Chef notes
There are a few characteristics that all good breakfast casseroles share. They need to be comforting and filling, an all-in-one meal that pleases a crowd. There should be ingredients that hit the main mealtime categories — carb, protein, veggie — but aren’t too difficult to shop for; bonus points if they’re items you may already have in the freezer or pantry. It should be easy to assemble (no lasagna-level layering, please!) and can ideally be made ahead. A final cheesy topping is, of course, essential.
Layered with sausage, two kinds of cheese, savory sundried tomatoes, leafy greens and a base of hash brown potatoes, this ultimate breakfast casserole truly has it all. It takes just 20 minutes to prep, with some hands-on cooking to warm the sausage, but mostly, it’s just assembly work. The casserole starts with a base of hash browns, followed by the meat, cheese and finally vegetables. You can stop here and freeze for future baking or, if brunch is set to start soon, simply pour in the egg-milk mixture, sprinkle with more shredded cheese and bake. In an hour, you’ll have a bubbling casserole ready to feed a hungry crowd.
With its crispy hash brown crust, plus loads of meat, cheese and greens, this breakfast casserole doesn’t need much else. If serving with any sides, keep it light — perhaps a fruit salad or pancakes for those with a sweet tooth.
Technique Tip: You can assemble the casserole at night and pop it in the oven the next morning — just follow the tips below.
Swap Option: In place of the sausage, you may useor 1½pounds of thinly sliced mushrooms or 1 pound of diced ham. Adjust the salt content, as needed. Instead of the goat cheese, you may use 1/4 pound of brie or camembert cheese.
Preparation
Assemble the casserole
1.
Heat a large skillet or wide sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil (for sausage) or melt 2 tablespoons butter (for mushrooms). Add the sausage and break into chunks, cooking until browned. Or add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until browned, stirring once or twice.
2.
Spread the cooked sausage or mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
3.
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a 3- to 4-quart casserole dish and spread the potatoes across the bottom of the dish.
4.
Layer the cooled sausage, ham or mushrooms on top of the potatoes. Top with crumbled goat cheese, followed by the tomatoes, scallions and frozen greens.
5.
Bake the casserole: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a bowl and pour evenly across the surface of the casserole. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the casserole. Bake uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown and the casserole is bubbling at the edges.
If you want toentirelybake the casserolethe next morning
Cover the dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The potatoes and greens will thaw safely in the refrigerator. The next morning, continue with the instructions below.
If you want to pre-bake the casserole and reheat the next morning
Bake the casserole for only 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, then reheat in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes the next morning until the casserole is browned and heated through.
If you want to freeze the casserole and reheat
Pre-bake the casserole as instructed above, then cool to room temperature and cover tightly with foil. Freeze for up to 1 month, then reheat in a 350 F oven for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more, until completely warmed through and browned on top.
FAQs
Overnight Breakfast Casserole storage
This casserole will last in the refrigerator for about 5 days. If you are using leftover meat or veggies, be sure to take that into consideration when storing for extended time.
What is good to serve with breakfast casserole? ›
What to Serve With Breakfast Casserole
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls.
- Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls.
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls or Pumpkin Crumb Cake.
- Banana Muffins or Blueberry Muffins.
- Baked Oatmeal.
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake.
- Banana Bread or Zucchini Bread.
- Apple Cider French Toast.
If your casserole has raw protein, like chicken or shrimp, make sure to bake it and cool it completely before freezing. If it doesn't have protein or the protein is cooked, no pre-baking is necessary.
Can you make a casserole with raw egg and leave it uncooked overnight in the fridge? ›
An egg strata traditionally consists of layered bread, cheese, and other foods (such as cooked sausage, ham, bacon, shrimp, or vegetables) over which a mixture of raw beaten eggs and milk are poured. The casserole is covered and refrigerated overnight to allow the liquid ingredients to be absorbed into the bread.
How long should a refrigerated casserole sit out before baking? ›
How long does it take a refrigerated casserole to come to room temp? Depending on the size of the dish and the density of its contents, it takes about an hour for to come up to room temperature. Add more time for a larger pan or one with dense contents.
How long can you keep an unbaked casserole in fridge? ›
Uncooked Casseroles: If the casserole contains raw meat or seafood, it should be refrigerated for no more than 1-2 days before baking. A purely vegetable-based uncooked casserole can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. Cooked Casseroles: Once cooked, casseroles can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Why is my egg casserole runny in the middle? ›
Why Is My Breakfast Casserole Runny? The key to a breakfast casserole that is moist and delicious but not runny is to make sure you have the proper ratio of bread, eggs, and milk. If there is too much liquid for the bread to absorb, the result could be a runny casserole.
How do you keep egg casserole from drying out? ›
Cover the dish tightly with foil before baking. At the very end of the bake, crank the oven and remove the foil, so you get a little crusty browning on the top. Otherwise you should be baking covered.
How to reheat a frozen breakfast casserole? ›
If you want to freeze the casserole and reheat
Pre-bake the casserole as instructed above, then cool to room temperature and cover tightly with foil. Freeze for up to 1 month, then reheat in a 350 F oven for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more, until completely warmed through and browned on top.
Can you eat an egg casserole that was left out overnight? ›
Cooked eggs and egg dishes may be refrigerated for serving later but should be thoroughly reheated to 165° F before serving. Never leave cooked eggs or egg dishes out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours or for more than 1 hour when temperatures are above 90° F.
Hard cooked eggs can be stored in the refrigerator up to seven days, either left in their shells or peeled. Make sure eggs are refrigerated within two hours after cooking, and don't leave refrigerated cooked eggs out at room temperature for more than two hours.
Can you pre cook eggs the night before? ›
You can prepare eggs in advance to eat throughout the week. Eggs can last for several days in the fridge or for several months when frozen. There's a huge variety of egg-based dishes to choose from, and many of them can be meal prepped.
Can you leave raw egg mixture in the fridge? ›
If you've got raw egg yolks or whites left over from a recipe which you don't want to waste (let's face it, why would you?), you can store them in the fridge as long as you plan to use them within the next few days.
How many days can you keep a casserole in the fridge? ›
Most leftovers — such as cooked beef, pork, seafood or chicken, chili, soups, pizza, casseroles and stew — can be safely kept for three to four days.
How long is leftover breakfast casserole good for? ›
Leftover egg casserole can be stored in the fridge and enjoyed within 3-4 days. Leftovers are delicious reheated in the microwave.
How long is cooked breakfast food good for in the fridge? ›
One important note though: as long as you cook meals properly, food will be perfectly safe to eat within seven days. However, by day five, it might not be as tasty. If there's one number to remember from this cheat sheet, it's four. Most meals are good (safe AND tasty) in the fridge for up to four days.
