Winter Brunch Casserole Hearty (Printable version)
Cozy casserole featuring sausage, eggs, vegetables, and cheese, ideal for a warming winter brunch.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb breakfast sausage, casings removed
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
→ Dairy & Eggs
05 - 8 large eggs
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - ½ cup heavy cream
08 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
09 - ¾ cup shredded mozzarella
→ Bread
10 - 5 cups day-old bread cubes (e.g., sourdough or country loaf)
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - ½ tsp black pepper
13 - ½ tsp garlic powder
14 - ½ tsp dried thyme
→ For greasing
15 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate, reserving 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet.
03 - Add diced onion and red bell pepper to skillet. Sauté until softened, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in baby spinach and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme until combined.
05 - Layer half of the bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the cooked sausage, half of the sautéed vegetables, and half of the shredded cheeses. Repeat layering with remaining bread, sausage, vegetables, and cheeses.
06 - Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layered ingredients, pressing gently to ensure the bread absorbs the liquid.
07 - Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for enhanced flavor.
08 - Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
09 - Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes or until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
10 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- You prep it the night before and just pop it in the oven while you're still in your pajamas.
- It feeds a crowd without requiring you to stand at the stove flipping things.
- The bread soaks up all the eggy custard, creating this creamy, savory texture that feels like breakfast and comfort food at the same time.
02 -
- Don't skip the resting period after baking; cutting into it too soon will make it fall apart and look like scrambled eggs instead of a proper casserole slice.
- If your oven runs hot, cover the top with foil partway through baking to prevent the cheese from burning while the center finishes cooking.
03 -
- Use day-old bread without apology; fresh bread becomes a mushy disappointment, but day-old bread has the structure to absorb liquid without disintegrating.
- The overnight refrigeration is not just convenient—it genuinely makes the flavors more cohesive and the texture better, so plan ahead if you can.