This make-ahead breakfast casserole with sausage and eggs is made the night before, so you can just pop it in the oven for a stress-free, hearty breakfast!
Let me emphasize an important point here: I hate soggy bread. I mean, I really hate it. That’s why I always dislike breakfast casseroles that start with a layer of bread and go as far as dousing the bread with lots of eggs and milk. Major IQ.
And that’s why you won’t find many recipes here that call for making any kind of crusty bread. It makes me gag thinking about it. Even French toast is overkill for me. I know. Seriously. Who am I?
Anyway, a few months ago I was asked to bring a breakfast casserole to a brunch and I wasn’t sure I could do it. Ethically I’m always against breakfast casseroles because of the sad bread factor. But I sucked it up (sort of) and looked for a recipe I could trust.
I’m not exaggerating when I say I was humbled enough when I made this recipe that I actually worked up the courage to try it (I didn’t want to throw up at a public gathering of friends if I started gagging on soggy bread… problems, people, I have problems).
This is one amazing baked breakfast! I don’t know if it was the weights, the overnight soaking, or what, but this recipe, and this recipe alone, took my hatred of breakfast casseroles and turned them on their head.
Hate turned to love. That, my friends, is huge.
The bread will be soft and fluffy after baking, but not soggy. And don’t even get me started on the other simple but stellar flavors: hearty pork sausage, creamy sharp cheddar, and a hint of spice from a little hot sauce.
I never thought the day would come when I’d add a breakfast casserole to my collection of top recipes.
Just to show you that I’ve really gotten over my prejudices, I’ve made this three other times and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I’ll never get over my hatred of soggy bread, but thankfully I don’t have to worry about this divine breakfast, and you have no idea how happy it makes me (and I love that it’s made the night before in the oven for a stress-free, hearty breakfast).
Sausage and Egg Breakfast Bundle
Makes: 12 servings (9×13 inch pan)
Prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Materials needed
- 1 loaf of Italian bread (14 inches), ends trimmed
- 1 ½ pounds whole pork sausage
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 12 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 cups 1% milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut bread in half lengthwise and then cut each half into ½-inch thick slices. Spread bread in individual layers on two rimmed baking sheets and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden, flipping bread and rotating pans halfway through (or bake one pan at a time). Make sure bread doesn’t burn – it should be golden and toasty. Let bread cool for 15 minutes.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage and onion until bacon is pink, breaking up bacon into small pieces as it cooks.
- Lightly coat a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place half of the bread in the prepared pan so that the edges overlap slightly (when I did this twice, my slices weren’t long enough to separate, so I laid the bread in a single layer, which worked well). Add half of the sausage mixture and top with 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining bread, remaining sausage mixture, and remaining cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Pour evenly into the assembled casserole dish. Place the casserole dish on a rimmed baking sheet, wrap with plastic wrap, and press the plastic wrap lightly onto the casserole dish. Fill another 9X13-inch dish with cans of food (beans, fruit, whatever) and place the heavy food on top of the assembled casserole dish. At this point, you’ll be glad you placed the assembled casserole dish on a rimmed baking sheet, as the casserole dish is compact and may leak a bit over the sides. This will help the bread absorb the egg mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven preheats, let the casserole sit at room temperature. Remove the weights, unwrap the casserole, and bake until the edges and center are puffed and golden brown on top, about 1 hour. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
