Cranberry Sausage Breakfast Casserole (Printer-friendly)
Savory sausage, cranberries, herbs, and bread baked in creamy egg custard for a festive holiday brunch.
# What you'll need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb breakfast sausage, mild or spicy, casings removed
→ Vegetables & Fruits
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1 cup dried cranberries
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Bread
06 - 8 cups day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (French, sourdough, or country bread)
→ Dairy & Eggs
07 - 1 ½ cups whole milk
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 6 large eggs
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Seasonings
12 - 1 teaspoon dried sage
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon salt
15 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving any drippings in the pan.
03 - Add the diced onion and celery to the skillet with the remaining drippings. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread cubes, cooked sausage, sautéed onion and celery, dried cranberries, chopped parsley, dried sage, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Toss until evenly distributed.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, and melted butter until smooth and fully incorporated.
06 - Pour the egg custard over the bread mixture and toss until everything is well coated. Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. At this stage, the assembled casserole can be covered and refrigerated overnight if preparing ahead.
07 - Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is fully set in the center when tested with a knife.
08 - Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cranberries tucked inside make every bite feel like a small surprise, balancing the richness of sausage and cheese in a way that keeps people going back for seconds.
- You can assemble everything the night before, so morning you just opens the oven door and lets the house smell incredible while still in slippers.
02 -
- Do not use fresh bread, because it will dissolve into mush instead of holding its shape and creating that satisfying contrast between crisp edges and soft custardy centers.
- Letting the assembled casserole rest in the fridge overnight changes everything, because the bread has time to fully absorb the custard and the flavors meld into something far greater than the sum of their parts.
03 -
- Press down gently on the assembled casserole before baking to submerge any bread cubes poking above the custard line, because exposed pieces burn while the rest is still setting.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil for the first twenty five minutes of baking if your oven runs hot, then uncover to let the top develop that gorgeous golden crust everyone fights over.