Prepare this easy egg and sausage casserole the night before a busy morning for an easy breakfast!
Easy Overnight Sausage Egg Breakfast Casserole
An egg and sausage casserole is the perfect, hearty, make-ahead meal for breakfastor brunch. Serve this casserole for your Easter brunch and maybe the kids won’t even be hungry for candy! Well, one can try, I suppose. Anyway, this breakfast will fill ’em up and keep ’em full.
Assemble this breakfast the day before and refrigerate it overnight. Then just bake it in the oven for an hour in the morning and you’re good to go. Easy, peasy breakfast or brunch!I really love meals that can be made ahead of time, not just for the holidays, but for any busy day!
Breakfast Casserole Ingredients & Serving Size
This egg and sausage breakfast casserole uses simple ingredients and simple layering for assembly. I think the toasting of the bread and the compacting of the casserole overnight really help to perfect the recipe. It’s not soggy or tough, it’s just right with a satisfying, cheesy, egg and sausage flavor.
Plus, you can feed a good amount of people with one pan. Of course, it will depend on the people and whether you are serving other items as well, but I would say you can get around 12-15 servings out of one 9×13 dish. The dish is literally filled to the brim before compacting overnight, so it ends up being nice and thick.
Compacting the Breakfast Casserole
You don’t have to use canned goods to weigh it down, but I usually have a bunch right in my kitchen, so it is easy enough. You can use whatever you want as long as it is ok to be sitting in the refrigerator overnight and it provides and nice even weight.
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I love my Pyrex glass 9×13 baking dish and use it all the time!
Recipe from MelsKitchenCafeand Cook’s Country
Overnight Egg & Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Prepare this easy egg and sausage casserole the night before a busy morning for an easy breakfast!
Print Rate
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Serves: 12
Adjust Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 14-inch loaf Italian bread, ends trimmed
- 1 ½ pounds bulk pork sausage
- 1 small onion chopped fine
- 3 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 12 large eggs lightly beaten
- 4 cups 1% milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Instructions
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 400.
Slice bread in half lengthwise then slice each half into ½ inch-thick slices.
Spread the bread in single layers on two rimmed baking sheets and bake until golden, 10-15 minutes, flipping bread and switching and rotating sheets halfway through. Take care not to let the bread burn - it should be golden brown and toasted.
Let the bread cool for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage and onion until the pork is no longer pink, breaking the meat into bite-sized pieces as it cooks.
Lightly coat a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Shingle half of the bread in the prepared pan so that the edges overlap slightly.
Top with half of the sausage mixture and 1 cup cheese.
Repeat with remaining bread, remaining sausage mixture, and remaining cheese.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and hot sauce together.
Pour evenly over the assembled casserole.
Place the casserole on a rimmed baking sheet and wrap the casserole with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap lightly on the top of the casserole.
Fill another 9X13-inch dish with cans of food (beans, fruit, whatever) and nest the weighted dish on top of the assembled casserole. This will help the bread soak up the egg mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F/175°C
Let casserole stand at room temperature while the oven is heating.
Remove weights, unwrap casserole, and bake until the edges and center have puffed and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour.
Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 597kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 43g | Sodium: 1093mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g
FAQs
The casserole is covered and refrigerated overnight to allow the liquid ingredients to be absorbed into the bread. This is a perishable mixture and should be cooked the morning or day after assembly.
Can you make a casserole with raw eggs ahead of time? ›
Yes, you can. Raw eggs are fairly stable in the freezer, especially when beaten or mixed with other ingredients. Check to see what else is in the casserole, though.
Why is my breakfast casserole soggy? ›
Incorrect oven temperature - Casseroles that are baked at an oven temperature that is too low may not cook evenly, resulting in a soggy top and a firm or crunchy bottom. Too much liquid - Casseroles that have too much liquid may not be able to absorb all of the moisture, leading to a soggy top.
How long can uncooked breakfast casserole stay in the fridge? ›
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.
Can you make a casserole with raw egg and leave it uncooked overnight in fridge? ›
Yes! You can assemble this casserole the night before, wrap it tightly and then refrigerate until the next morning. Then, bake according to recipe directions.
Can you leave raw egg mixture in fridge? ›
If you've got raw egg yolks or whites left over from a recipe which you don't want to waste (let's face it, why would you?), you can store them in the fridge as long as you plan to use them within the next few days.
Can you cook eggs and leave them overnight? ›
Hard cooked eggs can be stored in the refrigerator up to seven days, either left in their shells or peeled. Make sure eggs are refrigerated within two hours after cooking, and don't leave refrigerated cooked eggs out at room temperature for more than two hours.
Can you prep egg mixture the night before? ›
Can I leave scrambled eggs in my fridge overnight and cook them in the morning? You sure can mix the eggs and put them in the fridge overnight to be cooked in the morning.
Can you mix scrambled eggs the night before? ›
Yes, you can! Scrambled eggs will last for 3-4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in whatever amount you need.
Why is my egg casserole not done in the middle? ›
High heat cooks the outside faster than the inside, leaving the middle uncooked. Reducing the temperature distributes heat more evenly, allowing the middle to cook through. If uncooked in the center then cover at the same temperature and ad 15 minutes before checking again.
Add a starch. Even if you're a beginner cook, you probably know that adding a starch can help transform liquidy dishes into creamy delights. Cornstarch and flour are two popular options, but don't you dare add them directly to your casserole. Instead, make a slurry.
Can breakfast casserole sit in the kitchen all night or should it be refrigerated? ›
You can either bake breakfast casserole immediately or cover the dish with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours to bake later.
How long can I refrigerate an egg casserole before baking? ›
Yes, you can make this breakfast casserole a day ahead, or freeze it to bake another day! To make one day ahead of time, prepare everything as directed, up until baking. Cover the casserole and store it (unbaked) in the refrigerator overnight or up to one day. Bake in the morning, according to recipe instructions.
Is it better to freeze an egg casserole cooked or uncooked? ›
The ingredients that you add to your casserole will dictate how it's frozen, and some require one method versus the other. In general, freezing your casserole before baking may yield better results with the dish's texture.
How do you know when breakfast casserole is done? ›
However, when it comes to knowing definitively that your casserole is done, Kitchen Seer states there is really only one way: A food thermometer. You will need to ensure the internal temperature is at a minimum of 165 degrees F. If you don't have a thermometer, it may be time to invest in one.
Do you have to refrigerate egg casserole overnight? ›
Eggs may contain salmonella bacteria. Cooking will likely kill most bacteria, but if left out of refrigeration, bacteria can grow rapidly, especially in warmer conditions. In order to avoid food poisoning, eggs should be kept refrigerated both before and after cooking.
What happens if you forget to put casserole in the fridge overnight? ›
Myth: You shouldn't put hot foods in the refrigerator.
Perishable foods should be put in a refrigerator that is 40 degrees or below within 2 hours of preparation. If you leave food out to cool and forget about it after 2 hours, throw it away.
Can egg casserole be left out overnight? ›
Cooked eggs and egg dishes may be refrigerated for serving later but should be thoroughly reheated to 165° F before serving. Never leave cooked eggs or egg dishes out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours or for more than 1 hour when temperatures are above 90° F.
Can you leave breakfast casserole out overnight? ›
Once again, according to the handy FDA guide, the easy overnight breakfast casserole should not sit out after baking for more than 2 hours. If you are eating the egg casserole in temperatures of 90 degrees or hotter, then the cooked casserole should not sit out longer than an hour.
