Winter Brunch Casserole (Printable)
A cozy layered casserole with sausage, eggs, spinach, and sharp cheeses perfect for a winter morning.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb breakfast sausage, casings removed
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
→ Dairy & Eggs
05 - 8 large eggs
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - ½ cup heavy cream
08 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
09 - ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
→ Bread
10 - 5 cups day-old bread cubes (sourdough or country loaf)
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - ½ tsp black pepper
13 - ½ tsp garlic powder
14 - ½ tsp dried thyme
→ For greasing
15 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking it up, until browned and fully cooked, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet.
03 - Add diced onion and red bell pepper to the skillet; cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme until smooth.
05 - Layer half the bread cubes in the prepared dish, followed by half the sausage, half the vegetable mixture, and half the cheeses. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
06 - Pour egg mixture evenly over the assembled layers, pressing gently to allow bread to absorb the liquid.
07 - Cover dish with foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight for best flavor development.
08 - Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes or until center is set and top is golden.
10 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It's the kind of dish you prep while your coffee brews, then forget about until guests are arriving.
- The bread soaks up all that eggy, creamy goodness without turning mushy—it's the sweet spot of texture.
- One pan, no last-minute scrambling, and everyone leaves satisfied and asking for the recipe.
02 -
- Don't skip the refrigeration time; it's the difference between soggy bread and cubes that hold their shape while absorbing the custard.
- If you assemble this the night before, the bread will have soaked up enough liquid by morning that you might not need to add extra—pour the egg mixture slowly and stop if it looks too wet.
- The casserole will jiggle slightly in the center when you pull it from the oven, but it continues to set as it cools, so don't overbake or it becomes rubbery.
03 -
- Shred your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded; it melts smoother and the casserole feels more luxurious without any weird anticaking agent texture.
- If the top is browning too fast before the center sets, tent it loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking—you want golden, not burnt.