Breakfast Sausage Casserole (Printable version)

Savory baked layers of sausage, eggs, cheese, and bread for a warm morning meal.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb 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 cubes (approximately 9 oz), cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground 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 until browned, breaking it apart, about 5–7 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper if using, sauté 3–4 minutes until softened. Drain excess fat.
03 - Spread bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish and top with the cooked sausage and vegetables.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, mustard powder, and paprika until fully combined.
05 - Stir 1 1/2 cups cheddar and all mozzarella cheese into the egg mixture.
06 - Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the bread and sausage layers. Gently press bread to absorb liquid evenly.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese evenly on top.
08 - Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until golden and set in center.
10 - Allow casserole to rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • You can prep it the night before and bake it in the morning, which means you're actually sitting at the table instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • It feeds a crowd without fussy plating or last-minute fussing, and somehow tastes like you spent way more effort than you did.
  • The bread soaks up all those eggy, cheesy, savory flavors until every bite feels intentional and comforting.
02 -
  • If you use fresh bread instead of day-old, your casserole will be soggy and disappointing—this is not a lesson you want to learn the hard way.
  • The overnight make-ahead method actually improves this dish because the bread absorbs moisture slowly and evenly, so plan ahead if you can.
  • Don't skip the 10-minute rest at the end; it's the difference between a casserole that holds together and one that falls apart on the serving spoon.
03 -
  • Use a good quality sharp cheddar, not the mild stuff—it makes a noticeable difference in flavor and isn't any harder to find.
  • If you don't have day-old bread, cut fresh bread into cubes and let it sit out uncovered for a few hours to firm up before using it.
  • The gentle pressing step matters more than you'd think; it's what makes the bread custard-y instead of fluffy like French toast.
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