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.

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