| Prep | 20 minutes |
| Chill | At least 6 hours, or overnight |
| Bake | 45 minutes, plus 10 minutes rest |
| Total | About 7 hours 15 minutes, mostly in the fridge |
| Serves | 12 |
| Equipment | Skillet, large bowl, 9×13-inch baking dish, instant-read thermometer |
Most breakfasts happen in the morning. This one is finished the night before. On Christmas Eve, you brown the sausage, cube the bread and pour a cheesy egg custard over the top. On Christmas morning, the dish goes straight from the fridge into the oven, and 45 minutes later breakfast for twelve is ready while the presents are still being opened.
The night in the fridge is not just a convenience. It is what turns dry bread cubes and eggs into something closer to a savory bread pudding, soft in the middle and golden on top. This version uses halal turkey or chicken breakfast sausage and plenty of sharp cheddar.
Ingredients
- ½ lb (225 g) halal turkey or chicken breakfast sausage, casings removed – browned first, so it adds flavor and no raw meat goes into the dish.
- 12 oz (340 g) day-old crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (8 to 10 cups) – sourdough or a firm country loaf holds its shape best.
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided
- 8 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups milk – whole milk gives the richest custard.
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard – you will not taste it directly; it sharpens the cheese.
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped chives or green onions, to serve
How to Make It
1. Brown the sausage – 8 to 10 minutes
Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains. Drain it on paper towels. The crumbles should be browned in places, with no raw, pink pieces.
2. Layer the bread, sausage and cheese
Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread half of the bread cubes in the dish, scatter over half of the sausage and half of the cheese, then repeat with the rest of the bread and sausage. Keep the remaining cheese for the top. The bread should fill the dish in an even, loose layer.
3. Whisk the custard
Whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper until no streaks of yolk remain. Pour it slowly and evenly over the bread, then press the bread down gently with a spatula. Every cube should be moistened, with a little custard visible around the edges.
4. Chill – at least 6 hours, or overnight
Cover tightly and refrigerate. By morning, the bread should have soaked up most of the liquid.
5. Bake – 45 minutes at 350°F (175°C)
Take the dish out of the fridge while the oven heats to 350°F. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for about 45 minutes, until puffed and golden and the center is set. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. A knife pushed into the center should come out with no liquid egg, and the center should read 160°F (71°C).
6. Rest, then cut – 10 minutes
Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Top with chives. Squares should hold their shape when lifted out.
Choosing the Bread
The bread is half of this casserole, so it decides the final texture more than any other ingredient.
| Bread | Texture after baking | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Sourdough or country loaf | Soft center, cubes keep their shape | The most reliable choice |
| French bread | Light and custardy | Use it a day old, or toast the cubes first |
| Brioche or challah | Rich, slightly sweet, very soft | Reduce the milk by ¼ cup |
| Sandwich bread | Soft, can turn mushy | Dry the cubes well in a low oven |
| English muffins | Chewy, with nooks that hold the custard | Tear them rather than cut them |
Whatever you choose, keep the weight close to 12 ounces. Bread varies a lot in density, and measuring by weight keeps the ratio of bread to custard where it should be.
The Night in the Fridge
A breakfast casserole made and baked straight away tends to separate: the egg sets around the bread instead of soaking into it, and the bottom can stay wet. Resting overnight gives the bread time to absorb the custard all the way through, so it bakes into one soft, even layer.
That is why stale bread works better than fresh – a day-old loaf of no-knead bread is perfect here. Dry cubes drink up the custard and still keep some structure. Very soft sandwich bread turns mushy. If your bread is fresh, spread the cubes on a baking sheet and let them dry for a few hours, or toast them briefly in a low oven.
A Christmas Morning Timeline
- The evening before: brown the sausage, cube the bread, layer the casserole, pour the custard, cover and refrigerate. About 20 minutes of work.
- About 1 hour before eating: take the dish out of the fridge and heat the oven to 350°F.
- 45 minutes before: add the last of the cheese and slide the dish into the oven. This is the time to open presents or set the table.
- 10 minutes before: check the center with a thermometer, then let the casserole rest while you make coffee.
A rested casserole cuts into neat squares and stays hot long enough for a relaxed breakfast, so there is no need to time it to the minute.
Food Safety
The casserole sits overnight with raw eggs, so keep it in the refrigerator the whole time and cook it all the way through. The University of Illinois Extension recipe for the same type of overnight casserole calls for baking until the eggs and sausage reach 160°F, checked with a food thermometer. Brown the sausage before assembling rather than adding it raw.
Make It Your Own
- Vegetables: add sautéed mushrooms, peppers or spinach, squeezed dry, with the sausage.
- Different cheese: half cheddar and half Swiss or pepper jack.
- Meat-free: leave out the sausage and add more vegetables.
- Tortillas instead of bread: for a Tex-Mex take, see the make-ahead breakfast burrito casserole.
- For a smaller crowd: halve everything and bake in an 8×8-inch dish, checking a little earlier.
For a holiday brunch spread, set it out with something sweet: glazed cranberry orange scones or a pan of overnight French toast casserole with berries, which also bakes straight from the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake it the same day without chilling?
You can, but chill it for at least an hour first. Without the rest, the bread does not absorb the custard and the casserole can be dry on top and wet underneath.
Can I freeze a breakfast casserole?
Yes, after baking. Cool it, cut it into squares, and freeze them wrapped. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat until hot in the center (165°F for leftovers).
Why is my breakfast casserole soggy in the middle?
Usually it needed more time in the oven, or the bread was too fresh. Bake until a knife in the center comes out clean and the thermometer reads 160°F.
Can I meal prep it for the week?
Yes – baked squares keep in the fridge for a few days. For grab-and-go portions with the same flavors, sausage and potato breakfast bowls are built for it.
How do I reheat leftovers?
Cover and warm individual squares in the microwave, or reheat in a 350°F oven until hot all the way through.
Can I make it with egg whites or less milk?
You can replace some of the whole eggs with egg whites, but keep the total liquid about the same, so the bread still soaks up enough custard. With less milk, the casserole bakes up drier and denser.
Can I bake it in two smaller dishes?
Yes. Two 8×8-inch dishes work well: bake one and keep the other in the fridge for the next morning. Check them a little earlier, as smaller dishes cook faster.
Christmas Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains. Drain.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer half the bread, half the sausage and half the cheese, then the rest of the bread and sausage. Keep the remaining cheese for the top.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over the bread and press it down gently.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Top with the remaining cheese and bake about 45 minutes, until puffed, golden and set, and the center reads 160°F (71°C). Cover loosely with foil if browning too fast.
- Rest 10 minutes, cut into squares and top with chives.
Notes
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