Start off your day delicious with my Egg Casserole with Croutons recipe. The hearty dish with breakfast sausage, mushrooms, spinach, cheddar cheese and toasted croutons is the perfect dish for breakfast or brunch. It's my go-to recipe and a huge hit whenever I serve it.
At our house, weekends are a little bit slower. Lazy breakfasts include ham and egg bread bowls, French toast casserole, my muffin cake with blueberries, fruit salad and endless cups of coffee are always on tap. My egg and sausage breakfast casserole with croutons is a new favorite way to enjoy the most important meal of the day.
An egg bake makes getting breakfast on the table so easy for me. And it's always a welcome sight for my family and overnight guests.
It's delicious served hot out of the oven. The casserole also reheats beautifully. For those who love their beauty sleep, they can easily heat the delicious egg breakfast bake in the microwave anytime of the day.
This hearty breakfast is filled with breakfast sausage, sauteed mushrooms, spinach and sharp cheddar cheese. I top the casserole with layer of seasoned bread cubes. After baking, they're soft and eggy on the bottom and crispy crunchy on top.
This recipe is so good that it'll be a regular in your breakfast repertoire. It's like having your eggs and toast all in one delicious comfort food dish. You won't want to wait until the weekend to make it.
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why you'll love this breakfast bake recipe
Anytime we have overnight guests, this hearty breakfast recipe is the one I make. The delicious aroma of the baking casserole fills my kitchen. There are many reasons to love this amazing recipe.
- Easy to make ~ This recipe comes together quickly and is easy to make.
- Complete breakfast ~ This sausage breakfast casserole recipe has all your favorite breakfast items in one dish. Eggs. Breakfast sausage. Veggies. Cheese. Bread.
- Make in advance ~ Prep in advance and and bake when you want to serve the casserole. Or prepare the recipe as directed and just reheat when breakfast time rolls around.
- Delicious as a leftover ~ My family loves leftovers. This casserole tastes as good as the day it was made even after 3-4 days in the fridge. Either heat the whole casserole or individual pieces.
ingredients & substitutions
Even if you're blurry eyed and sleepy in the morning, you can easily gather the ingredients for this egg breakfast casserole. If substitutes can be made to the recipe, they're listed. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.
- Salted butter ~ Unsalted butter is an alternative, but I prefer salted butter when cooking.
- Bulk breakfast sausage ~ This is the fresh sausage meat that is sold in 1 pound packages. I use the regular or mild sausage. Try the spicy variety to kick the flavor up a notch.
- Mushrooms ~ Button or cremini mushrooms are both delicious in the recipe.
- Baby spinach ~ Try chopped kale instead of the spinach. It'll add a hearty texture to the dish.
- Large eggs
- Whole milk ~ Half and half, light cream or heavy cream are alternatives.
- Dijon mustard ~ Yellow or spicy mustard are also options.
- Kosher salt ~ The larger grain salt enhances the flavor of food without making it overly salty.
- Fresh ground black pepper ~ Grinding your own pepper is more flavorful than already ground pepper.
- Sharp cheddar cheese ~ Other cheese options are mild cheddar, mozzarella, Gruyere, pepper jack, Gouda and colby jack.
- Fresh bread cubes ~ Cut 1 inch cubes from a loaf of Italian, sourdough or any rustic bread. Day old stale bread is also an option.
- Olive oil ~ Melted butter is a tasty substitution.
- Fresh parsley
cooking videos
how to make this egg casserole
Here's a brief overview of my egg casserole with croutons recipe. Complete instructions are included in the recipe card along with a step by step cooking video.
1. Preheat oven. Butter the sides and bottom of a baking dish.
2. Cook sausage in a sauté pan over medium heat. Break up the sausage into small pieces as it cooks. Remove from pan.
3. Sauté sliced mushrooms in butter. Add the baby spinach and cook until it's wilted.
4. In a large bowl, combine eggs, whole milk, Dijon mustard, kosher salt and black pepper.
5. Stir the cooked sausage, sauteed mushrooms and spinach, and 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese into the egg mixture.
6. Pour egg mixture into the prepared baking dish.
7. In a large bowl, add the bread cubes. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat the cubes with the seasonings.
8. Place the seasoned bread cubes in a single layer on top of the egg mixture. Press down gently. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
9. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes or until the center of the casserole is set, and the croutons are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before cutting into pieces.
expert tips
- Use full-fat dairy ~ For best results use full-fat milk or cream. Using low fat milk can cause the custard to be watery. Don't skimp on the cheese. This is an indulgent casserole. If you are looking for a more healthy option, try my baked frittata recipe.
- Shred your own cheese ~ Use a box grater, food processor or KitchenAid slicer/shredder attachments to shred a block of cheese. The flavor is superior to the pre-shredded cheese available at the grocery store. Also, the freshly shredded cheese melts better too.
- Cover with foil ~ If the center of the casserole isn't set and the croutons are getting too brown, cover the dish with foil for the last few minutes of baking time.
recipe variations
Try some of these creative ways to make this breakfast casserole recipe one of your favorites.
- Different protein ~ In place of the breakfast sausage try cooked and crumbled bacon, diced ham or turkey breakfast sausage.
- Vary the veggies ~ Use your favorite vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli and onions in the dish. Just be sure to sauté them before adding to the egg mixture otherwise the casserole will be watery.
- Change up the cheese ~ The sky's the limit! Try your favorite semi hard cheese. Mild cheddar, Havarti, Gouda, Swiss and pepper jack cheese are all tasty options.
make ahead and storage
- Make ahead and refrigerate ~ Completely cool the baked casserole. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Or cut the casserole into individual pieces and store in airtight containers.
- Make ahead and freeze ~ Completely cool the baked casserole. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and then foil. Store in the freezer up to 1 month. Or cut the casserole into individual pieces and store in airtight containers.
- Make to bake later ~ Prepare the casserole to the step of filling the baking dish with the egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours. The next morning, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil and seasonings. Remove the casserole from the fridge. Top with the seasoned bread cubes and the ½ cup of shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F. You may need to add 10-20 minutes to the baking time to account for the cold dish and egg mixture.
frequently asked questions
Place individual pieces of the casserole on a microwave safe plate and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on 60 percent power at 30 second intervals until heated through. To reheat the whole casserole, cover the dish with foil. Heat in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil the last 5-10 minutes of heating to crisp up the croutons.
Baking the casserole for too long will cause it to be dry. Use a digital thermometer to check for when it's cooked. The breakfast casserole should have an internal temperature of 160 degrees F in the center when it's ready.
what to serve with the breakfast casserole
I pair this all-in-one breakfast dish with banana chocolate chip muffins or some blueberry cheese danish. This melon salad is a tasty side dish too. Serve orange juice, hot cups of coffee or tea, bloody marys and mimosas too.
more breakfast recipes like this one
- Super Easy Ham and Egg Cups
- Sausage, Spinach and Cheddar Breakfast Casserole
- Quinoa Egg Muffins
- Crustless Spinach and Bacon Quiche Squares
If you make my Egg Casserole with Croutons, be sure to give it a rating and/or comment below. Take a photo and tag @amycaseycooks on Instagram. Thank you!
Recipe
Breakfast Egg Casserole with Croutons, Sausage, Mushrooms and Spinach
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Start off your day delicious with my egg casserole with croutons recipe. The hearty dish with breakfast sausage, mushrooms, spinach, cheddar cheese and toasted croutons is the perfect dish for breakfast or brunch. It's my go-to recipe and a huge hit whenever I serve it.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, divided
- 16 ounces breakfast sausage
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 8 ounce bag of baby spinach
- 12 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, divided
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 4 cups fresh bread cubes
- olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prep the baking dish: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with about 1 tablespoon of the butter. Set aside.
- Cook the sausage: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the breakfast sausage. Sauté the sausage and break it into small pieces as it cooks. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until it is browned and crispy in spots and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the pan to a bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same sauté pan over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter has melted, add the sliced mushrooms. Stir and sauté until the mushrooms lose most of their water and are golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Add the spinach. Stir and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Make the egg mixture: In a large bowl crack the eggs. Whisk to eggs to combine the yolks and the whites. Stir in the whole milk, Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Add the mix-ins: Add the cooked sausage, mushrooms, spinach and 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Add to baking dish: Pour the egg mixture into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Season the bread cubes: Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon each of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat the bread cubes with the seasonings.
- Add the bread cubes: Distribute the seasoned bread cubes over the egg mixture. Press down lightly. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese over the cubes.
- Bake the casserole: Bake the casserole for 35-40 minutes. The center should be set. The internal temperature of the casserole should be 160 degrees F on a digital thermometer.
- Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
Make ahead and refrigerate ~ Completely cool the baked casserole. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Or cut the casserole into individual pieces and store in airtight containers.
Make ahead and freeze ~ Completely cool the baked casserole. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and then foil. Store in the freezer up to 1 month. Or cut the casserole into individual pieces and store in airtight containers.
Make to bake later ~ Prepare the casserole to the step of filling the baking dish with the egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours. The next morning, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil and seasonings. Remove the casserole from the fridge. Top with the seasoned bread cubes and the ½ cup of shredded cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F. You may need to add 10-20 minutes to the baking time to account for the cold dish and egg mixture.
Reheating directions ~ Place individual pieces of the casserole on a microwave safe plate and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on 60 percent power at 30 second intervals until heated through. To reheat the whole casserole, cover the dish with foil. Heat in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil the last 5-10 minutes of heating to crisp up the croutons.
Nutritional information is an estimate and based on the ingredients and cooking methods used in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: entrée
- Method: cook on stove top and bake in oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of casserole
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 908 mg
- Fat: 23.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.7 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 32.1 g
- Cholesterol: 292 mg
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