Cranberry Sausage Breakfast Casserole (Print View)
Savory sausage, cranberries, and bread baked in a rich egg custard for a hearty holiday breakfast.
# 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
# How To Make It:
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 to 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 combined.
06 - Pour the egg custard over the bread mixture and toss until all pieces are well coated. Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese. Transfer the entire mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. At this stage, the casserole can be covered and refrigerated overnight if preparing ahead.
07 - Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the egg custard is fully set in the center.
08 - Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It turns classic stuffing flavors into a breakfast that feels like a celebration without requiring any fancy technique.
- The sweet pop of cranberry against browned sausage and melted cheddar is a combination nobody at your table will stop talking about.
02 -
- If your bread is too fresh, the cubes will turn to mush instead of soaking up the custard like little sponges, so leave the cubes out on a sheet pan overnight or toast them at 300 degrees for about ten minutes.
- Do not skip the resting time after baking because cutting into it too early means the center will collapse and release all that beautiful custard as a puddle onto your serving plate.
03 -
- Save a small handful of cranberries and press them into the top of the casserole right before baking so you get those beautiful jewel-like pops of red on the finished surface.
- Crack your eggs into the custard bowl one at a time to avoid accidentally dropping a shell into the mixture, because fishing fragments out of a bowl of milk and cream is a hassle you do not need on a holiday morning.