Description
Paula Deen’s breakfast casserole blends hearty Southern comfort with classic morning flavors. Layers of crispy bread, savory sausage, and melted cheese create a satisfying morning meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb loose pork breakfast sausage
- 7 eggs
- 3 cups milk (720 milliliters)
- 8 thick slices of country white bread, buttered and cubed
Cheese:
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (240 grams)
- 1 cup shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese (240 grams)
Seasonings and Optional Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Paula Deen’s Hot Sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Coat a 9×13 inches (23×33 centimeters) baking dish thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage to prevent sticking.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high temperature and cook ground pork sausage, systematically breaking it into small, uniform crumbles using a wooden spoon. Continue cooking for 6-8 minutes until the meat achieves a rich, golden-brown color.
- Incorporate freshly chopped sage into the sausage, stirring gently to distribute the herb’s aromatic flavors evenly throughout the meat.
- Layer buttered bread cubes across the bottom of the prepared baking dish, creating a uniform foundation for the casserole.
- Distribute the sautéed sausage mixture uniformly over the bread layer, ensuring balanced coverage.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheeses across the sausage, creating a complete and even cheese blanket.
- In a separate mixing bowl, vigorously whisk eggs, whole milk, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until the mixture becomes smooth and well-integrated.
- Carefully pour the seasoned egg mixture over the layered bread, sausage, and cheese, allowing it to seep into all underlying ingredients.
- Securely cover the casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, enabling flavors to meld and ingredients to absorb the egg mixture.
- The following morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature while preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
- Uncover the casserole and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and the center becomes firm and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Optionally, accompany with hot sauce for added zest.
Notes
- Day-old bread works best, soaking up eggs like a sponge and creating a rich, dense texture throughout the casserole.
- Brown sausage completely before mixing, preventing unwanted moisture and ensuring a crisp, flavorful base.
- Grate cheese freshly to guarantee smooth melting and even distribution across every delicious layer.
- Letting the casserole rest in the refrigerator overnight allows ingredients to mingle and develop deeper, more complex flavors.
- Watch for a golden-brown, crispy top that signals perfect doneness and promises a delightful, crunchy exterior.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Fat: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Protein: 18g