Description
A hearty and festive Christmas Breakfast Casserole featuring savory ground pork sausage, eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, and day-old bread soaked overnight for a perfect morning meal during the holidays.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage Layer
- 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
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Bread Base
- 6 slices day-old bread cubed
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Dish: Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and evenly spread the cubed day-old bread at the bottom to create the base layer.
- Cook Sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground pork sausage until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess grease and evenly spread the cooked sausage over the bread cubes in the baking dish.
- Mix Egg Mixture: In a bowl, whisk together the 6 large eggs, whole milk, dry mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper until fully blended. Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese to incorporate evenly.
- Assemble Casserole: Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the sausage and bread layers in the baking dish. Press down gently with a fork to ensure the bread absorbs the egg mixture thoroughly.
- Refrigerate Overnight: Cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and bread to soak the custard.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the casserole covered with foil for 30 minutes. Then, uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before serving to firm up and enhance flavors.
Notes
- Day-old bread is preferred as it absorbs the custard better without becoming mushy.
- You can substitute sharp cheddar cheese with other cheeses like mozzarella or Monterey Jack for a different flavor.
- Use turkey sausage as a leaner alternative if preferred.
- Make sure to drain excess grease from the cooked sausage to avoid a greasy casserole.
- Covering the casserole during the first part of baking helps keep it moist and prevents the top from drying out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
