A hearty dish filled with savory sausage, crispy bacon, colorful bell peppers, and pockets of creamy Velveeta cheese. Overnight Christmas Breakfast Casserole is a family favorite in our home.
Ah, Christmas morning – the excitement, the opening of presents, and the aroma of delicious food filling the house. Can it get any better? With this recipe for Christmas Breakfast Casserole, it can!
We’ve gone through a few different versions of this recipe over the years. At this point, I think this is the best one.
This casserole is not only the perfect breakfast dish for Christmas day, but it’s also the ideal treat to enjoy with the whole family any day of the year.
A big part of what makes it perfect for Christmas is how we make it the day before. That way, when everyone is waking up and getting ready to open presents, all you have to do is toss it into the oven!
One problem with Christmas morning is the candy. I know, I know! I’m an old fuddy duddy, haha! But if you have kids you know what I’m talking about.
It’s really important to get some proper food in our kid’s stomachs to counteract all that sugar! This make-ahead recipe is a great way to get that done.
Really, though, it’s just plain tasty. Just you wait and see. This Overnight Christmas Breakfast Casserole will become one of your new favorite recipes after the first bite!
Some of our other favorite casserole recipes we have on our site include: Copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole Recipe, Lazy Day Lasagna {Ravioli Casserole}, and Crack Chicken Noodle Casserole.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Make-Ahead Magic: This is the best part! Prepare it the night before, and simply bake it the next morning. Less stress, more fest.
- Feeds a Crowd: It’s an easy recipe, perfect for the entire family, and ensures no one is left hungry on a busy morning. It’s a great breakfast to start the holiday!
- Festive Feel: With green and red bell peppers, even the colors tell you it’s Christmas morning! It’s a breakfast sausage casserole for the ages.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Ground breakfast sausage
- Bacon
- White onion
- Green bell pepper
- Red bell pepper
- Crusty bread
- Velveeta cheese
- Large eggs
- Half and half
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
HOW TO MAKE CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST CASSEROLE:
- Cook the sausage and bacon off beforehand, and save 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.
- Place the bacon grease into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers, and stir to combine.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened, 8-10 minutes; take off the heat and set aside.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add the cubed bread into the bottom of the dish.
- Top with the cooked sausage.
- Add the peppers and onion mixture on top.
- Top with the bacon.
- Add the diced Velveeta on top.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the half and half, salt, and pepper. Pour this all over the top of the casserole. Gently press down on the top of the casserole so the bread starts soaking in the egg mixture.
- Cover and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or best overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Top the casserole with the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with no wet egg in the center. You may need to cover the casserole with foil if it starts browning too much.
- Allow it to sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
WHAT KIND OF BREAD IS THE BEST TO USE?
Crusty bread works best. It soaks up the egg mixture and holds its shape in the casserole.
All you really need to do is chop up some slices of bread and leave it on the counter for a few hours.
CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD?
Absolutely! The beauty of this dish is you can prepare it on Christmas Eve, cover it with plastic wrap, and pop it in the oven the next day.
Your Christmas casserole will be ready to roll when you roll out of bed!
ANY ADDITIONS?
Here are some of my favorite things to add to this. Let me know in the comments if you have any other great ones!
- Diced tomatoes
- Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Ham cubes
- Sliced black olives
- Hash browns (for a fun twist!)
- Grated parmesan cheese on top
- Chopped green onions
- Jalapeños for a kick
- Drizzle of hot sauce before serving
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Yes indeed! This make-ahead breakfast casserole is easy to sub out.
- Swap out Velveeta for Monterey Jack or Mozzarella.
- Use turkey sausage or chorizo instead of pork sausage.
- Whole wheat bread or sourdough instead of white bread.
- Almond milk in place of half and half.
- Vegan cheese for a dairy-free option.
HOW TO STORE:
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It’s seriously the perfect breakfast casserole.
Freezer: Perfect make-ahead breakfast! Freeze your casserole for up to 3 months. Just remember to thaw it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to bake it.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- For added flavor, save a tablespoon of bacon grease when cooking the bacon for sautéing the veggies.
- Gently press down on the bread after pouring the egg mixture. This ensures the bread soaks up all the goodness.
- If using store-bought cooked bacon, add olive oil when sautéing veggies.
- Use a wooden spoon or spatula to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cover the casserole with foil if it starts browning too much during baking.
- Pair it with fresh fruit or cinnamon rolls for a complete holiday breakfast.
Christmas Breakfast Casserole is the perfect dish to wake up to on a festive morning. Its heartwarming flavors capture the essence of the holiday season, bringing joy to your table and smiles to everyone’s faces.
From the little pockets of Velveeta to the savory blend of sausage and crispy bacon, each bite is a merry celebration. So, this Christmas, as you gather around the tree and unwrap presents, know that a delightful breakfast awaits, filled with love, warmth, and the magic of the season.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried this CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST CASSEROLE, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Christmas Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground breakfast sausage cooked and drained
- 1/2 pound bacon small diced, cooked crispy
- 3/4 cup small diced white onion
- 1 cup small diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup small diced red bell pepper
- 4 cups small cubed crusty bread
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese small diced
- 12 large eggs well beaten
- 2/3 cup half and half
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the sausage and bacon off beforehand, and save 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.1 pound ground breakfast sausage, 1/2 pound bacon
- Place the bacon grease into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers, and stir to combine.3/4 cup small diced white onion, 1 cup small diced green bell pepper, 1 cup small diced red bell pepper
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened, 8-10 minutes; take off the heat and set aside.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add the cubed bread into the bottom of the dish.4 cups small cubed crusty bread
- Top with the cooked sausage.
- Add the peppers and onion mixture on top.
- Top with the bacon.
- Add the diced Velveeta on top.8 ounces Velveeta cheese
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the half and half, salt, and pepper. Pour this all over the top of the casserole. Gently press down on the top of the casserole so the bread starts soaking in the egg mixture.12 large eggs, 2/3 cup half and half, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Cover and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or best overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Top the casserole with the shredded cheddar cheese.2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with no wet egg in the center. You may need to cover the casserole with foil if it starts browning too much.
- Allow it to sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For added flavor, save a tablespoon of bacon grease when cooking the bacon for sautéing the veggies.
- Gently press down on the bread after pouring the egg mixture. This ensures the bread soaks up all the goodness.
- If using store-bought cooked bacon, add olive oil when sautéing veggies.
- Use a wooden spoon or spatula to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cover the casserole with foil if it starts browning too much during baking.
- Pair it with fresh fruit or cinnamon rolls for a complete holiday breakfast.
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