Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage (2024)

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This easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole is a family recipe (made WITHOUT bread) that is prepped the night before and baked in the morning - perfect for Christmas morning or any brunch!

This easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole recipe has been in our family for decades, courtesy of my mother-in-law, Cathy. It's a staple at every holiday brunch.

This decadent egg bake is RICH but super tasty. Filled with savory breakfast sausage, eggs, extra sharp cheddar cheese, loads of mushrooms, savory onion, crunchy green pepper and a hint of garlic, you're guaranteed to leave the table with full bellies and satisfied smiles.

Jump to:
  • Why this recipe works
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • FAQs
  • Serving suggestions
  • More breakfast casserole recipes
  • Recipe

Why this recipe works

  • It came from one of those community, crowd-sourced cookbooks that were sold as fundraisers for decades. Some of the best, time-tested recipes come from those gems.
  • It's prepped the night before and can be immediately baked in the morning so you can enjoy that extra cup of coffee in peace.
  • Many egg bakes are made with bread, but not this one! This recipe is a great option for your gluten-free friends and family (use a gluten-free breakfast sausage and skip the cream of mushroom soup).

Ingredients

This egg bake contains many of the typical breakfast ingredients, including:

  • sausage - My go-to is Jimmy Dean bulk breakfast sausage. It's reliable and easy to find.
  • eggs - I've always used large eggs for this recipe.
  • cheese - We're big fans of extra sharp cheddar cheese but feel free to swap in sharp or mild cheddar or even a mix of all of them.

Note: There is also an easy, creamy mushroom sauce that can be drizzled on top of the casserole. The instructions are in the recipe card. It's totally optional but highly recommended!!

Instructions

This dish comes together quickly and can be completely assembled the night before.

Crack all of the eggs into the casserole dish being careful to keep the yolks intact. Drizzle with cream.

Brown sausage and saute onions, peppers and mushrooms. Layer with cheese on top of eggs in casserole dish.

Once morning rolls around, all you need to do is pop the casserole in the oven an hour before guests arrive. If you made the sauce the night before, simply reheat it gently on the stove or microwave.

FAQs

Can I make this breakfast casserole gluten-free?


Because there is no bread in this breakfast casserole recipe, it's a great option to serve guests who have gluten sensitivities. Just be sure to use a gluten-free breakfast sausage and a gluten-free cream of mushroom soup if serving the mushroom sauce with the casserole.

Do I have to make this the night before or can I make it in the morning?


Either way works great!

Serving suggestions

This Overnight Breakfast Casserole is the centerpiece of any brunch, but here are a few (mostly) make-ahead ideas to round out your menu:

Baked Goods:

  • These Caramel Apple Rolls can be prepped the night before and simply baked into warm gooey goodness in the morning.
  • Short on time and can't do any morning baking? Make these Blueberry & Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins the day before your brunch. Keep them loosely covered until you're ready to serve them.
  • No brunch is complete at our house without my Grandma's Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe. (The cinnamon streusel swirl is the best part!)

Side Dishes:

  • Don't forget your veggies! This gorgeous Arugula Salad - with feta cheese and roasted grapes - makes eating your greens taste delicious.
  • Love savory? You'll definitely want to add this Antipasto Salad to your brunch menu.
  • Add a little wow factor to your typical fruit plate with our quick and easy Fruit Salad with an irresistible lime-mint syrup.

Dessert Recipes:

  • Who can refuse this dessert mashup of carrot cake and cheesecake? You get the best of both worlds with our Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars.
  • Feeling fancy? This Panna Cotta recipe is made with real vanilla bean and never fail to impress guests. (But they are soooo easy and are made in advance.)
  • It's hard to turn down a lemon bar, but ours include tropical coconut to give these Lemon Bars an edge over all the rest.

Drinks:

  • Brunch was made for bubbles! Some of our best bubbly recipes are these Prosecco co*cktails made with grapefruit juice and ginger liqueur and these Breakfast Mimosas made with tequila.
  • Better yet, let guests serve themselves. Set up a DIY Bloody Mary Bar for guests to create their own perfect co*cktail.

More breakfast casserole recipes

Don't miss any of our delicious breakfast and brunch recipes!

Recipe

Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage (7)

Fireman's Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Garnish With Lemon

This easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole is loaded with sausage, eggs, cheese and veggies and is refrigerated overnight. Perfect for Christmas morning or any brunch menu!

4.66 from 84 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 8 hours hrs

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 9 hours hrs

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 460 kcal

Ingredients

Casserole:

  • 1 pound ground pork sausage I used Jimmy Dean
  • 8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 green pepper chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 12 eggs
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 pound shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

Optional Mushroom Sauce:

  • 1 10.5-oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Casserole:

  • Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside.

  • Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Drain meat. Add mushrooms, onion and green pepper to the same skillet. Stir and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

  • Break eggs into baking dish keeping the yolks intact. Do your best to evenly distribute the egg yolks around the pan. Poke a hole in each of the yolks with a toothpick. Pour cream over eggs and top with ½ of cheese.

  • Using a slotted spoon, add sausage mixture to the baking dish. Top with remaining cheese, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

  • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Mushroom sauce:

  • Combine soup, milk and garlic powder in a small saucepan and cook until heated through. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with breakfast casserole.

VIDEO

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 460kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 25gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 280mgSodium: 903mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g

Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.

Did you make this recipe?Tag us on Instagram or leave a comment!

No brunch is complete without this easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole recipe. Made with sausage, eggs, cheese and veggies (and no bread), this egg casserole is refrigerated overnight and baked in the morning. Perfect for Christmas or any holiday!

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Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage (8)

About Anna

Hi, I’m Anna, a former corporate communications nerd turned food fanatic. Turns out I like cooking for others A LOT more than explaining HR policies to them. C’mon over!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage (9)Arleen says

    Can left overs be frozen ?

    Reply

    • Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage (10)Anna says

      Hi Arleen, I've never frozen any leftovers so I can't say for sure. If you give it a try, please stop back and let others know how it worked for you!

      Reply

  2. Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage (11)Molly Anderson says

    Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage (12)
    I just made this for me and my husband. I’m trying to incorporate more protein in my diet and it definitely filled me up! I did about 4.5 oz of sharp cheddar, 5 oz colby jack, and then 5 oz mozzarella on top of the sausage mix (I was low on cheeses lol) instead of just sharp cheddar. It turned out so yummy and so flavorful. Great recipe!!

    Reply

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Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe with sausage (2024)

FAQs

Why do you have to refrigerate breakfast casserole overnight? ›

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. Bake in an oven set no lower than 325 °F. Most recipes suggest 350 °F.

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 leave egg casserole 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 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.

When baking a casserole is it covered or uncovered? ›

Generally, casseroles with grains, rice or pasta that will cook during the baking process are usually covered, for at least part of the time. Casseroles made of cooked ingredients are usually baked uncovered. If you like a crisper, browner top, be sure the casserole is uncovered for at least part of the bake time.

Why is my sausage casserole watery? ›

10 Tips To Fix Or Prevent Watery Casseroles
  • Prep Vegetables Ahead Of Time. Vegetables boiling on a stove - Solstock/Getty Images. ...
  • Add A Starch. ...
  • Experiment With Pasta Or Grains. ...
  • Take The Lid Off. ...
  • Drain Fat From Meat. ...
  • Choose A Dry Or Low-Fat Cheese. ...
  • Sprinkle Seeds Into Your Bake. ...
  • Remove Excess Liquid.
Oct 29, 2023

How do you make egg casserole not watery? ›

1 teaspoon of corn starch to 1 cup of casserole liquid, mxi it well and add it to the casserole. Give a good stir and when it bubbles a bit it will thicken.

Can you make a casserole with raw eggs ahead of time? ›

Can You Make Egg Casserole Ahead of Time? This easy egg casserole is the perfect make-ahead breakfast. Simply combine the ingredients the night before and place the mixture in a prepared baking dish, then cover it tightly with storage wrap or foil. In the morning, bake the casserole according to the recipe.

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.

Is it better to freeze a breakfast casserole cooked or uncooked? ›

The answer depends on what's in it. Casseroles with raw protein (meat, poultry, seafood) should be completely cooked before freezing. However dishes with pre-cooked meats or no meat are fine to go in the freezer uncooked.

Can I leave sausage casserole out overnight? ›

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food and safety basics states cooked food can be left at room temperature up to two hours. If the temperature outside (or inside your house) is 90°F or above, you should cut that time in half.

Can you eat sausage casserole the next day? ›

You can also reheat sausages that are in a sauce (for example a sausage casserole) in the microwave, on the hob or in a slow cooker. Simply add a little water before heating to stop it drying out. If keeping a sausage dish to reheat, you must store it in the fridge or freezer within 2 hours and consume within 3 days.

Can you eat 2 week old hard boiled eggs? ›

Can you eat 2 week old hard-boiled eggs? The FDA recommends consuming hard-boiled eggs within a week, and two weeks is well past that deadline. Since spoiled hard-boiled eggs can make you sick, it's best to be safe and toss out any leftover hard-boiled eggs that have been in the fridge for more than one week.

Do you have to refrigerate egg casserole before baking? ›

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 egg casserole sit out? ›

Shell eggs and hardboiled eggs need to be returned to the refrigerator with two hours. But if the temperature is 85 degrees or above the eggs need to be refrigerated within one hour. Dishes containing egg, casseroles and quiches, need to be served immediately and the leftovers refrigerated.

How long to refrigerate casserole before baking? ›

Unless food will be frozen, it's safest and will provide the best quality product to start preparing most perishable foods no more than a day before a meal. For example, assemble a vegetable casserole a day in advance, refrigerate and then bake the day of your dinner.

Can you warm up breakfast casserole? ›

Cool to room temperature. Wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, then reheat in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes the next morning until the casserole is browned and heated through.

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