Description
A hearty and delicious Christmas Breakfast Casserole featuring savory ground pork sausage, eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, and day-old bread, perfect for a festive morning meal or holiday gathering.
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 thoroughly and evenly spread the cubed day-old bread on the bottom as the base layer.
- Cook Sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground pork sausage until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat, then spread the cooked sausage evenly over the bread cubes in the baking dish.
- Mix Egg Mixture: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, dry mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper until fully combined. Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Combine Layers: Pour the egg and cheese mixture evenly over the sausage and bread layers in the baking dish. Use a fork to gently press down so the bread cubes fully absorb the egg mixture.
- Refrigerate: Cover the baking dish with foil and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and bread to soak.
- Preheat and Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the casserole covered with foil for 30 minutes to heat through and set the center.
- Brown Top: Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the casserole is fully set.
- Rest and Serve: Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes after baking to firm up before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Using day-old bread helps absorb the egg mixture better without becoming soggy.
- Substitute ground pork sausage with turkey sausage for a leaner option.
- Feel free to add diced vegetables like bell peppers or onions to the sausage layer for extra flavor.
- Make sure to fully drain the cooked sausage to avoid excess grease in the casserole.
- Covering the casserole with foil during the first part of baking keeps it moist.
- Allowing the casserole to chill overnight improves texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 220 mg
