A Breakfast Casserole is a delightful, oven-baked dish typically brimming with a medley of classic breakfast ingredients. Imagine a pan packed with fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy hash browns, savory sausage, smoky bacon, or tender ham. While many traditional recipes call for various grated cheeses, our version elevates the experience with a smooth, super creamy cheese sauce, which makes all the difference! For truly hearty fillings, you can also incorporate fresh vegetables like bell peppers or spinach, alongside aromatic herbs.

If your breakfast casserole features layers of bread soaked in a raw scrambled egg batter, it’s often referred to as a breakfast strata. Regardless of the name, these versatile casseroles are perfect any time of day – whether it’s a savory brunch, a fun breakfast idea, or a surprisingly filling dinner! Serve it alongside a dollop of sour cream and a generous spoonful of fresh salsa, or for those who enjoy a kick, a dash of hot sauce.

This recipe is incredibly adaptable, allowing you to use ingredients you already have on hand. However, our current obsession is the unbeatable combination of sausage, eggs, bacon, ham, hash browns, and that luscious cheese sauce!

1. Begin by whisking the eggs and milk together until well combined. Cook this mixture in a hot skillet just as you would prepare your favorite scrambled eggs. Once cooked, transfer the scrambled eggs to a plate and set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 13×9-inch baking pans (disposable aluminum pans or glass dishes work well).
3. Evenly divide and layer the hash browns, browned sausage, your choice of bacon or ham, and the scrambled eggs into the prepared pans.
4. Prepare the creamy cheese sauce (instructions below) and then evenly pour it over the two layered casseroles.
5. At this stage, you can either store the casseroles in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze them for later use.
6. When ready to bake, place the casserole(s) in the pre-heated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake until thoroughly heated through and bubbly, typically 30-45 minutes for thawed casseroles.

Absolutely, yes! These breakfast casseroles are perfectly suited for make-ahead preparation. You can assemble them the night before and store them in the refrigerator for up to one week. If you don’t plan to use them within that timeframe, simply freeze them for future enjoyment! Make-ahead options like this are a lifesaver for busy mornings or when entertaining guests.

If you’re baking a single casserole, it generally takes anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven’s calibration and the casserole’s temperature (whether it’s coming straight from the fridge or room temperature). The casserole is ready when it’s steaming hot in the center and bubbling around the edges. Keep in mind that baking multiple casseroles simultaneously will increase the overall cooking time. For each additional pan, add an extra 10-15 minutes to ensure everything bakes thoroughly and evenly.

To achieve the most delicious breakfast casserole, here are the key ingredients we recommend:

• Eggs: 18 large eggs provide enough for two generous breakfast casseroles, making it ideal for meal prepping throughout a busy week.
• Milk: Whole milk is preferred for richness in both the eggs and the cheese sauce.
• Sausage: Fry one pound of your favorite breakfast sausage in a skillet until it’s beautifully browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
• Pork: For added flavor, use 3 slices of chopped ham or about 1/4 cup of crispy bacon crumbles to layer over the sausage. You can choose one or use both!
• Hash Browns: These form a fantastic, crispy or tender base for the casserole, similar to a crust. They add wonderful texture and heartiness.
• Cheese Sauce: This is non-negotiable! Go the extra mile to make this sauce; it makes the casserole taste 10 times better! If you’re really short on time, you can melt some Velveeta cheese with milk or use a good quality jarred cheese sauce, but homemade is truly superior.

To prepare homemade hash browns for this recipe, microwave 6 golden or russet potatoes until tender, using your microwave’s potato setting. Allow them to cool completely before grating them with a box grater. For this recipe, you’ll need approximately 30 ounces of either pre-made hash browns or your freshly grated potatoes.

This scrambled egg and cheese sauce casserole is wonderfully rich on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a few complementary toppings and sides:

• Sour Cream: A dollop of cool, tangy sour cream provides a delightful contrast to the richness.
• Fresh Green Onions: Chopped green onions add a fresh, mild onion flavor and vibrant color.
• Salsa: A spoonful of your favorite salsa brings a zesty, fresh element that brightens the dish.
• Extra Cheese! For the ultimate cheese lovers, a sprinkle of fresh grated cheese on top after baking is always welcome.
• Hot Sauce: For those who love a bit of heat, a drizzle of hot sauce adds an exciting kick.
• Fresh Fruit Salad: A light, refreshing fruit salad makes an excellent counterpoint to the savory casserole.

Yes, absolutely! This breakfast casserole freezes exceptionally well. For the best results, it’s recommended to freeze it unbaked. Simply prepare the casserole as directed, but stop before baking. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat a Frozen Casserole: Thaw the frozen casserole overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, bake it as directed in the recipe until it’s hot and bubbly throughout.

Most breakfast casseroles store beautifully in the refrigerator before baking, making them an ideal make-ahead option, especially for busy parents and school children. A prepared, unbaked casserole dish can be stored safely in the refrigerator for up to 3-7 days.

Reheating Baked Leftovers: If you have leftover baked casserole, simply reheat individual portions in the microwave until warm, or cover the entire dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot and bubbling (approximately 20-30 minutes for a whole casserole). Serve with your favorite toppings like sour cream and salsa.

While you certainly could use grated cheese, such as mild cheddar, pepper jack, or Swiss, our strong recommendation is to stick with the homemade cheese sauce. The main reason is that the cheese sauce maintains a wonderfully creamy consistency throughout the baking process, whereas grated cheeses tend to dry out much quicker, leading to a less satisfying texture. If you must substitute, melting Velveeta cheese with a bit of milk or using a good quality jarred cheese sauce would be the closest alternative to homemade, though the scratch-made sauce truly shines.

For the Scrambled Eggs:

For Casserole Toppings:

For the Creamy Cheese Sauce:

Step-by-Step Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 13×9 inch baking pans generously with 2 tablespoons of oil each. Set these prepared pans aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until well combined and slightly frothy. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat, and if desired, grease it with a little fat rendered from the cooked sausage for extra flavor. Pour your egg mixture into the hot skillet and scramble until just set and cooked through. Transfer the scrambled eggs to a plate and set them aside.
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  To Make the Creamy Cheese Sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to create a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, continuing to stir. Stir in the salt, sugar, white pepper, and dry mustard. Finally, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the grated cheddar cheese until it’s completely melted and the sauce is smooth and thickened.
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  Evenly arrange the ingredients in your prepared casserole pans in the following order: first, a layer of hash browns, followed by the browned sausage, then the crispy bacon (for one casserole), the scrambled eggs, and finally, generously pour half of the creamy cheese sauce over all the layers. For the second casserole, follow the same layering order but use the chopped ham instead of bacon for a delicious variation.
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  Bake the casserole for 25-40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until it’s steaming hot throughout and bubbly around the edges. Remember, cooking times may vary if baking more than one. Freeze the second assembled (unbaked) casserole or keep it in the refrigerator for a delicious make-ahead breakfast on another day!

• To efficiently fry the large quantity of scrambled eggs, use a large griddle or cook them in two separate batches on a 12-inch skillet.
• For an extra layer of cheesy flavor, consider adding a touch of cheddar cheese powder to your cheese sauce. We found white cheddar cheese powder works beautifully.
• Using a mix of half white pepper and half black pepper in the cheese sauce can add more nuanced flavor compared to using just one.
• This amazing Cheese Sauce recipe yields enough for both casseroles, making your double-batch prep seamless!
• Reheating instructions: If you froze an unbaked casserole, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed. For leftover baked casserole, reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover the entire dish and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through.
• You can use readily available frozen hash browns. Alternatively, for homemade, microwave about 30 oz of russet or golden potatoes on their potato setting. Let them cool completely before grating and using them as your hash brown base.
• While cheddar cheese is recommended for the sauce, it can be swapped with 1 cup of cubed Velveeta cheese for a different, but still creamy, result.

Nutrition Information Per Serving