Easy Breakfast Casserole
This easy breakfast casserole has been in our family for over 20 years now. It’s one of those recipes that the family knows we’ll have early on Christmas morning or New Year’s Day. You prepare it ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook it.
The day you plan to serve it you remove the cover on the cooled casserole and press the cooked bacon and sausage into the casserole and bake as directed. It’s so good when you serve it with sour cream and your favorite salsa.
It has bread, eggs, two different kinds of cheese, sausage, and bacon which make it extra yummy! It makes your home smell so good while it’s baking in the oven. There’s never much cleanup on that special day because you make the casserole ahead of time. You just remove the plastic wrap and bake as directed.
Easy Breakfast Casserole
Kitchen Items You May Need:
- Mixing Bowl
- Baking Dish
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Cups
- A Good Knife
- Silicone Cutting Boards (these are my favorite)
- Food Thermometer
- Frying Pan
Ingredients – Easy Breakfast Casserole
- Bread: Holds the casserole together. Absorbs the wet ingredients in the recipe which allows the casserole to be moist, but not runny.
- Velveeta Cheese: A delicious, smooth, and mild tasting, shelf-stable cheese that is made of whey, milk, milk protein concentrate, modified starch, canola oil, and cheese cultures. It is known for its creaminess and unbelievable ability to melt!
- Milk: Due to the fat content, milk helps to produce a moist and creamy casserole. It also helps to enrich the flavor of all of the other ingredients.
- Eggs: Great source of protein, helps to bind the dough and other ingredients together which creates a moist and soft casserole. Increases browning during the cooking process. Adds a deliciously rich flavor.
- Salt: Salt is used to help enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Dry Mustard: Also known as mustard powder. It is made from ground mustard seeds. It gives a delicious and savory kick to this casserole!
- Grated Cheese (mild cheddar is our favorite): A very smooth, moist, and mild cheese. It is the perfect choice for this breakfast casserole due to its melting capabilities which help to combine all of the ingredients together.
- Bacon (cooked): A salt-cured pork that is cut from the belly or back of the pig. Adds a little smokey flavor to any dish. Center-cut or thick-cut bacon is best! Adds protein to this breakfast casserole.
- Jimmy Dean Sausage (cooked and drained): Sausage is ground meat, like pork, beef, or poultry along with salt, spices, and other flavorings.
Delicious Breakfast Casserole
Step One: Gather Ingredients
Step Two: Cook The Bacon
I love baking bacon in the oven, it’s so easy. Note how I lined my large pan with aluminum foil. It sure helps with cleanup chores. Bacon In The Oven
Baked Bacon – Draining the Grease
Step Three: Cook the Sausage
I fry the sausage in a frying pan until it’s thoroughly cooked. Then I drain any leftover grease. This variety of sausage had very little grease.
Place the bacon and sausage in the refrigerator.
You combine the cooked bacon and the cooked sausage together and place them in the refrigerator. The morning you bake the casserole, you’ll remove the plastic wrap and push this mixture into the top of the breakfast casserole before baking it.
Step Four: Cut The Bread Into Cubes
The recipe calls for cutting off the crusts and then cubing the bread into bite-size pieces. I don’t see an issue with leaving the crusts if you prefer.
Step Five: Place The Bread Cubes In The Baking Pan
Grease your baking pan, and place the bread cubes into the baking dish.
Step Six: Place Velveeta Slices On the Top
Now, slice the Velveeta cheese into thin slices and layer on top of the bread cubes.
Step Seven: Sprinkle Grated Cheese on the Casserole
Sprinkle your favorite grated or shredded cheese on this layer.
Step Eight: Whisk The Egg and Milk with Spices
Whisk the milk, eggs, salt, and dry mustard until mixed completely.
Pour Over Casserole
Cover the casserole with the egg, milk, and spices mixture.
Step Nine: Cover and place in the refrigerator
Cover with plastic wrap and palace in the refrigerator overnight. It gives the bread time to absorb the liquids, making for a creamy casserole.
Step Ten: Sprinkle the bacon and sausage over the casserole
You’ll need to use your fingers or a spoon to push the bacon and sausage down into the casserole so it’s mostly covered.
Step Eleven: Bake at (325°F) = (162°C) until cooked through
Finished Product
I added some sour cream and green onions for flavor. I also like mine with some salsa, and I served the casserole with some extra bacon.
- 8 slices of bread with crusts removed
- 2/3 pound Velveeta cheese, sliced
- 4 cups milk
- 8 large eggs
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 cups of grated cheese
- 6-8 slices of cooked bacon broken into bite-size pieces
- 1 package of Jimmy Dean sausage, cooked, drained, and crumbled.
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Gather all of your ingredients and any kitchen items that you will need.
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Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and place the bread pieces in the bottom.
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Next, place the sliced Velveeta over the bread.
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Put the grated cheese on top.
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In a large bowl, blend or whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and dry mustard until smooth.
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Pour this egg mixture over the pan filled with bread, Velveeta, and grated cheese. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.
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Combine the cooked bacon and sausage in a bag when cooled and place in the refrigerator overnight. You will use this mixture in the casserole in the morning.
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The next morning, preheat the oven to (325°F) = (162°C) degrees.
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Remove the cover from the 9 by 13-inch pan and sprinkle the bacon and sausage over the casserole.
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You will need to use your fingers or a spoon to push the bacon and sausage down into the casserole so it's mostly covered.
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It's very moist so it makes it easy to press the meat down into the pan. Bake uncovered for 1-1/2 hours or until the eggs are set.*
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*The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking egg mixtures until the center reaches (160°F) = (71°C).
Is a casserole the main dish?
What I love about this easy breakfast casserole is that it is a great stand-alone dish, or it can be served with a side dish or two. It is very hearty and filling!
What can be served with a breakfast casserole?
- The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Biscuits
- Fresh Fruit
- Sautéed Vegetables
- The Best Banana Bread & Muffins
- Sourdough English Muffins
What ingredients can I add to a breakfast casserole?
I really love this easy breakfast casserole recipe as is! If you are interested in adding additional ingredients, I would recommend any of the following:
- Red, yellow, or green bell peppers
- Sautéed onions
- Frozen hash browns, breakfast potatoes, or tater tots
- Mushrooms (steam to remove excess moisture)
- Ham
- Spinach
- Broccoli and/or Cauliflower (steam to remove excess moisture)
- Cream – in place of milk
- Any other veggies that you and your family enjoy
Why do you have to refrigerate it overnight?
Refrigerating the breakfast casserole the night before, allows the bread to absorb the eggs, milk, and cheese. This will help the casserole to be moist and delicious, but not too liquidy or runny.
How do you know when an egg casserole is done?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking egg mixtures until the center reaches (160°F) = (71°C).
How do you store this after baking it?
I store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, although it’s best eaten within 2 days because the texture may change.
How can I reheat this the next day?
You can wrap the baking dish tightly with foil and reheat it in the oven, using an air fryer or microwave.
What cheese is best to use in a breakfast casserole?
We really like the flavor of the cheddar cheese! It has a mild flavor and melts really well. If you are interested in trying a different cheese, I would recommend swiss cheese if you would like a little stronger flavor, or pepper jack cheese if you’d like a little spice. Mozzarella would be delicious as well!
Is this casserole healthy for my family?
I’m not in a position to provide detailed nutrition information, but as I review the ingredients and can tell you a few nutrition observations from my viewpoint.
The milk and cheeses provide protein, Vitamin D, and calcium, with all considered important to daily nutrition. Interestingly, milk also is a good source of potassium.
Bacon and sausage are also good sources of protein, but for those watching their cholesterol, they may have some issues. The meats and added salt make for a fairly high level of sodium but surely add to the overall flavor.
The bread adds to the texture of the casserole but also adds to the carbohydrate content.
Final Word
Let me know if you decide to try my easy breakfast casserole recipe! The smell and taste of this casserole are truly amazing! I love how the bread absorbs the milk, eggs, Velveeta, and grated cheeses which then melt together to create a moist, cheesy, and flavorful dish. The taste of the bacon and Jimmy Dean sausage creates a depth of savory flavor in your mouth like no other! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! You?
I love how easy it is to put this breakfast casserole together the night before and have it ready to cook in the morning! This easy breakfast casserole is great to serve at brunch, Christmas breakfast, family reunions, and New Year’s Day festivities! May God Bless The World, Linda
Merry Christmas! I just found your delicious recipe this morning. I have copied it & made notes as to other ingredients & serving suggestions. But, I will use it on New Year’s Day, since it’s too late for today….hahaha!
My only notation is about the Velveeta, which most people love & I DO TOO. But, the canola oil in it makes it dangerous to consume all the time, so beware everyone. It’s considered an omega-6 seed oil which is a contributor to nearly all chronic disease & shouldn’t be consumed in excessive amounts.
Hi Janet, Merry Christmas! Luckily we only make it once or twice a year so the Velveeta may be okay! I got Influenza A so I couldn’t get the recipe done before yesterday! But I thought people could use it for New Year’s Day!! Linda
Thanks for the recipe, I bet it’ll taste amazing! I wish me and my family could make it, but I don’t have any Velveeta or dry mustard.
P.S.: I want to say that your website has the best prepper advice I’ve even seen! I first heard about you when I got your book at the library. Keep up the good work!
Hi Nick, oh thank you so much for your kind words!! I don’t stock Velveeta either, I only buy it when I make this recipe! Happy Holidays! Linda
Hi Linda. Sorry to see that you’ve been “under the weather” as my parents used to say. Perhaps you’re doing much better now. No, I don’t buy Velveeta much either & only for occasional recipes…one other fav is a nacho dip, but it seems we rarely party these days, as in inviting folks to our house & celebrate something special. BTW: I do have one container of it in my stash & only enough for one special occasion!!!!!!!! Happy 2023! Janet
Hi Janet, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend. Thank you, I am on the mend thank goodness! I love nacho dip made with Velveeta as well! I remember growing up and that cheese made the best-grilled cheese sandwiches! Great memories with Velveeta! Happy 2023 to you! Linda
Hi Linda,
I can’t wait to make this! I gather from the comments that Velveeta must have Canola oil in it.
I buy Aldi brand Clancy’s Cheese Melt. A 2 lb. pkg. is only $4.49. I was concerned so I checked the ingredients and I do not see Canola oil in it, or any kind of oil listed. I looked 3 times too. So I am glad that it is not so bad.
I do keep it stocked because my family likes homemade macaroni and cheese. I am embarrassed to say that I do keep several in my extra fridge. But it can take a whole box for a church dinner macaroni and cheese.
God bless you!
Love and hugs,
Jackie
Hi Jackie, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! I forgot to check the Velveeta ingredients. I love homemade mac and cheese! God bless you my friend, love and hugs, Linda
When cooking your bacon, put a cooling rack (like you use for cookies) on your cookie sheet. Lay your pieces of bacon on the rack and bake. The advantages are it will cook faster (since it cooks on both sides at once) and you don’t have to drain the bacon.
Hi Terry, oh I like that idea, I need to put the rack in it, great tip! And no draining! Linda