Recipes for breakfast casseroles are a dime a dozen and the good news is that 99% of them are going to turn out downright delicious. I’ve made so many breakfast casseroles when hosting friends or hosting holidays and I’m slowly worked through what my preferences are: savory, flavorful, not too complex, and the ability to make it the night before.
I’m not saying this is the best breakfast casserole ever but out of the many I’ve made, this my favorite to make for friends and family. It’s savory, has simple veggies that don’t overpower which makes it a crowd pleaser, just the right amount of warm, melted cheese, protein-rich eggs to hold it all together, and a hearty base of cubed sourdough to balance it all out. It’s so yummy.
I currently have my preferred method and ingredients scribbled down in a notebook so for ease of reference and in hopes you’ll enjoy it, too, I snapped some pictures when I made it this past weekend with the intent to make it into a blog post. And here it is. I hope it’s one you’ll enjoy with your family, whether for Christmas morning or an ordinary Saturday.
A few quick tips:
- Shred your own cheese for a better melting result. This countertop rotary grater makes it easy and is dishwasher safe for easy clean up.
- Grease the baking dish with butter instead of olive oil for better results.
- Use slightly stale sourdough. I use this recipe, but you can use any you like. If using fresh bread, cube it then slightly toast it for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven, then add it to your baking dish.
- If making for a more mature crowd, feel free to add a couple splashes of your favorite hot sauce, 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, or switch up your 2 cups of sharp cheddar for a cheddar gruyere blend.
Sourdough & Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
Description
This savory and satisfying sourdough and sausage breakfast casserole is a real crowd pleaser that you make the night before for a delicious and easy pop-it-in-the-oven breakfast in the morning.
Ingredients
10 c sourdough bread, cut into 1/2″-1″ cubes (mine was about 2/3 a large loaf)
10 eggs
1 1/2 c milk (I used 2%)
1/2 c heavy cream
2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)*
1 lb breakfast sausage
1 onion, diced
1 c chopped kale (or spinach)
3/4 tsp salt
Instructions
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks, and the onion. Drain the excess grease, then add the kale for another minute or two and cook until wilted. Set aside.
While the sausage cooks, crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the milk, heavy cream, 1 cup of the sharp cheddar, and the salt. Mix well.
Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish with butter and place the sourdough cubes in the dish. Evenly distribute the sausage and onion mixture over the bread cubes. Pour the egg and milk mixture over all of it and mix gently.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of sharp cheddar over the top, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and put it in the fridge for 8-24 hours.
In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and remove the casserole from the fridge. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
I purposefully keep seasonings simple to allow if to be a great fit for a crown of different ages, but feel free to add a couple of dashes of hot sauce or 1/4 c of chopped fresh herbs (like rosemary and thyme) to the egg mixture before pouring over the sourdough to jazz it up for a more mature crowd.
*I recommend grating your own cheese for a better melting experience. This countertop rotary grater makes it an easy task and is dishwasher safe.
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