Hearty Breakfast Sausage Bake (Printable)

Savory layered dish with sausage, eggs, cheese, and vegetables baked until golden and set.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound breakfast sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Dairy

05 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
06 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Bread

07 - 6 cups cubed day-old bread (French or sandwich bread)

→ Eggs

08 - 8 large eggs

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
11 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
12 - ½ teaspoon paprika

→ Optional

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnish

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess fat.
03 - Add diced onion and red bell pepper to the skillet; sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until combined.
05 - Spread cubed bread evenly in the prepared baking dish. Top with the sausage and vegetable mixture, then sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over all.
06 - Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layered ingredients, pressing down gently to help the bread absorb the liquid.
07 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
08 - Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Slice and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely foolproof—bread soaks up egg custard while everything else stays moist, so there's almost no way to mess it up.
  • Make it the night before and bake in the morning, which means you're actually relaxing instead of cooking when guests arrive.
  • You can swap in whatever vegetables, meats, or cheeses you have on hand and it always turns out hearty and satisfying.
02 -
  • If you assemble it the night before, the bread soaks up even more egg mixture and the flavors meld—the casserole actually gets better, not worse, so don't stress about timing.
  • Let it cool for 5-10 minutes after baking so it sets enough to slice cleanly; cutting it hot makes everything fall apart, but cutting it cold makes portions tough.
03 -
  • Use day-old bread that's slightly stale—it absorbs the egg mixture completely instead of turning soggy or staying dry.
  • Let the finished casserole rest before slicing so it holds together; 5-10 minutes makes the difference between neat slices and a beautiful mess.

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