Description
This Christmas Breakfast Casserole is a hearty and delicious dish perfect for holiday mornings. It combines savory ground pork sausage, eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, and day-old bread cubes, baked to golden perfection. The casserole can be prepared ahead by refrigerating overnight, making it a convenient and festive meal to serve a crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 lb ground pork sausage
Egg Mixture
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Other
- 6 slices day-old bread, cubed
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Prepare baking dish: Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and evenly spread the cubed day-old bread across the bottom.
- Cook sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground pork sausage until browned and fully cooked, then drain excess fat. Spread the cooked sausage evenly over the bread cubes in the baking dish.
- Mix eggs and cheese: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, dry mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined. Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Combine and soak: Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the sausage and bread in the baking dish. Press down gently with a fork to ensure the bread absorbs the egg mixture thoroughly.
- Refrigerate: Cover the baking dish with foil and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 2 hours, to allow the flavors to meld and the bread to soak fully.
- Bake casserole: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the covered casserole for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
- Rest before serving: Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes after baking to firm up before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Using day-old bread helps absorb the egg mixture better for a custardy texture.
- You can substitute ground pork sausage with turkey sausage for a leaner option.
- Make sure to press the bread down gently after pouring the egg mixture to prevent dry spots.
- Refrigerating overnight enhances flavor and allows the casserole to set properly.
- Sharp cheddar cheese provides a nice tang but you can swap for any cheese of your preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
