Breakfast Sausage Casserole (Printable View)

Savory sausage, eggs, cheese, and bread create a warm, satisfying morning casserole for any crowd.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound breakfast sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (optional)
03 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced (optional)

→ Dairy & Eggs

04 - 8 large eggs
05 - 2 cups whole milk
06 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
07 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Bread

08 - 6 cups day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (e.g., French or sourdough)

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard powder
12 - 1/4 teaspoon paprika

→ For greasing

13 - Butter or nonstick spray

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking into pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. If using, add onion and bell pepper and sauté until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain excess fat.
03 - Spread bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish and top with the cooked sausage and vegetables.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, mustard powder, and paprika until smooth.
05 - Stir in 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese and all mozzarella cheese.
06 - Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread and sausage. Gently press the bread cubes down to absorb the liquid.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top.
08 - Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until golden and set.
09 - Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can assemble it the night before and let the oven do the work while you're still waking up.
  • The bread soaks up all those eggy, cheesy flavors and turns impossibly custardy on the inside with crispy edges.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to stand at the stove flipping things.
02 -
  • Using truly day-old bread changes everything—fresh bread will turn to mush, but stale bread drinks up the egg mixture and becomes almost creamy in the center.
  • If you're assembling this ahead, pour the egg mixture over the bread, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Just add 10 extra minutes to the bake time when it comes straight from the fridge.
03 -
  • If your oven runs hot, cover with foil for the entire bake and check at 35 minutes—every oven is different, and better safe than scrambled.
  • The mustard powder is your secret weapon; it sounds obscure but adds savory depth that makes people ask what you put in there.
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