Easy Breakfast Casserole

This Easy Breakfast Casserole recipe is a savoury meal prep breakfast that’s simple enough for everyday & perfect for a holiday brunch! It’s make-ahead, it’s easy to customize, and it’s the best hands-off solution for serving breakfast for a crowd!

 

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Whether or not you think breakfast is the most important meal of the day, we can all agree that it’s definitely one of the most delicious! And when it comes to breakfast we LOVE a savoury, cozy breakfast bake like this Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole. It’s a simplified twist on an old family recipe that’s easy to throw together in minutes and then either bake right away or store in the fridge to bake in the morning. It’s perfectly savoury, it’s easy to customize with whatever flavours your family enjoys, and it’s perfect for both busy weekday mornings or a lazy weekend brunch. If you’re looking for a classic breakfast casserole recipe, THIS is it!

A breakfast casserole is a simple baked dish that combines eggs, bread, cheese, and mix-ins like vegetables, bacon, or sausage. Everything gets mixed together, poured into a dish, and baked until golden and set. It is one of the easiest ways to feed a crowd or a large family because you can prepare it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you’re ready for breakfast. Breakfast casseroles are also very customizable, so you can swap in whatever ingredients you have on hand to make it your own.

And probably not surprisingly, most breakfast casseroles actually taste better when they’re made ahead of time! A make-ahead breakfast casserole is assembled the night before so the egg custard mixture soaks into the bread, moistening it overnight. This gives the casserole a velvety texture and makes morning baking super simple.

This recipe is a family favourite for so many reasons. Here are just a few reasons why we love it!

1. It’s easy to prepare. Just toss everything together, pour it in the dish, and bake, or cover and bake in the morning.
2. It can be made ahead. Prep it the night before and bake it fresh in the morning.
3. It feeds a crowd. It’s perfect for family brunches, Christmas morning, or lazy weekend mornings.
4. It’s balanced and hearty. Protein from the eggs, cheese, and bacon, plus the veggies and bread make it filling and satisfying.
5. It’s customizable. Use different cheeses, meats, or veggies to match your family’s preferences.
6. It’s a time-saver. Make one dish and you have breakfast sorted without ever having to stand over the stove.

We LOVE breakfast and we hope you do too! Here are some of our favourite breakfast recipes we think you’ll love!

• Homemade Granola
• Baked Oatmeal
• Buttermilk Waffles
• French Toast Casserole
• Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
• Fruit Platter
• Breakfast Burrito Bowls
• Banana Pancakes
• Croissant French Toast Bake
• Fruit Salad
• Sheet Pan Pancakes
• Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
• Egg Bites

Here’s how to take this breakfast casserole recipe to the next level – with our PRO tips and tricks!

This lets it dry slightly, which helps the casserole soak up more flavour. Using day-old bread is better than fresh bread because it soaks up more of the custard liquid.

A smooth egg mixture makes the casserole light and fluffy so be sure to mix the wet ingredients very well.

Distribute the soaked bread, veggies, and meat evenly so every bite has the right combination of flavours.

Mix some into the casserole for a cheesy flavour throughout, then sprinkle more on top for a golden crust.

This is one of those recipes that gets better with time, so be sure to assemble the day before you want to bake it, if you can. The bread will have more of a chance to soak up all the custard liquid and the texture of the inside of the casserole will be more uniform.

Let the baked casserole rest for at least 5 minutes before serving so it slices neatly and the inside can continue to set.

Check with a knife or toothpick in the middle. If it comes out clean, it is ready.

If you’re having trouble with this breakfast casserole recipe, here’s our guide to troubleshooting some common issues you might encounter.

Make sure the bread cubes are not too fresh. Use slightly stale, 1-2 day-old bread or toast the cubes before mixing. Dry bread will soak up the liquid more effectively and give the casserole the perfect texture.

This usually means it was over-baked. Next time, start checking for doneness earlier and pull it out as soon as the casserole is set.

Cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too fast before the centre of the casserole is cooked through. You can also rotate the dish in your oven if one side is browning faster than the other.

Always spray the baking dish well or line the bottom with parchment paper for easy serving.

Tent loosely with foil toward the end so the top does not over brown while the inside finishes cooking.

This usually means you’ve over-baked it or added too little dairy along with the eggs. Bake until just set and follow the balanced egg to milk ratio provided in the recipe.

Here’s a list of the basic kitchen equipment you’ll need to make this breakfast recipe (paid links):

• mixing bowls
• Cutting Board
• large knife
• liquid measuring cups
• measuring cups and spoons
• 9-inch by 13-inch (or equivalent) baking dish

Here’s a list of all the ingredients you’ll need to make this deliciously easy breakfast casserole recipe (paid links):

• 1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-2 inch cubes (whole grain French bread also works great here!)
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup chopped ham
• 2 1/2 cups skim milk
• 8 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• baking or cooking spray
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese reserve for topping before baking

There are so many ways to make this easy breakfast casserole recipe your own. Here are some delicious variations we recommend to switch up the base recipe!

1. Change the protein: Try some cooked sausage, bacon, turkey bacon, or go vegetarian with extra vegetables.
2. Try different cheeses: Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Swiss, or pepper jack all add a ton of flavour.
3. Switch up the veggies: Add mushrooms, spinach, or even roasted tomatoes.
4. Try different bread: Whole grain, sourdough, or even leftover dinner rolls ripped into pieces work well.
5. Make it lighter: Use egg whites for part of the eggs, lower fat cheese, and more vegetables for some added nutrition.

Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this perfect recipe for brunch. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel