Ultimate Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Gruyère
Prepare this hearty, savory Christmas breakfast casserole the night before for a stress-free holiday morning. It features a sourdough base, rich sausage, and melted Gruyère cheese, perfect for feeding a crowd.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 60 min
- Total Time: 140 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound bulk pork sausage
- 1 (10-ounce) loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 10 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain off excess fat and set the sausage aside.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Arrange half of the cubed sourdough bread evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Sprinkle half of the cooked sausage and half of the Gruyère and cheddar cheeses over the bread layer.
- Top with the remaining sourdough bread, followed by the remaining sausage and cheeses.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until fully combined.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread and cheese layers in the baking dish, pressing down gently to help the bread absorb the liquid.
- Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the plastic wrap.
- Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the casserole is puffed, golden brown on top, and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Let the Christmas breakfast casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For a Martha Stewart style variation, ensure you use good quality sourdough bread for the best texture.
- If you need a quicker morning, you can assemble this up to 24 hours ahead of time.
- This recipe is excellent for a crowd; adjust the size of your baking dish if you need to serve more than 8-10 people.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 16
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 22
- Cholesterol: 250