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Christmas Breakfast Casserole
This Christmas Breakfast Casserole is cheesy and make-ahead, with breakfast sausage, red and green peppers and crusty bread soaked overnight in eggs.
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 (16-ounce) package ground breakfast sausage
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 teaspoons Frank’s RedHot sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded from the block, about 1 cup
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded from the block, about 1 cup
- 4 cups loosely packed 1-inch crusty bread cubes such as French or sourdough
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300°F. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are dry and lightly crisp.
- While the bread dries, cook the sausage and peppers in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up the sausage with a spatula as it cooks. It’s done when the meat is no longer pink and the peppers are soft.
- Turn off the heat and drain the grease from the pan. Press paper towels firmly onto the sausage and peppers to soak up any extra grease, then let them cool for at least 5 minutes.
- While the sausage mixture cools, whisk the eggs, half-and-half, hot sauce, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack until the cheese is spread evenly through the eggs.
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the dried bread cubes evenly in the dish, then spoon the sausage and peppers over the top.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture over everything in the dish. Gently press the bread down with the back of a spoon so every piece gets wet.
- Spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the dish, sprayed side down. Refrigerate overnight, 8 to 12 hours. If you’re baking it the same day, see the notes.
- In the morning, heat the oven to 350°F. Take the dish out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes while the oven heats.
- Bake with the foil on for 30 minutes. Then take off the foil and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the center is set. A knife stuck in the center should come out clean. Start checking at 15 minutes. For me, it’s perfect at about 18 minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes so it can firm up, then cut it into squares and serve.
Notes
Bread tips: A sturdy, crusty bread like French bread, sourdough, or ciabatta holds up best overnight, but a simple loaf of white sandwich bread works too. Drying the cubes in the oven first keeps any bread from turning mushy. It’s fine to add the cubes to the dish while they’re still warm.
Cheese tips: I strongly suggest shredding your cheese off the block for the best melting and flavor, but bagged shredded cheese will work too.
Baking it the same day: You can skip the overnight chill. Heat the oven to 350°F. After you cover the dish in step 7, let it sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes so the bread can soak up the egg mixture. Then bake it as written in step 9. The bake time is the same as the overnight version, so watch the color on top and do the knife check: it’s done when the top is lightly golden and a knife stuck in the center comes out clean.
Choosing a pan: A metal 9×13-inch pan is the safest choice for this make-ahead casserole. If you use glass or ceramic, let it sit out for the full 30 minutes in step 8, because a cold dish can crack in a hot oven.
How to Freeze Baked Casserole: Let the baked casserole cool completely, then wrap the pan in plastic wrap and foil and freeze it for up to 2 months. If you plan to freeze it, bake it in a disposable aluminum pan so your baking dish isn’t tied up in the freezer. Thaw it in the fridge for about a day. Take off the plastic wrap, cover the pan with the foil, and warm it in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until it’s hot in the center.
How to Freeze Individual Slices: Let the baked casserole cool completely, then cut it into squares. Wrap each square in plastic wrap and then foil, and put them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the squares in the fridge overnight, then reheat them in the microwave or oven until they’re hot in the center.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 357mg | Sodium: 932mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g
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