If you already make the Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole or the Bacon Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sliders, this one belongs right alongside them in your breakfast rotation.
Pull this from the oven and the kitchen fills with the smell of browned sausage and melted cheese. Sausage Breakfast Casserole has that golden-edged, slightly crisp border and a tender, set center — the result of 8 large eggs whisked together with heavy cream, sharp cheddar, and mozzarella before being poured over a full pound of browned Italian sausage and baked until bubbling. It cuts cleanly into 9 squares once it rests, which makes it as suited for a holiday breakfast table as it is for pulling a slice from the refrigerator on a busy Wednesday.
The technique is genuinely simple. Brown the sausage in a large pan over medium-high heat — about 5 minutes — then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a 9×13-inch baking dish coated with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, both cheeses, heavy cream, salt, and pepper, then mix with an electric mixer until fully combined. Pour it over the sausage and slide the dish into a 400°F oven on the middle rack. About 30–35 minutes later the edges will be golden brown and bubbling. Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing — it holds its shape cleanly, which means even the first piece comes out looking good.
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Reader Love
I love this breakfast casserole! I made a big batch and cut it up for mini portions throughout the week, great for meal prep.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Done in 50 minutes total. The sausage browns in about 5 minutes on the stovetop, then the oven handles the next 30–35 minutes while you’re free to do other things.
- Makes 9 generous servings. A full 9×13-inch casserole cuts into clean squares and feeds a group in one shot — or stretches across a week of breakfasts for a smaller household.
- Stores and reheats well. Keep it refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container and reheat individual slices in the microwave, or rewarm the whole dish in the oven.
- Easy to customize. Swap the protein, change the cheese, or add vegetables — the baking method stays exactly the same regardless of what you stir in.
- Make-ahead in two ways. Assemble the casserole the night before and bake fresh in the morning, or freeze individual baked slices for up to 3 months.
⏲ How to make this recipe
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Preheat Oven and Prep Baking Dish: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook Sausage: To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add sausage, and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer browned sausage to a prepared baking dish and set aside. (Alternatively, carefully drain grease into a jar or container and then pour browned sausage into the baking dish.)
- Prepare Egg Mixture: To a large bowl, add eggs, shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Using an electric mixer, mix until well-combined. Pour the egg mixture atop the browned sausage in the baking dish.
- Bake Casserole: Transfer the baking dish to the middle oven rack and bake until the edges of the casserole are golden brown and bubbling, which should take about 30-35 minutes.
- Slice and Serve: Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the casserole to cool slightly before slicing it into pieces. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh chives.
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Ground Italian sausage: Any ground protein works here. Ground beef, turkey, or chicken are all solid choices. If you’d rather use something pre-cooked, cubed ham or sliced sausage links also work — just skip the stovetop browning step for those since they’re already cooked.
- Shredded cheeses: Any shredded cheese can replace the sharp cheddar or mozzarella. Pepper jack is a good choice if you want some heat built into the dish.
- Heavy cream: Half-and-half or whole milk work in the same quantity. The texture will be slightly less rich but the casserole will still hold together well.
- Fresh chives (garnish): Green onions are a direct swap — use the green parts for a similar look and mild onion flavor in each serving.
✨ Variations
- Add vegetables: Stir chopped red bell pepper, green bell pepper, or diced onion into the pan with the browned sausage and cook on the stovetop for 3–4 minutes until softened before transferring everything to the baking dish. This adds color and mild sweetness without changing the baking method at all.
- Layer in hashbrowns: Lightly brown frozen hashbrowns in the same pan you used for the sausage. Spread them across the bottom of the baking dish as the first layer, then add the browned sausage, then pour over the egg mixture. Each slice gets a hearty, starchy base — one reader tried this and reported it was a big hit with guests.
- Season the sausage more: Near the end of the browning time, stir in garlic powder, onion powder, and/or dry mustard. These add depth to the meat’s flavor and carry through every bite of the finished casserole.
〰️ How to serve
- Slice directly from the baking dish into 9 squares — the casserole holds its shape well once it has rested a few minutes out of the oven, so each piece lifts out cleanly.
- A sweet baked side rounds out a full brunch spread; the Applesauce Coffee Cake is a natural fit alongside the savory casserole.
- For a larger gathering, add the Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake to the table for a varied morning spread that covers all the bases.
- Store individual slices in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave on weekday mornings — warm and ready in a couple of minutes.
💬 FAQs
How do I store and reheat leftover sausage breakfast casserole?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat the full baking dish, preheat the oven to 400°F, cover the dish with foil — this prevents the top from over-browning while the center warms through — and bake until heated throughout, about 10–15 minutes. For individual slices, the microwave works well: heat in 30-second increments, checking between each, until warmed through.
Can I make this breakfast casserole the night before?
Yes, two ways. Option one — bake it the day before: cook the full casserole, let it cool completely, cover the baking dish, and refrigerate. Reheat the next morning as described above. Option two — assemble it unbaked and bake fresh in the morning: brown the sausage, mix the egg mixture, layer everything in the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. When you’re ready, preheat the oven to 400°F and bake as directed, but plan for it to need a few more minutes than 35 since it’s starting from cold.
Can this casserole be frozen?
Yes. After the casserole has been baked and cooled completely, slice it into individual servings. If you want the option to thaw one piece at a time, wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap. Otherwise, transfer all the slices to a storage bag and press out as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to 3 months. To eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat at 400°F until warmed through — about 15–30 minutes depending on the thickness of the slices.
How do I know when the casserole is fully cooked?
Look for edges that are golden brown and actively bubbling — that typically happens between 30 and 35 minutes at 400°F on the middle oven rack. The center should look fully set and not wet or jiggly when you nudge the pan. All ovens vary a bit, so start checking at 30 minutes and give it more time if the center still moves.
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Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Optional Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prep Baking Dish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook Sausage: To a large pan over medium-high heat, add sausage and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer browned sausage to a prepared baking dish and set aside. (Alternatively, carefully drain grease into a jar or container and then pour browned sausage into baking dish.)
- Prepare Egg Mixture: To a large bowl, add eggs, shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Using an electric mixer, mix until well-combined. Pour egg mixture atop browned sausage in baking dish.
- Bake Casserole: Transfer baking dish to middle oven rack and bake until edges of casserole are golden brown and bubbling, about 30-35 minutes.
- Slice and Serve: Remove baking dish from oven and allow casserole to cool slightly before slicing into pieces. Garnish with sprinkle of chopped fresh chives.
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