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Ultimate Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Gruyère

A golden brown slice of Christmas breakfast casserole featuring layers of bread, egg, cheese, and crumbled sausage.
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Start your Christmas morning calm with this hearty, savory breakfast strata. Prepare this crowd-pleasing casserole the night before for a warm, delicious, and stress-free holiday brunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound bulk pork sausage
  • 1 (10-ounce) loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain off excess grease and set the sausage aside.
  2. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange half of the bread cubes evenly in the bottom of the dish.
  3. Sprinkle half of the cooked sausage, half of the Gruyère cheese, and half of the cheddar cheese over the bread layer. Sprinkle the chopped onion over the cheese.
  4. Arrange the remaining bread cubes over the cheese and sausage mixture. Top with the remaining sausage and cheeses.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined. This creates your rich custard.
  6. Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread and sausage layers in the baking dish, pressing down gently to soak the bread.
  7. Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the bread to fully absorb the custard. This is the key to a stress-free Christmas morning!
  8. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Remove the plastic wrap.
  9. Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the casserole is puffed, golden brown, and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
  10. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving this easy Christmas breakfast recipe.

Notes

  • For an even easier morning, you can assemble this entire casserole, cover it, and freeze it for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
  • If you prefer bacon over sausage, substitute 1 pound of cooked, crumbled bacon for the sausage.
  • This recipe is a fantastic make ahead holiday brunch option for feeding a crowd of 8 to 10 people.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenuser.net/christmas-breakfast-casserole-recipe/