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Easy Make-Ahead Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Casserole

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This overnight breakfast casserole is a lifesaver for holiday mornings and busy weekends. Made with simple ingredients like sausage, eggs, cheddar, and bread, it assembles in 15 minutes and bakes to golden, custard-like perfection.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound breakfast sausage
  • 10 large eggs
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 cups cubed bread (about one standard loaf, day-old or slightly stale)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Brown the sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through (6-8 minutes). Drain off excess fat and let cool slightly.
  2. Cube the bread: If using fresh bread, cut into 1-inch cubes. Stale bread is ideal.
  3. Shred the cheese: Grate cheddar from a block for best melt quality.
  4. Whisk the egg mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined and slightly frothy (about 30 seconds).
  5. Layer the casserole: Spread half the bread cubes in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with half the cooked sausage and half the shredded cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, sausage, and cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over everything, pressing down gently with a spatula.
  6. Cover and refrigerate: Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight (8-12 hours).
  7. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Keep foil on and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20-25 minutes until top is golden brown and center is set (knife inserted in center comes out clean). Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For best texture, refrigerate overnight. Use day-old or slightly stale bread. Shred cheese from a block for better melt. Let casserole rest 5-10 minutes after baking for cleaner slices. Can be frozen unbaked for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: breakfast casserole, make-ahead, sausage cheddar, overnight casserole, holiday breakfast, brunch recipe

Find it online: https://spoonmira.com/easy-make-ahead-sausage-and-cheddar-breakfast-casserole/