Delicious Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole is perfect for large crowds and holiday breakfasts and brunches! Combining sausage, onions and peppers, delicious gouda and cheddar cheese, and French bread all baked in a tasty seasoned egg mixture for a high protein meal.

Prepare the casserole the night before and pop it in the oven first thing. It makes an excellent meal for those busy days that start early. Sunday morning before church, holiday mornings to feed the family, or a weekend brunch table. Whatever the occasion this casserole is one of our favorites.

We love the layers of sun dried tomatoes and leafy greens. They add flavor and flecks of color to this overnight breakfast sausage casserole. Cooked bacon brings that scrumptious smokey flavor that everyone loves, while the cheeses coat the top in a crispy, flavorful topping.

Do I assemble the casserole fully the night before?

Yes, this overnight sausage breakfast casserole is meant to be fully prepared the night before, covered, and allowed to soak overnight. This allows for the egg mixture to soak into the bread pieces, which will help to yield a fluffy and soft texture once baked.

If you prefer, you can wait to pour over the wet ingredients until you are ready to bake, but the bread may not be as soft depending how stale it was to begin with. You could also wait to pour over the egg mixture if you are using a different bread option such as soft rolls or croissants.

Is the casserole soggy after baking?

If you are having trouble with the casserole being soggy upon serving, there are a few possible culprits. First, the vegetables that you use could be adding too much liquid to the casserole. This is why it’s important to select veggies that bring flavor without much extra water.

Second, the bake time or temperature may need to be increased to allow the liquids adequate time to soak into the bread base of the casserole. You may also have a little too much liquid for the type or amount of bread that you are using.

What is the difference between a casserole and frittata?

The biggest differences between an overnight sausage breakfast casserole and frittata is the addition of ingredients in casseroles that can not be found in frittatas; and, the baking process. Casseroles contain breads and other pastry ingredients, while frittatas are made with veggies and meats cooked in an egg custard.

Frittatas are typically cooked in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop and finished in the oven, while casseroles are assembled and baked in a deep baking dish in the oven.

Is the overnight sausage breakfast casserole too dry?

If you are struggling with the casserole becoming too dry during the baking process, or if the top is becoming over cooked and burnt, you can cover the dish with foil and then remove it during the final 10 minutes to allow everything to get melty and delicious.

If this doesn’t work, or if the casserole isn’t baking through properly, you probably want to adjust the oven temperature or bake time. These can vary from oven to oven, so definitely keep an eye on the casserole the first time you bake it.

Can I change up the ingredients of the overnight sausage breakfast casserole?

Definitely! One of the best things about casseroles is how versatile and free form they can be. You can change up the recipe to fit your preferences or the dietary needs of the folks you are feeding very easily.

We threw about a 1/4 pound of bacon into the mix because we love bacon. But, putting it in with 12oz of sausage…isn’t very healthy. So, we did not list the bacon in this recipe. Feel free to add bacon to your casserole if you would like, the flavor is outstanding! Or, you can reduce the amount of sausage and add some bacon to help with the fat content of the overnight sausage breakfast casserole

Here are some other ideas for ingredients swaps or inclusions that you could try.

• Use a hot sausage or add some jalapenos for a tasty kick of heat
• The greens could be omitted very easily, or you could use spinach
• Swap out the sun dried tomatoes for fresh tomatoes
• Bring in some additional spices and seasonings for a change up in the flavor
• Instead of french breads pieces, use sourdough, brioche, or focaccia bread
• Change up the cheeses to fit what you have on hand
• Add in some sour cream to the egg mixture for a fluffy, rich mixture

What do you serve with an overnight sausage breakfast casserole?

If you are building a brunch table, or looking to serve a full spread for your family there are so many things that you can serve alongside this breakfast casserole. Here are some of our favorite ideas.

• An assortment of fresh seasonal fruits
• A platter of jam scones for a sweet pastry
• If it’s a holiday morning, serve with some tasty mimosas
• Some fresh blueberry muffins
• A dish of cheesy scalloped potatoes
• Offer a small yogurt parfait station with fruits, granola, and Greek yogurts
• Set out pitchers of fresh orange juice and milk along with coffee

How do you know when the overnight sausage breakfast casserole is done?

It can be difficult to know when casseroles are fully cooked through, and there is nothing worse than cutting into your casserole only to find that it needed longer in the oven. A good rule of thumb is to use a thermometer and check for an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Insert the thermometer at an angle in the center of the casserole. Be careful that the tip of the thermometer doesn’t touch the bottom of the casserole dish or you may get an incorrect temperature reading.

Overnight Sausage Egg Breakfast Casserole Recipe

This is the perfect breakfast for a holiday morning. Prepare the night before and bake it in the morning before your day gets busy. It’s delicious and filling, an excellent meal to start your day.

The casserole is rich and hearty, so it’s best served in small sections. You should get 18 servings easily out of a 9 x 13 pan. 

• Cook over medium heat in a large frying pan, bacon, onion, pepper strips and garlic. Cook sausage in the same pan if using bulk
• Cut the bread into cubes
• Shred the cheese if needed
• If using pre-cooked sausage links cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• Chop fresh greens and tomatoes as desired

When the meat mixture is prepared

• Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan and fill with the bread
• Whisk together the eggs, half n half and mustard
• Layer the meats and greens over the bread
• Pour the egg mixture over the top
• Cover with foil and store in fridge overnight
• In the morning bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about an hour uncovered until the casserole is browned and bubbly. Cover if you desire and remove the foil in the final 10 minutes
• Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes until it cools enough to eat

Here is your printable recipe

Be sure to check out these other delicious breakfast recipes!

Overnight Steel Cut Oats

Overnight Smoky Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

Blueberry Apple overnight Bread Pudding

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