Description

This Ultimate Savory Breakfast Sausage and Cheese Casserole combines golden breakfast sausage, melty cheese, and custardy bread in one comforting dish. It’s perfect for holiday mornings, weekend brunches, or make-ahead meal prep! The rich combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses creates an irresistibly gooey topping, while the Dijon mustard and smoked paprika add subtle depth of flavor that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound breakfast sausage (mild or spicy)
8 large eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk (or half-and-half for extra richness)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (1 lb) loaf French bread (or Italian loaf), cubed into 1″ pieces (about 8 cups)
½ cup diced onion (yellow or sweet)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13″ baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
In a large skillet over medium heat, crumble the breakfast sausage. Add the diced onion and sauté until the sausage is golden and onions are tender, about 6–8 minutes. Drain any excess fat and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs, whole milk, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt & pepper until smooth and pale yellow.
Scatter half of the cubed bread evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with 1 cup sharp cheddar plus the full cup of Monterey Jack. Sprinkle the sausage-onion mixture over that layer. Finish by adding the remaining bread cubes.
Carefully pour the egg-milk mixture over the entire casserole. Gently press down on the top so the bread soaks up all that custardy goodness. Sprinkle the final cup of cheddar across the top.
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes, or until the center is just set and the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Let the casserole rest 5–10 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top before serving.

Notes

Make ahead option: Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes to the covered baking time.
For a lighter version, substitute turkey sausage, reduced-fat cheese, and use milk instead of half-and-half.
Add vegetables like bell peppers, spinach, or mushrooms to the sausage mixture for extra nutrition and flavor.
Day-old or slightly stale bread works best as it absorbs the egg mixture without becoming soggy.
For extra flavor, try using sourdough bread or adding a dash of hot sauce to the egg mixture.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Breakfast, Brunch
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/12 of casserole
Calories: 375
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 650mg
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 23g
Cholesterol: 185mg

Keywords: Breakfast casserole, Sausage breakfast bake, Make-ahead breakfast, Cheese and sausage casserole, Holiday brunch recipe, Savory breakfast, Egg casserole, French bread bake