Each slice of this easy egg breakfast casserole is thick, flavorful, and satisfying; plus, the recipe is an incredibly convenient breakfast choice since it’s make-ahead and infinitely adaptable. Like quiche and breakfast egg muffins, you can use your favorite seasonings and cheeses, vegetables like peppers and mushrooms, meats like sausage or bacon, or you can make it vegetarian. The best part is that you can assemble this dish ahead of time so breakfast is a breeze in the morning!
Breakfast casserole is an all-in-one hearty meal that can be made ahead of time, feeds a crowd, reheats well, and makes great leftovers. My family devours it. For all these reasons and more, I’ve made it nearly 100x (no exaggeration there) for breakfast, brunch, and, yes, dinner. It’s one of my favorite Easter brunch recipes to serve each year, too.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have simplified it over the years. Let me show you how it comes together so you too can experience this crowd-pleasing superhero meal.
This Easy Breakfast Casserole Is:
- Adaptable to whatever vegetables, meats, cheeses, and herbs you have on hand.
- Easy to make ahead of time.
- Quick to throw together.
- Great as a quick weekday meal or a lavish weekend or holiday brunch.
- Excellent for entertaining a crowd.
- Made with some bread to soak up moisture, but potatoes work too!
- Ready for your favorite egg toppings like salsa, pico de gallo, green onion, cilantro, parsley, avocado, everything bagel seasoning, hot sauce, etc.
4 Main Components
When gathering ingredients for this recipe, I like to think of it as having 4 separate components. From there, you can have fun with variations.
- Vegetables
- Meat (or extra vegetables)
- Starch for soaking up moisture
- Egg, cheese, & milk mixture
Here Are the Endless Add-ins & Flavor Options
- Vegetables: Select which vegetables you’d like in the dish. Generally, the most popular with guests is bell peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. But I’ve also made this with broccoli/peppers, kale/mushrooms, and spinach/zucchini. Try to stick to 3–4 cups of vegetables total. Cook the vegetables down with some flavor-enhancing onion and garlic.
- Meat: Guests usually prefer meat in the casserole, so I add sausage. Or try using ground turkey, chopped bacon, ground beef, or ground chicken. I usually purchase uncooked sausage for this and brown it with some dried rosemary or Italian seasoning to give it a little extra flavor, but that is optional. If the meat you’re using is pre-cooked, such as chopped ham or shredded chicken, you can mix it with the cooked vegetable mixture before layering it into the dish.
- Starch: Like when making sausage & herb stuffing, breakfast strata, and French toast casserole, the bread should be slightly stale so it can soak up moisture. Crusty sourdough is FANTASTIC here. You can also use homemade artisan bread, seeded oat bread, whole wheat bread, a loaf of French bread, crusty baguette, biscuits, bagels or homemade bagels, or even day-old croissants (have you tried homemade croissants?!). To make it gluten free, use gluten-free bread or potatoes.
- Eggs, milk, & cheese: Whisk a dozen eggs with a little half-and-half or milk and stir in some shredded cheese. Like the vegetables and meat, use whatever cheeses you like best, such as sharp cheddar, pepper jack, feta, and/or smoked gouda.
Variations: One of my favorite variations of this recipe is everything bagel breakfast casserole. It’s a BIG HIT and consistently gets rave reviews. Or try my different method/recipe for biscuit breakfast casserole with homemade biscuits baked right on top.
Can I Use Potatoes?
Yes, you can replace the bread with diced hash brown potatoes—the kind you find in the freezer section of the grocery store. Guests have *loved* this version. Use about 3 cups (around 380g) of hash browns in place of the bread. You could also peel and dice fresh potatoes, but you’ll need to quickly cook them on the skillet for 10 minutes before using in this dish.
Another wonderful make ahead option with fresh potatoes is this ham and potato casserole that is egg free, but just as delicious.
Do I Have to Use Bread?
Bread or potatoes, yes. Besides eggs, bread is the main ingredient. To avoid a spongey, wet dish, this breakfast casserole needs structure at the bottom. You see, when eggs bake, they release a lot of liquid. Chunks of crusty bread (or hash brown potatoes) soak up some liquid so the casserole is chunky and textured, not flat and wet. It’s almost like the way we need an English muffin with our eggs benedict—to help soak up all that eggy goodness.
If you’re looking for something without this starchy addition, crustless vegetable quiche or an easy frittata are great options.
In Pictures: How to Make Breakfast Casserole
First, place the pieces of bread (or potatoes) in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch or any 3–4-quart oven-safe dish. I usually use (affiliate links) this glass pan or the pictured red ruffled baking dish, which comes in a set with other sizes—definitely a splurge, but I’ve found the quality to be excellent. Showing you the bread scattered in the pan as well as the optional potato substitution:
Set that aside and pre-cook your vegetables and meat (if the meat is not cooked already). You can do this all in 1 big skillet on the stove, adding onion, garlic, and optional herbs like dried rosemary or your favorite seasoning blend. As that’s sizzling on the stove, whisk the eggs, milk, and cheese together:
Now it’s time to assemble, and I’ve made this process a lot easier over the years. Spoon all of the vegetables/meat mixture on top of the bread. Pour the egg mixture all over that:
Success Tip: Refrigerate Overnight
At this point, you can either bake it right away or refrigerate the casserole overnight and for up to 24 hours. During this time, the flavors mingle together and the bread has a chance to soak up some of the liquid and flavor. Wake up and all you have to do is slide it into the oven. If you’re in a rush, I do recommend at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking, if you can spare it!
Bake until the edges are golden brown. Because it’s so egg heavy, the casserole puffs up in the oven like a cheesecake and then sinks back down as it cools. Cool for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.
What to Serve With Breakfast Casserole
For side dishes, fresh fruit and yogurt are light, simple, and quick. For healthy recipe ideas, see my complete list of 30+ healthy breakfast recipes. However, if you’re entertaining—or if you have several hungry teenagers in your house— you’ll love pairing this breakfast casserole with:
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls
- Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls or Pumpkin Crumb Cake
- Banana Muffins or Blueberry Muffins
- Baked Oatmeal
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Banana Bread or Zucchini Bread
- Apple Cider French Toast
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coffee Cake, a Cinnamon Roll Wreath, or Cranberry Cake (great options around the holidays)
- A Dutch baby piled high with your favorite sweet toppings
Your brunch guests will be beyond satisfied. Yes, even the teenagers!
PrintEasy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy breakfast casserole is infinitely adaptable and you can find variations and suggestions in the recipe Notes below. The version written below with sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and cheddar cheese is generally the most popular with guests. You can assemble the entire dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (175g or 6 oz) cubes of crusty bread*
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground pork sausage, casings removed*
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or Italian seasoning, optional
- 3/4 cup (100g) chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups (275g or 9–10 oz) chopped bell peppers
- 1 cup (100g or 3 oz) sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh spinach
- 12 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup (160ml) milk or half-and-half*
- 1 cup (100g or 3.5 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
- optional garnish: green onion and/or chopped parsley
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch or any 3–4-quart oven-safe dish. Arrange bread cubes in an even layer in bottom of pan.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and rosemary/Italian seasoning, if using, and break up the sausage into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula as it begins to cook. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, and spinach and cook until everything has slightly softened and sausage is mostly cooked through, about 5–6 minutes.
- Remove sausage and vegetable mixture from heat and spread in an even layer on top of bread.
- Whisk the eggs, salt, pepper, milk, and cheese together. Evenly pour over sausage/vegetable mixture. Add another sprinkle of salt and pepper on top.
- Cover casserole with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. (When ready to bake, allow to sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes as oven preheats.)
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the top is golden, edges are crisp, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40–45 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave to your liking.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: This is an excellent make-ahead recipe because you can assemble it before baking up to 24 hours in advance. See step 5. You can also cook the sausage and vegetable mixture up to 24 hours in advance, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Freezing & Reheating Instructions: To freeze, prepare and assemble through step 5, cover with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then bring to room temperature before baking as directed. You can also freeze the baked casserole for up to 3 months and when doing that, I suggest baking it in a disposable aluminum pan. Cool completely, cover with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. When ready to eat, thaw it for about 24 hours (covered) in the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap layer, then bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 25–30 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Dish or any 3–4-quart Oven-Safe Dish | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Bread: Crusty sourdough is fantastic in this recipe, or use any crusty, hearty bread. The crustier or more stale, the better. If your bread is fresh and/or flimsy, cut into cubes and bake on a baking sheet in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes. It’ll be slightly crisp and ready to use in this recipe. No need to wait for the bread to cool before layering into the baking dish.
- Using Potatoes Instead of Bread: You can replace the bread with diced hash brown potatoes—the kind you find in the freezer section of the grocery store. Use about 3 cups (around 380g) of frozen hash brown potatoes, no need to thaw. You could also peel and dice fresh potatoes, but you’ll need to quickly cook/brown them on a skillet with 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes before using.
- Sausage or Other Meat: If using pre-cooked sausage links or ham, cut into slices/chunks, and there is no need to cook either. Simply stir into the pre-cooked vegetables before layering into the dish. You can replace the sausage with ground turkey, beef, or chicken—simply pre-cook with the vegetables according to the instructions. If using bacon, I recommend reducing to 1/2 pound and cutting into bite-size pieces. Cook separately from the vegetables until browned. Drain, then mix with the vegetables before layering into the dish.
- Other Vegetables: Feel free to replace all or some of the bell peppers, mushrooms, and spinach with other vegetables such as chopped broccoli, sliced zucchini or squash, or kale. Pre-cook as directed.
- Vegetarian Option: You can leave out the meat and replace with another 1 cup of vegetables.
- Milk: For the richest, heartiest texture, I recommend half-and-half or whole milk. You can use lower-fat milk or dairy-free milk if desired.
- Cheese: I usually use a blend of regular and sharp white cheddar cheeses. Use whatever cheeses you like best, such as pepper jack, feta cheese, Swiss, and/or smoked gouda.
- Half Recipe: You can halve this recipe by halving all of the ingredients and using a 9×9-inch square pan. Bake time is slightly shorter, about 32–36 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 212
- Sugar: 3.1 g
- Sodium: 343 mg
- Fat: 12.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.2 g
- Protein: 12.5 g
- Cholesterol: 205.4 mg
This casserole was too dry. I don’t believe that that milk – egg mixture was enough for the crusty bread cubes. The proportions were less than other breakfast casseroles I have made in the past. I like the breakfast casseroles to puff like a souffle when baked.
Hi Terry, thank you for the feedback. This should puff up nicely as it bakes. If you try the recipe again, however, feel free to reduce the bread.
I really love this recipe but for the two of us we end up throwing some out every time. Wondering if we can just half the ingredients to make it work on a smaller basis please.
Hi Tanya, You can halve this recipe by halving all of the ingredients and using a 9×9-inch square pan. Bake time is slightly shorter, about 32–36 minutes.
Can I leave out bread? I’m pre-diabetic and need to watch my refined carbohydrate intake.
Hi Meldy, yes, you can, but the eggs will taste a bit wet and spongey.
If you leave out the milk, no carbs are needed. Add some cheese or a little cream if you want it less dry.
I’ve been looking but don’t see it in reviews, etc. Can I make it without bread or hashbrowns? Like just an egg casserole. I’m thinking yes. Thanks!
Hi Cindeelou, for an egg-based dish without bread/potatoes, we’d recommend a quiche or egg frittata instead.
My whole family loved this. I used 3 cups hashbrowns instead of bread as you said. Also used smoked farmer sausage. Ratios of different ingredients were great. All in all was fantastic, thank you for the recipe.
I use croutons instead of bread. Seasoned croutons add a lot of flavor. They also allow me to let it sit overnight in the fridge and let flavors meld. A standard dish in our house.
I add dry mustard, which adds a nice ting to it.
This recipe sounds delicious, but I wondered if it is definitely gluten free if I substitute hash browns for the bread? Thank you.
Hi Holly, just make sure you check the ingredients label on your frozen hash browns to ensure they’re gluten free, but yes, it should be!
CAN L USE STUFFING FOR THIS RECIPE
Hi John, if you can find unseasoned stuffing cubes, that should work well here.
My hubby can’t eat spinache (kidneys). Is there a low potassium substitute for it in this recipe (or any recipe)?
This casserole is very customizable. Select which vegetables you’d like in the dish. Generally, the most popular with guests is bell peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. But we’ve swapped the spinach with zucchini. Try to stick to 3–4 cups of vegetables total.
Delicious recipe! I love having it prepared the night before and ready to go in the morning! I used turkey sausage, my preference and combined sour dough bread cubes and hash brown diced potatoes. Huge success, everyone loved it!
I served it for brunch!
Thank you!!!
This recipe turned out perfect. I left out onions and mushrooms due to guests preferences. No other changes. Highly recommend!
Epic addition to my armamentarium! I make this recipe routinely now, since finding it. I freeze it ahead and it comes out perfectly. I use real dairy and substitutes; either way, it’s delicious! Thank you!
This casserole was so delicious
Or crispy potato crowns? Tator Tots?
Can I freeze this recipe
Sure can. See the recipe notes for details.
Hi! I am having a hard time finding cubed hash browns. Could shredded hash browns be used in it’s place?
Hi Samantha, several readers have reported success using shredded hash browns and tater tots. Let us know if you give either a try!
Absolutely delicious and easily assembled the night before! I first made this at Christmas and now my family asks for it each time they visit. Definitely a keeper!
Absolutely delicious! Packed with lots of flavor! It’s a huge hit in my home. I was wondering if it could be made in a crockpot as well. Has anyone ever tried it?
Hi Janet, we’re so glad it was a hit! We haven’t tested it in a slow cooker, but let us know if you do any experimenting.
We have a thing about cornbread in this family. Can I use cornbread instead of bread, or will that not be dense enough to do the job?
Hi Deb, we haven’t tested it so don’t know for sure, but I worry that the texture will be mushy if you use cornbread. If I were going to try it, I think I’d cut my cornbread into cubes and then leave it out for a day or two to get stale and dry (or lightly toast it in the oven). If you try it, let us know how it goes!
How does the cook time change if you have two egg bakes in the oven at once?
Hi AH, depending on your oven, it may take longer to bake two at once. Make sure to keep an eye on them!
I made this dish and it is amazing! I used heavy cream because that’s all I had at the time. It worked well!
Thanks!
How can I adapt this for an 8×8 pan?
Hi Elna, You can halve this recipe by halving all of the ingredients and using a 9×9-inch square pan. Bake time is slightly shorter, about 32–36 minutes.
Stupid easy to make and really good! I don’t like eggs very much(texture, smell, or taste) but loaded with the veggies, potatoes, cheese, bacon it’s scrumptious! This will definitely be a regular in our breakfast! Can’t wait to try different variations.
I’m planning to make this for a girl’s weekend fri-sunday. I was asked to make something that can be heated up quickly for the Sunday morning we are leaving. Based on your notes in the recipe I was gonna assemble Thursday night, bake Friday morning and keep it refrigerated to microwave for Sunday morning eating. Would that be the best way to do it? I just don’t want it to be soggy or weird texture by Sunday and I’m not sure if baking it that morning is doable for the time constraints of 12 people getting packed up to leave. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Hi Lex, the casserole does keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but it won’t be quite as crisp as it is right from the oven. You could also consider our freezing instructions in the recipe Notes. Hope it’s a hit!
We have made this twice using diced hashbrowns and double the cheese and it’s turned out fantastic! We put salsa on it the second time it was even better thank you
The diced hashbrowns you put in uncooked & they were done enough?