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5 from 17 votes

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

This breakfast casserole can be made up to 24 hours in advance and it'll still cook up beautifully. I recommend refrigerating at least 6 hours before baking. Leave the sausage off for a vegetarian option or add bacon to the sausage for a meat lover version.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Refrigerate before baking8 hours
Total Time9 hours 40 minutes
Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Breakfast, brunch, casserole, eggs, sausage
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 253kcal
Author: Sally Humeniuk

Equipment

  • 9 x 13 baking dish

Ingredients

Make ahead portion of recipe:

  • 10-12 links sausage, I prefer skinless links, you can also use bulk sausage, about ½ to ¾ pound.
  • 6 slices bread, favorite sandwich bread, french bread or any thicker sliced bread
  • 2 cups cheddar, grated, (or Colby, Monterey Jack,or your favorite melting cheese)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 tsp ground mustard
  • ½ tsp onion salt
  • tsp cayenne pepper

Add next morning just before baking:

Just before serving:

  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley or chives chopped

Instructions

Make ahead portion of recipe:

  • Cook 10-12 sausage links until barely pink inside and browned nicely on the outside. If the outsides are nicely browned, this adds flavor and color that baking won't necessarily achieve. (You can use "precooked" links if you like and skip the precooking of the sausage.) Remove sausage from the pan and place on a plate to cool slightly, then cut into bite-size pieces. If using bulk sausage, break them up into bite-size pieces before cooking (thirds or fourths). Don't overcook the sausage.
  • Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Cut 6 slices bread into cubes about ½" to 1" in size or to your liking, but smaller is better. Arrange the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle grated 2 cups cheese over the bread. Top with the sausage pieces.
  • Crack 8 eggs into a large bowl and add 2 ½ cups of milk, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, ½ teaspoon onion salt, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Mix well, using a fork. Pour egg mixture over the casserole, pouring to coat all of the bread.
  • Cover the casserole with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

The next morning before baking:

  • Preheat oven to 325°F and place oven rack at center position. Take casserole out of the refrigerator and remove covering.
  • Combine 1 can cream of mushroom soup with a generous ½ cup milk and whisk with a fork, reserving the extra condensed soup. Add 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and stir well. Pour this mixture over the casserole.
  • Place casserole on a baking sheet because the casserole raises and bubbles towards the end of baking. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until the top is nicely golden and the eggs look set.
  • Remove casserole from oven, sprinkle 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley and cut into individual servings. Six to eight pieces, depending on portion sizes you want.
  • Any leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for two days, then reheated in oven (preferable) or microwave. The casserole is good reheated but is best when served right out of the oven.

Notes

  1. This is one recipe where using regular white sandwich bread provides the best results. I've made it with healthy, whole grain bread as well and it's pretty good but the texture will be less "silky". Whatever bread you use, be sure to cut into small pieces as indicated in the recipe, about 1/2" to 1" in size.
  2. During the step where you add the cream of mushroom soup, if using homemade mushroom soup or soup that isn't condensed, skip adding the 1/2 cup milk and increase the amount of homemade or non-condensed soup by 1/2 cup.
  3. This recipe is delicious without the sausage for a vegetarian option. If making vegetarian, I would sprinkle diced green and red bell peppers over the top just before serving.
  4. If you're worried about sodium in this recipe, reduce the amount of sausage and instead of 1 cup of cream of mushroom soup, use 1/2 cup of the condensed soup and 1/2 cup milk. There will be less of the "gravy" but the casserole will still be great.
  5. The Sausage Breakfast Casserole can be cut into individual servings, each wrapped in plastic wrap then placed into a freezer bag to be frozen, up to 2 months. To reheat, defrost overnight in refrigerator and then reheat in moderate oven or microwave until heated through.

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 507mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 444IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 337mg | Iron: 1mg