Description
A hearty, savory one-pan breakfast-for-dinner casserole that uses stale bread, ground sausage, eggs, and cheddar cheese. It is cheap, customizable, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (mild or hot pork)
- 8–10 slices stale bread (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 2 tablespoons butter (for greasing)
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Optional: diced bell peppers, onions, or cooked bacon bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Cut stale bread into 1-inch cubes and spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until fully cooked and crispy. Drain excess grease if desired. If adding veggies, cook them with the sausage. Remove sausage from pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and uniform.
- Spread the cooked sausage (and veggies) over the bread cubes. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture over the bread and sausage. Gently press down on the bread to ensure all cubes are soaked. Let the dish sit for 5 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set (not jiggly). If browning too fast, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on top if desired. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Stale bread is crucial for the right texture; fresh bread will turn mushy. If using fresh bread, toast the cubes for 5 minutes at 300°F to dry them out. Letting the assembled casserole sit for 5 minutes before baking ensures the bread absorbs the egg mixture properly. This dish can be assembled the night before and refrigerated overnight.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 22
Keywords: breakfast for dinner, one pan meal, sausage casserole, egg casserole, cheap dinner, meal prep, comfort food, easy weeknight dinner