Cheese, Egg and Sausage Casserole is a wonderful, hearty breakfast perfect for any day, whether it's a busy weekday morning or a special holiday. Just like the breakfast casserole your Mom or Grandma used to make, this one is loaded with savory sausage, fluffy eggs and melty Cheddar cheese. It's an easy, make-ahead recipe!
If you like an easy-to-make breakfast recipe like Croissant Bread Pudding or the convenience of making a delicious ham with pineapple in the slow cooker, this recipe is for you.
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⭐ Why Melinda Loves Cheese, Egg and Sausage Casserole
It makes me think of Christmas morning! I have made this for Christmas breakfast for more than 25 years. My kids love it!
It's a make-ahead breakfast casserole like Green Chili Egg Casserole that is easy to prep the night before.
This casserole is easy to adapt and there's no need to make precise measurements. (Although the recipe has those measurements!) Use more cheese, a little less bread or more sausage if you'd like.
🧀 Ingredients to Have on Hand
Cheese, Egg and Sausage Casserole is my go-to breakfast casserole and one of the many reasons why is because the ingredients are easy to keep on hand. The sausage and cheese are a classic flavor combination, it's hearty and filling and it goes great with Cheesy Potatoes with Corn Flakes and a fresh fruit tart.
Cheese: Cheddar cheese is delicious in this breakfast casserole, I usually use Mild Cheddar because I like how "melty" it gets with the bread.
Cubed Bread: Use a sturdy bread. A loaf of French bread is my favorite but scroll down to the FAQs for a few other options. Avoid using regular sandwich bread. I've tried it that way and the bread is too thin to hold up when the liquid ingredients are added.
Sausage: It doesn't matter if you use crumbled sausage or link sausage but if you use links be sure to dice them into bite-sized chunks.
This breakfast casserole easily serves a crowd. I made two pans of this once and served several dozen people at a bridal shower brunch. It was great to prep everything in advance!
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📖 Substitutions
Cheese, Egg and Sausage casserole is incredibly versatile. There are endless combinations you can experiment with to help create a classic breakfast casserole unique to your family.
Here are a few ingredients to mix or match:
Turkey Sausage: This is a great option to cut down on fat and calories.
Vegetables: Add 1 cup of your favorite veggies. Create a combination of diced, cooked asparagus, chopped green or red peppers, mushrooms or onions.
Hash Browns: Reduce the bread by half and add 3 cups of frozen hash browns. (It's fine if the hash browns defrost slightly overnight in the baking dish.) Here's an article where I'm among the food experts quoted about the best brand of store-bought hash browns!
Pro Tip: If you add extra ingredients to the casserole adjust the amount of bread or sausage. Use a little less of each so you don't overflow the baking dish.
🥗 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Shred the Cheddar cheese and set aside. (Photo #1)
Step 2: In a skillet on the stovetop, cook 12-16 ounces of sausage. (Photo #2)
Step 3: If using linked sausage, dice each link into bite-sized chunks (Photo #3)
Step 4: Slice a loaf of French bread and cut each slice into cubes. Leave the crusts on and toss out the heel ends. (Photo #4)
Step 5: Blend the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and ground mustard in a bowl. (Photo #5)
Step 6: Spray a 13" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray (Pam) and place half the cubed bread and half the shredded cheese in the dish. (Photo #6)
Step 7: Top with half of the cooked sausage. (Photo #7)
Step 8: Pour half the liquid ingredients on top of the cubed bread, cheese and sausage. (Photo #8)
Step 9: Repeat the same layer. Add the remaining cubed bread on top. (Photo #9)
Step 10: Then add the remaining shredded cheese, sausage and liquid ingredients. (Photo #10)
Pro Tip: To help evenly distribute the liquid, push down on the bread cubes to help each one get a coating of the egg, milk and spice mixture.
Step 11: Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake covered at 350°F for 45 minutes, then uncovered for 15 additional minutes. The casserole is done when it's golden brown on top, the edges are bubbly and the center is set. (Photo #11)
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, Italian bread, sourdough bread or brioche rolls are delicious options. Regular sandwich bread doesn't hold its shape as well during the baking process. Use heavier bread with a "sturdy" crust. That helps create great texture with the sausage and melted cheese.
You can bake it on the same day after assembling it, but give the ingredients at least 30 minutes to set in the baking dish before baking. This will give the bread time to absorb the liquid ingredients. Otherwise, some of the bread cubes will be dry.
I don't recommend leaving it unbaked in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours. Once the casserole is baked, store it in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat it when you are ready to serve.
After it's baked and cooled, cover the casserole with a double layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, remove the casserole from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator for one day to slightly defrost the ingredients. Reheat the covered casserole in an oven heated to 325°F and bake it for approximately 45 minutes or until it is fully warmed.
You can leave it out. The dry mustard adds a slightly tangy flavor and it blends beautifully with the richness of eggs and cheese, but the casserole will still be delicious without it.
🍽 More Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
Cheese, Egg and Sausage Casserole is a family-favorite recipe and a great way to start the day. Serve it for brunch or breakfast. Here are more recipes to kick off the day in a great way!
If you make Cheese, Egg and Sausage Casserole I'd love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a 🌟 star rating and a comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
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Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
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