Christmas Breakfast Casserole

My make-ahead Christmas Breakfast Casserole is loaded with savory flavors from breakfast sausage, two kinds of cheese and a bit of hot sauce. You can make it the night before or bake it right away. This Christmas morning casserole is a tradition for my family!

When it comes to busy mornings, none is busier than Christmas morning. My whole family looks forward to this easy Christmas Breakfast Casserole.

I love it because there’s no real chopping or cooking to do in the morning. After all, I’m usually up half the night on Christmas Eve wrapping presents, because I’m last minute like that!

Putting it together is simple. I dry crusty bread cubes, brown the sausage with peppers and whisk up the eggs and cheese. It all gets layered in a 9×13 pan to soak overnight.

Ingredient Notes

Most of what goes into this Christmas Breakfast Casserole is probably in your fridge already, but a few things are worth a quick note.

Breakfast sausage: A plain roll of ground pork breakfast sausage is already seasoned, so it adds plenty of flavor.

Bell peppers: A red bell pepper and a green one give it the Christmas colors. Dice them small so they soften in the skillet.

Half-and-half and hot sauce: Half-and-half makes the egg mixture rich and creamy. A little Frank’s RedHot wakes up the eggs without making them spicy.

Cheese: I use sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack, and I shred both off the block. Bagged shredded cheese works too, but block cheese melts smoother.

Making Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Step one: Dry the bread cubes in the oven while you brown the sausage and peppers in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain it well, then let it cool while you mix the eggs.

Step two: Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, hot sauce, salt and black pepper together in a large bowl, then stir in both cheeses.

Step three: Spread the dried bread in a greased 9×13 baking dish and spoon the sausage and peppers over the top. Pour the egg mixture over everything, then press the bread down so every piece soaks it up.

Step four: Cover the dish with sprayed aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

Step five: The next morning, let the dish sit on the counter while you preheat the oven. Bake it covered, then uncovered, until the top is lightly golden and a knife in the center comes out clean.

Your printable Christmas morning breakfast casserole recipe, with every amount, is in the card down below.

Why Dry the Bread First?

Fresh bread soaks up the eggs too fast and falls apart overnight, and that’s how you get a soggy layer on the bottom of the casserole dish. Dried, cubed bread soaks up the custard slowly and holds its shape, which is the trick to any good egg and bread casserole.

Sourdough Breakfast Casserole

Sourdough is my favorite bread to use in this breakfast strata because it brings such a nice flavor. While it’s best to have a crusty bread like sourdough, French or Italian, a simple loaf of white sandwich bread works too. Just dry it in the oven the same way.

Helpful Tips

• Blot the grease: Use paper towels to blot the extra grease from your sausage mixture.
• Let it warm up: After an overnight chill, let the casserole sit out for about 30 minutes so the dish comes closer to room temperature. You want to avoid thermal shock going into a preheated oven.
• Spray the foil: Spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray to help keep the top of the casserole from sticking.
• Watch the top: Every oven bakes a little differently, so start checking your Christmas Breakfast Casserole at 15 minutes into the uncovered bake. For me, it’s perfect at about 18 minutes. The cheese browns quickly once the foil comes off, so take it out when the top is as golden as you like.

Ways to Change It Up

• Turkey sausage: You can trade the pork sausage for turkey sausage.
• Ham: Diced leftover ham would be a great change.
• Whole milk: If you don’t have half-and-half, you can substitute whole milk. It won’t be quite as rich.
• Make it spicy: This recipe is flavorful, but not spicy as written. If you’d like to boost the heat, you can add more hot sauce, use hot sausage, or add some red pepper flakes.
• Skip the bread: If you’d rather go without bread, or you need a gluten-free option, try my Sausage Breakfast Casserole instead. Just check the label on your sausage.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Make ahead: This overnight Christmas Breakfast Casserole is meant to go together the night before. Keep it covered in the fridge until morning.

Refrigerator: Cover leftovers or move the squares to an airtight container. They keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Reheating: Warm single squares in the microwave, or cover the pan with foil and reheat it in the oven until it’s hot in the center.

Can You Bake It the Same Day?

Yes. Let the covered Christmas Breakfast Casserole sit on the counter while the oven heats so the bread soaks up the eggs, then bake it as usual. The bake time is about the same, so just keep an eye on the top. This is also a great way to have breakfast casserole for dinner.

Can You Freeze Breakfast Casserole?

Yes, once it’s baked. You can freeze the whole pan of this Christmas Breakfast Casserole, or wrap single squares in plastic wrap for easy breakfasts after the holidays. Both keep for up to 2 months, and the recipe card notes walk you through each one.

What to Serve With Christmas Breakfast Casserole

I cut mine into 8 larger pieces, so each one is a full breakfast on its own. If you’re feeding a crowd, you can cut it into 12 smaller squares and set out a few easy sides.

For a full Christmas brunch menu, something sweet is nice next to it. My Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls or Easy Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls fit right in. To keep it simple, serve it with some fresh fruit.

For more Christmas brunch ideas, my Christmas Crunch Salad adds something fresh and crunchy to the table.

If you ask me, this is the best Christmas Breakfast Casserole. It’s full of flavor and saves so much time on holiday mornings. Of course, you don’t have to save it for Christmas! This hearty breakfast is perfect any time.

More Holiday Breakfasts

• Sausage Breakfast Casserole
• Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
• Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
• Easy Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls