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This cowboy breakfast casserole is packed with sausage, bacon, cheese, and veggies, and it goes together the night before so you can just pop it in the oven come morning. It’s hearty, filling, and built to feed a crowd. Perfect easy breakfast casserole recipe for holiday mornings, weekend guests, or any time you want breakfast to basically make itself.
Karly’s Notes
I’m a sucker for a tasty casserole – after all, I was born and raised in the Midwest. Casseroles flow through my veins. 😉
We’ve got quite a few dinner time favorites, but breakfast casseroles are where it’s really at!
Who doesn’t love something warm and hearty to look forward to when they get out of bed? And this Cowboy Brunch Casserole feeds crowd!
Loaded with both sausage and bacon, this is hearty and filling. We make this for holiday mornings or anytime we have guests staying with us.
I love that you can prep this the night before and just pop it in the oven when you wake up.
Ingredient Notes:
Breakfast Meats – This recipe assumes you’ve already got some pre-cooked bacon and sausage on hand to toss into the casserole. Feel free to swap in diced ham or cooked chorizo.
Veggies – Potatoes, onions, and bell peppers add flavor and texture.
French Bread – The cubed pieces of bread will help soak up all the eggs and flavor in this casserole recipe!
Seasoning – Just some simple salt and pepper along with some red pepper flakes to spice things up a bit!
Step by Step:
Brown the sausage, peppers, and onions in a skillet and then remove to a bowl.
Fry up the bacon in the same skillet and then remove it with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the sausage.
Whisk together the milk and eggs, pour it over the meat, and stir in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate overnight in a 9×13.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the eggs are set.
Serving Ideas:
This casserole is a full meal on its own, but if you’re feeding a crowd and want to round things out:
- A simple green salad topped with my easy garlic dressing
- Fresh fruit salad or sliced melon
- Mimosas or a simple orange juice bar
- Oven roasted potatoes if you want something extra hearty
Storage:
Refrigerator: Leftovers keep well for 3 to 4 days, covered tightly.
Freezer: This casserole freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then wrap tightly before freezing. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make-ahead: Assemble the night before, cover with foil, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is ideal). Bake straight from the fridge.
Reheating: Individual portions reheat well in the microwave. For a larger portion, cover with foil and warm in a 325°F oven until heated through.
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes
- Amish Breakfast Casserole
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Low Carb Breakfast Casserole
- Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
- Breakfast Casserole with Ham
Cowboy Brunch Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 6 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups milk
- 5-6 ounces French bread cubed, see notes
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 cup frozen diced hash brown potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less, to taste
Instructions
- Add the sausage to a large skillet and crumble it as it cooks. When it's about halfway cooked through, add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and continue cooking until the vegetables have softened and the sausage is cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Dice the bacon into bite-sized pieces and add to the skillet. Cook until crisp, stirring often. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the grease and add it to the sausage.
- Add the eggs and milk to a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the sausage, vegetables, and bacon to the mixture along with the cubed bread, cheese, potatoes, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Place in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the eggs are set. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Kristine Short says
Anyone make this without letting it sit for 4 hours refrigerated? What’s the worst that could happen???Â
Karly says
The bread needs the time to soak up the eggs. 🙂
Teresa says
Stay be a silly question but would you say like a half loaf of French bread??
Karly says
I think it’s closer to a full loaf.
Diane Dauwalder says
Well, that depends on if you use a long french or short french baguette. Please state in measurements of cups
Karly says
Hi Diane! I didn’t measure by volume. I buy the long baguettes and cut into 6 slices that are maybe an inch thick and then cube that. You really can’t mess this up though – if you have a bit more or less bread it won’t hurt anything.
Kitty says
I love a breakfast casserole! There are only two of us so, entertaining is about the only time I make them. Will keep this in mind for the next time we have overnight guests.
Krissy says
Do I need to boil the potatoe or cook the sausage before mixing? Thank you
Karly says
The sausage should be cooked, but not the potato.
Kelly Senyei @ Just a Taste says
I love make-ahead casseroles! This one looks and sounds delicious, plus the name is perfect! Â
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
For many, many years I hated entertaining on holidays and birthdays because it almost always meant that my in-laws (a group of 4) moving in on us for the entire weekend. It was so much work, before, during, and after. Now that the weekend stays are rare, I am able to fully enjoy entertaining. I’d love to find a perfect entertaining home like those house hunters. This casserole is perfect for get togethers! There is so much yumminess in it. And I love that you can prep it ahead of time.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
For many, many years I hated entertaining on holidays and birthdays because it almost always meant that my in-laws (a group of 4) moving in on us for the entire weekend. It was so much work, before, during, and after. Now that the weekend stays are rare, I am able to fully enjoy entertaining. I’d love to find a perfect entertaining home like those house hunters. This casserole is perfect for get togethers! There is so much yumminess in it. And I love that you can prep it ahead of time.
annie@ciaochowbambina says
This is the kind of recipe I love having in my back pocket! Perfect for the holidays when all the kids are home! Pinned!
Rose Moyer says
This recipe will be used for the men’s breakfast at our church. We are always looking for new breakfast recipes. This one sounds like a very tasty one.
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
First of all, I think I might make a drinking game out of House Hunters–you drink every time the wife says she won’t share the closet, or someone hates carpet, or a load-bearing wall needs to come down to make the house open concept. Â I watch too much HGTV. Â Second, this casserole has me so excited for Christmas! Â It sounds perfect for my family :). Â
jude says
hmmmm……..the video shows a potato but the recipe does not – which is it??
Karly says
My goodness, it is a Monday, that’s for sure. 1 large diced and peeled potato gets added. 🙂
Becky Turner says
Oh good…I thought It was just me who could not figure out how to open up the page for the “rest of the story”.
Karly says
Sorry about that! The recipe is up now. 🙂
Michele Holmes says
… and the recipe????
Karly says
It’s there now! Sorry – tech issues. 🙂
jude says
okay………..I give up………..where is the recipe??
Karly says
Sorry about that! It’s there now. 🙂
Blair says
This type of dish is totally how I do stress-free “entertaining” too! I could eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner!