Place in the refrigerator overnight. Allow casserole to rest in the fridge for 8-10 hours.
- When ready to serve, bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until entire casserole is set and top starts to brown.
Nutrition Facts
I hope you enjoy this one as much as we have over the years! You can check out a few other great breakfast recipes from the blog…
