Looking for a tasty breakfast that is sure to please the family? This is a great one to prepare the night before, then just pop it into the oven the next morning, and voila! A tasty breakfast that will be devoured by the whole family!
I have been making this meal for years now. It’s typically reserved for special occasions, a guarantee on Christmas morning and for New Year’s Day brunch… and Easter morning too. Don’t get me wrong though, there is absolutely nothing about it that makes it too fancy for any other day of the year.
A handful of times my family travelled out of the city to stay at a beautiful chalet not too far from here in the Rockies. It had its own kitchen, and I packed this to have for our first breakfast there. Again, once all of that prep work is done, it’s so easy to transport and then pop into an oven. It’s a flavourful hearty meal to prepare you for the day.
I have always made this breakfast in a square casserole dish. It’s funny to remember that when I used to make this just for me and my husband, we always got two meals out of it, then it stretched a bit to sharing a portion with my son, then three portions were taken up as he grew and my daughter started to eat it. Now there’s often a sadness that there isn’t any leftovers, as the three of us divvy up any portion that remains on my daughter’s plate. Apparently, we get hungry in the mornings!
What I enjoy most about this recipe is that all the prep is done beforehand, making it a great option for a busy morning. As it does take a good full hour in the oven, you’ll want to pop it in before the kiddos start to complain of being hungry, as once you can start to smell it, your whole household will be anxiously awaiting the oven’s countdown (not to mention the “resting time” as you drool over it waiting for it to cool!)
The ingredients for this are pretty straight forward. There are plenty of substitutions or variations that can be made to mix it up too! Feel free to play around with it and let me know in the comments what combinations worked really well (or ones to avoid for that matter!)
So let’s get to it!
Over Night Breakfast Casserole Ingredients
Ciabatta Bread – There are a lot of bread types that work really well for this recipe. My family prefers the ciabatta or sour dough bread, as it creates this great crunchy texture on the top of the casserole. What’s great about this recipe is that the bread will get toasted in the oven before assembling it, so it’s an easy way to use up stale bread.
Cooking Spray – you don’t need much, as this will be used to spray the casserole dish that the mixture will cook in. I personally have a spray bottle with some vegetable oil that I use to spray the dish. You can certainly use a purchased oil spray as well.
Breakfast Sausages – there are so many different types on the market, so feel free to choose one that you enjoy. Typically, original or maple sausages are on hand in the house, and both taste great here. There are also plenty of alternatives, some made with turkey, or leaner options. You could also swap it out for bacon that has been chopped into bite-sized pieces. While it can certainly be omitted, I do recommend adding one of these, as it does add another layer of texture and flavour.
Green Onions – green onions give this casserole a mild onion flavour to the dish. It’s also a nice pop of colour. I like to add the ½ cup here and dice up a bit more to be added once it is served. Chives would be good alternative.
Milk – As my daughter is currently drinking homogenized milk, that is typically what I add to this dish. Feel free to use any skim or partly skimmed milk instead. If you have heavy cream, you could use a combination of milk and cream. As for dairy milk alternatives, you substitute using soy milk.
Cheddar Cheese – if you want to be able to taste the cheese, you’ll want to go with a shredded sharp cheddar. The amount in this recipe will not overpower the dish, so it is worth it to use a cheese with some flavour. A mild cheddar or cheese blend will also work. It comes down to taste and what you have on hand. Though I have yet to try it, a close substitution would be shredded gouda, so if you happen to try it, let me know how it worked out!
Eggs – unlike many breakfast casserole dishes that use practically a whole carton of eggs, this recipe keeps it simple by limiting it to just two – the use of liquid eggs whites really stretches them far here.
Liquid Egg Whites – while we often have a carton of liquid egg whites in the fridge for my husband’s Whiskey Sours, they are handy for dishes like this. The carton has a decent shelf life, and it sure keeps it simple by pouring from this as opposed to separating 1-2 dozen eggs. If you don’t regularly stock it, I recommend adding it to your shopping list, either for cocktails or for breakfast (no judgment here).
Parsley (optional) – Fresh parsley is a nice pop of color once this has been served. It is used as a garnish here, so if you don’t have any fresh on hand, not a big deal. You can also add some dried into the liquid egg mixture before combining all of the ingredients if you choose.
Tips and Tools
Often when I have this recipe planned, I prep as much of the ingredients during the day as possible. Once the bread is sliced and toasting in the oven, I get the breakfast sausages steaming in a frying pan; I slice up the green onions; and grate the cheddar cheese. It makes all of the prep work possible within about 20 minutes. Then, in the evening, I complete the last couple steps by whisking the eggs, egg whites, and milk, and combining it all into the casserole dish. Super simple, super delicious!
Oven-safe baking dish – I use a 9×9 oven-safe dish. This results in really thick pieces of the casserole. You can certainly use a larger, rectangular baking dish, though you may want to reduce the cooking time by 10-15 minutes.
To cook the breakfast sausages, I place them into the pan over a medium heat. I do not use any oil here. Instead, once the skins start browning, then I carefully add water (about a cup worth over the cooking process). I keep them covered with a splatter guard. As they cook, I rotate them about every 2-3 minutes, and keep an eye on the water. As the water cooks off, and you are confident that the breakfast sausages are close to being cooked through, then I leave them to brown up further in the frying pan for the last minute or so. Once they’re cooked, you’ll need to dice them up so they are ready to be added to the casserole.
Throughout the preparation, you will also need a chef’s knife, cutting board, measuring cups, a whisk or fork, baking sheet, and a scale.
Substitutions/Variations
Proteins – While this recipe is tasty enough as is, there are certainly variations that can be made. Feel free to try it with different proteins, for example, bacon, turkey sausage, or even a ground chorizo would be fantastic.
Cheeses – While the sharp cheddar is great, it can be swapped out for milder, or stronger cheeses. Perhaps a cheese combination would be more to your taste, for example cheddar and a jalapeno Monterey Jack cheese.
Vegetables – You could also add in a cup of diced veggies if you choose. Diced peppers would be nice. Jalapenos would be great if you’re looking for a bit of extra heat. As an alternative, I would even sauté some diced onions and mushrooms to be added with the protein. Fresh herbs could also be a nice balance to the dish.
Let me know what combinations you’ve tried!
Overnight Breakfast Casserole
Looking for a tasty breakfast that is sure to please the family? This is a great one to prepare the night before, then just pop it into the oven the next morning, and voila! A tasty breakfast that will be devoured by the whole family!
6
servings20
minutes50
minutes8
hours5
minutesIngredients
8 ounces ciabatta bread, sliced into 1-inch cubes
Cooking spray
1 lb. breakfast sausages, cooked and sliced
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup (4 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 large eggs
1 cup egg substitutes (liquid egg whites)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8 – 10 minutes or until toasted.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add breakfast sausages to a frying pan; once the skins begin to brown, carefully add water (enough to cover the bottom of the pan), and place a lid partially over the frying pan. Keep an eye in case you need to add more water. Once they are just about cooked, remove the lid, and allow the sausages to brown further (1-2 more minutes, or until all the water has cooked off). Slice them once cool enough to handle.
- Combine sausage, bread, and onions in a large bowl. Combine milk, cheese, eggs, and egg substitute in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to bread mixture, tossing to coat bread. Spoon mixture into a 9 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Uncover casserole. Bake at 350° for 50 - 60 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice, sprinkle with parsley ,and serve immediately.
