Easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole
A comforting and easy-to-make breakfast casserole that you assemble the night before and bake fresh in the morning. Packed with creamy eggs, cheese, savory meat, and bread, it’s perfect for busy mornings or feeding a crowd.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 65 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups whole milk or 2% milk (dairy-free milk works too)
- 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or a blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup cooked sausage or bacon, chopped (optional)
- 1 cup diced bell peppers and onions (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 4 cups cubed day-old bread or frozen bread cubes (preferably sourdough)
Instructions
- The night before, grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook 1 cup of chopped breakfast sausage or bacon until browned and crisp (about 5-7 minutes). Remove excess grease if needed.
- Add diced bell peppers and onions to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened but still slightly crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 8 large eggs and 1 ½ cups milk until fully combined.
- Stir in 1 cup cottage cheese until evenly distributed.
- Add 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp smoked paprika; mix well.
- Add 4 cups cubed bread and 2 cups shredded cheese to the egg mixture. Toss gently to coat bread cubes evenly.
- Fold in the cooked meat and veggies.
- Pour the entire mixture into the greased baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Press down lightly with a spatula to ensure bread soaks up the egg mixture well.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- The next morning, remove the casserole from the fridge and uncover.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Tent loosely with foil if the top browns too fast.
- Let the casserole cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Use day-old bread to avoid sogginess. Refrigerate overnight for best custard-like texture. Pre-cook meat and veggies to avoid greasiness and undercooking. If the top browns too fast, tent with foil. Let casserole rest 5-10 minutes before serving to set.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8th of ca
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 20
Keywords: overnight breakfast casserole, easy breakfast casserole, make ahead breakfast, cheesy breakfast casserole, savory breakfast bake