Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole with Croutons

I really call this “Deb’s Casserole.” The first time I had this delectable dish was last fall when a longtime friend asked me to make some breakfast casseroles for a ladies brunch.  She was going to make several pans, and I was going to help out by making 2 of the remaining pans she needed.  Only so many pans can fit in a gal’s oven at one time, y’all.  And we were on a tight schedule.  So here she and I went.  She sends me the recipe, and I’m reading down the list… seasoned croutons.  Um, ok, so this is new.  But Deb’s my girl. And she knows her food.  And an overnight sausage breakfast casserole has to have some bread in it.  So, why not croutons?

I obediently dive in with wild abandon, dutifully following the instructions to a tee… which if I am completely honest is not much like me. “I do what I want” is my mantra (much to The Engineer’s chagrin). And even if it’s not always true, I like to act like is. And in this case, since a breakfast casserole with croutons fell well outside my purview, it certainly wasn’t true.  I didn’t make any executive decisions.  I didn’t cut any corners.  I didn’t do what I thought was best.  I followed the recipe.

And Oh. My. Goodness.  I am so glad I did.  A) Because Deb didn’t have to ring my neck for going off the rails.  And B) because this breakfast bake is so darn good!  Y’all, I kid you not.  And it is EASY to boot.  Now, Deb admits that she has no idea from where this overnight sausage breakfast casserole recipe originated.  But does it really matter?  We just know that we all love “Deb’s Casserole” exactly the way it is.

Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole with Croutons

What You’ll Need:

• seasoned croutons
• cream of mushroom soup
• half and half
• eggs
• shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ground breakfast sausage

*Note:  This recipe will used pre-packaged croutons and canned cream of mushroom soup for ease and speed.  Homemade croutons and cream of mushroom soup can easily be used instead if that is what is preferred.

Let’s Get Started:

To get started with your overnight sausage breakfast casserole, grease the bottom of a 9×13 pan and line the bottom of the pan with your seasoned croutons.  It’s okay if the croutons overlap or if every space is not covered.  You can even put a few croutons around the side of your pan.

With pre-prepared ingredients, this recipe comes together super fast.  In a pinch, Deb told me that she has even used fully cooked sausage crumbles from the cooler section of her grocery store next to the bacon which makes prep even faster.  I usually just brown a pound of ground breakfast sausage because I like to use the spicy sausage. (Ok, so I might have made that one little teeny adaptation after making the casserole a couple of times.  But that’s only because we’re some spicy folks over here.  What can I say?) 

Discussions of sausage aside, whisk together the rest of your ingredients and pour them into your baking dish over your croutons.

The success of this breakfast casserole really hinges on the time it spends in your refrigerator overnight soaking up all those eggs, that soup and the cream.  So wrap it tightly in foil, tuck it away for the night and let those croutons get all fat and sassy with golden yumminess that will bake up perfectly without much help from you in the morning.  Seriously. Overnight is in the name.  Don’t rush this step.  

When your casserole has soaked for a night, don’t forget to take it out of the fridge a bit before you bake it.  At least a good 30 minutes.  This lets your baking dish warm up to room temperature before putting it into a 350 degree oven.  It also cuts down on the cooking time.

Look at that golden wonder!  I’ve topped it here with a few chives just for an added punch of color and flavor.  You can too, if you like.  And I’ve got to tell you, if you have time to put this together in the morning… paired with a salad full of dark greens, it makes a fabulous supper too.  Breakfast for supper!  One of my faves!

***Pin this Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole with Croutons here!***

Looking for more breakfast or brunch inspiration?  Try out these ASD favorites!

Savory Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Brunch Cake

Green Chile Strata

French-Toasted Blackberry Grilled Cheese

A Beach Brunch 

Catch this and other great recipes at Weekend Potluck. 

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