- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 300 g
- 450 g
- 480 ml
- 120 ml
- 200 g
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 15 g
Process
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Grease a 23 x 33 cm baking dish with the unsalted butter. Spread the bread cubes in an even layer in the dish.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breakfast sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces, for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and no longer pink. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving about 1 tbsp of fat in the pan.
Add the yellow onion and bell pepper to the same skillet and cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic powder and dried thyme and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from the heat.
Scatter the cooked sausage and the onion and pepper mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Sprinkle 150 g of the cheddar cheese over the top.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt and black pepper for about 1 minute until completely uniform and slightly frothy.
Pour the egg mixture slowly and evenly over the bread and fillings. Press the bread down gently with a spatula so every cube soaks. Cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
The next morning, remove the dish from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 175°C.
Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle the remaining 50 g cheddar cheese on top, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes more until the center is set and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 8 portions and serving warm.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is using fresh soft bread, which turns to mush. Use day-old sturdy bread and let it dry on the counter for a few hours if needed.
- Do not skip the 20-minute counter rest before baking. Cold from the fridge, the center takes much longer to set and the edges dry out.
- The casserole is done when the center no longer jiggles and a knife inserted 2 cm from the middle comes out clean, not wet. If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
- If your bread is very dry, increase the milk by 60 ml so the casserole does not bake up dry.
Substitutions
- breakfast sausage→cooked crumbled ground turkey or chopped cooked chicken
- whole milk→oat milk or lactose-free milk
- cheddar cheese→gouda or mozzarella
- day-old bread→cubed bagels or sourdough
Storage & reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap individual portions tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat single portions in the microwave on medium power for 1 to 2 minutes, or cover the whole dish with foil and reheat in a 160°C oven for 15 to 20 minutes until hot throughout.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Can I assemble this breakfast casserole the night before?
Yes, that is exactly what it is designed for. Cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Do not let it sit longer than 24 hours, or the bread becomes overly soft and the texture turns mushy.
Why is my breakfast casserole watery?
Watery casseroles usually come from wet vegetables or undercooked sausage. Cook the onion and bell pepper until softened and drain the sausage well before layering. Also let the baked casserole rest for 10 minutes after baking so the egg custard reabsorbs liquid.
Can I use frozen hash browns instead of bread?
Yes. Thaw 600 g of frozen shredded hash browns and squeeze out excess water with a clean towel, then use them in place of the bread. Bake at the same temperature but add 10 minutes to the covered baking time because the potatoes release more moisture.
How do I know when the breakfast casserole is fully cooked?
The center should be set and not jiggle when you gently shake the dish. A knife inserted into the middle should come out clean with no wet egg clinging to it. If the top is browning before the center sets, cover it loosely with foil.
Can I make this casserole without sausage?
Yes. Replace the sausage with 300 g of chopped cooked chicken, or leave the meat out entirely and add an extra 100 g of cheddar and 150 g of sauteed mushrooms. If you skip the meat, taste the egg mixture and add an extra 0.25 tsp of salt.
Can I freeze this breakfast casserole?
Yes, it freezes well. Bake it fully, cool completely, then wrap portions tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 160°C for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave single portions on medium power for 1 to 2 minutes.
Why did my casserole take longer than 55 minutes to bake?
A cold dish straight from the fridge, a deep baking dish, or a wet vegetable filling all extend the baking time. Let the dish sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking and use a 23 x 33 cm dish so the custard layer stays shallow and sets evenly.
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