Ultimate Breakfast Casserole
A delicious, make-ahead breakfast casserole made with cubed bread, eggs, cheese, and your choice of savory meat and veggies, perfect for brunch gatherings.
Ingredients
Bread Base
- 1 loaf 1 loaf of bread, cubed (day-old works best; sourdough, French, or Italian are all great)
Egg Mixture
- 8 large 8 large eggs
- 2 cups 2 cups milk (whole milk gives richer custard; 2% works fine)
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 cup 1 cup diced cooked ham or cooked sausage (use vegetarian sausage to make meatless)
- 1 bell pepper 1 bell pepper, diced (any color)
- 1 onion 1 onion, diced (yellow or sweet onion recommended)
Cheese
- 1 cup 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (swap for Monterey Jack or pepper jack for heat)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, crack in 8 eggs. Whisk in 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano until blended.
- Scatter the cubed bread evenly across the greased baking dish. Press down lightly so the cubes form an even layer.
- Sprinkle 1 cup diced cooked ham (or sausage), the diced bell pepper, and diced onion over the bread. Top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Pour the egg-and-milk mixture slowly over the layered bread and toppings so it soaks evenly. Gently press any dry bread into the custard.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake an additional 15–20 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden brown. A knife inserted in the center should come out mostly clean.
- Let the casserole cool for 5–10 minutes. Slice into squares and serve warm.
Notes
Day-old bread soaks better. Consider adding half-and-half or a mix of milk and cream for extra richness. For added texture, folded-in frozen hash browns are a popular add-in.