Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Name: Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the dish; 12 ounces (340 g) sturdy white bread or country-style loaf, day-old, crusts left on, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes (about 8 cups); 1 pound (454 g) bulk breakfast sausage (pork), casings removed if using links; ½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about ½ small onion); 2 cups (226 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, divided: 1½ cups for layering, ½ cup for the top; 10 large (500 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk, cool or room temperature; 1 teaspoon (2 g) dry mustard powder; ½ teaspoon (1½ g) garlic powder; 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Browned breakfast sausage, sharp cheddar and cubes of sturdy bread are soaked in a savory egg custard, then baked until puffed and golden. It feeds a crowd and can be assembled the night before.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr
Wait: 40 min
Total: 2 hr 5 min
Makes: 1 (9×13-inch) casserole, 10 generous squares

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Ingredients

10 servings

1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the dish
12 ounces (340 g) sturdy white bread or country-style loaf, day-old, crusts left on, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes (about 8 cups)
1 pound (454 g) bulk breakfast sausage (pork), casings removed if using links
½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about ½ small onion)
2 cups (226 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, divided: 1½ cups for layering, ½ cup for the top
10 large (500 g) large eggs, at room temperature
2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk, cool or room temperature
1 teaspoon (2 g) dry mustard powder
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (7)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, 3 quarts
Large (12-inch / 30 cm) skillet
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Box grater
Aluminum foil
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Use bread that is a day or two old, or leave the cubes out on a baking sheet for 1 hour to dry. Fresh soft bread turns mushy.
Shred the cheddar from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking coating and melts less smoothly.
The casserole needs at least 30 minutes to soak before baking, or up to 12 hours in the fridge. Plan for this.
Take the eggs and milk out of the fridge while you cook the sausage so the custard isn't ice-cold.

1
Prep dish and bread
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with the softened butter.
- Cut the bread into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes and scatter them evenly in the dish.
- Shred the cheddar and divide it into 1½ cups and ½ cup.
- Dice the onion.
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Ready when: Bread cubes form an even layer covering the bottom of the dish.
Tip: If your bread is soft and fresh, dry the cubes on a baking sheet for an hour first so they absorb custard without turning mushy.
2
Brown the sausage
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sausage and break it into ½-inch (1.25 cm) crumbles with a wooden spoon.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes until no pink remains.
- Add the diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes more until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of fat, or blot the sausage on paper towels.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Sausage is browned with no pink and reaches 160°F (71°C); onion is soft and translucent.
Tip: Don't add hot sausage directly onto the bread with the cheese, as it will start melting the cheese and warming the eggs unevenly. A short cool-down helps.
3
Layer sausage and cheese
- Spoon the cooled sausage and onion evenly over the bread cubes.
- Sprinkle 1½ cups of the cheddar over the top.
- Keep the remaining ½ cup in the fridge for later.
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Ready when: Sausage and cheese are distributed evenly, with no bare patches of bread.
4
Whisk the custard
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs for about 30 seconds until the yolks and whites are fully combined.
- Whisk in the milk, dry mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper until smooth and evenly colored.
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Ready when: No streaks of egg white remain and the mixture is a uniform pale yellow.
Tip: Sausage is already salted, so 1 teaspoon of salt is enough. Don't add more until you've tasted the finished casserole.
5
Pour and soak
- Slowly pour the custard evenly over the dish.
- Press down gently on the bread with a spatula so the cubes on top are moistened.
- Cover with foil or plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 15 minutes of the soak, or if chilled overnight, 30 minutes before baking, with a rack in the center.
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Ready when: Most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the bread is damp throughout.
Tip: If the casserole has been in the fridge, add 5 to 10 minutes to the covered baking time.
6
Bake coveredOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the dish, covered with foil, on a baking sheet in the center of the 350°F (175°C) oven.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
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Ready when: Edges are starting to set and the center still jiggles when the dish is nudged.
Tip: The baking sheet catches any drips and makes it easier to move the dish.
7
Uncover, top and finishOven 350°F / 175°C
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of cheddar over the top.
- Return to the 350°F (175°C) oven and bake uncovered for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and puffed and the cheese is bubbling.
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Ready when: Center registers 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, with no liquid egg.
Tip: If the top is browning too quickly before the center is set, tent loosely with foil.
8
Rest and serve
- Let the casserole rest on a rack for 10 minutes so the custard firms up and it cuts into clean squares.
- Scatter with sliced scallions if using.
- Cut into 10 squares and serve warm.
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Ready when: Casserole no longer jiggles and holds its shape when cut.
Tip: Cutting right out of the oven makes squares collapse and leak egg.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the soak. Dry spots of bread bake up dense, while fully soaked bread gives a custardy, tender texture.
Drain excess fat from the sausage. Too much grease makes the casserole oily and keeps the custard from setting.
Check the center with a thermometer rather than relying on the browned top. 160°F (71°C) means the eggs are safely cooked.
Add 1 cup of sautéed peppers or spinach (squeezed dry) for color, but keep added vegetables well drained.

Make ahead

"Assemble through Step 5, cover tightly and refrigerate up to 12 hours. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the covered baking time. You can also bake it fully a day ahead and reheat portions."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking. Refrigerator: cool, cover and store up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap individual squares tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat squares in a 325°F (160°C) oven covered with foil for 15 to 20 minutes (frozen: 25 to 30 minutes), or microwave a single square for 60 to 90 seconds, until steaming and 165°F (74°C) in the center."

Substitutions

sturdy white bread or country-style loaf → Cubed English muffins, brioche, or French bread. Use the same weight. Brioche gives a richer, softer result; avoid thin sandwich bread, which can go mushy.
sharp cheddar cheese → Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, or Gruyère. Use the same amount. Pepper Jack adds mild heat.
bulk breakfast sausage (pork) → Diced ham (12 ounces / 340 g) or turkey sausage. With ham, cook it only briefly to warm and brown it. Turkey sausage is leaner, so add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet.
whole milk → Half-and-half or 2% milk. Half-and-half makes a richer custard; 2% works but is slightly less creamy.