Breakfast Bake Recipe

When it comes to breakfast, I’m not one to get all crazy and show-off-y. I don’t always feel that’s necessary.

I love reliable recipes that pack a lot of flavor but don’t take much effort. That’s why I love this super-easy Breakfast Bake recipe.

This is such an easy recipe. It’s five ingredients and it’s in one pan.

Literally all you have to do is grease a pan, add your cooked meat and cheese, make a super-easy Bisquick batter, pour the batter on top and pop it in the oven for forty-five minutes. That’s it.

What’s Actually Going On Inside This Casserole?

The Bisquick batter helps hold everything together but also makes a nice, light crust. The egg and milk give it a nice custardy texture.

The sausage/ham/bacon adds a lot of flavor, fat, and seasoning. As it’s cooking, you’ll be able to watch the cheese get melty and crispy around the edges and the batter sink into the meat and cheese.

The whole house will smell amazing – like cheese and sausage. My husband will be standing at the oven before I’m ready to take it out.

What to Know Before You Start

You can make this with sausage, ham, or bacon. Make sure that whatever you use is FULLY COOKED before adding to the pan.

I’ve made this for Christmas morning, taken it to my neighbor who had a baby and made it when we’ve been craving an easy, laid-back Sunday brunch. You could serve this as-is, alongside some toast or fruit, whatever sounds best.

It’s good either way. You can prep this casserole the night before and leave it in the fridge.

That helps everything come together more, so it’s not so spongy or soggy, and allow the Bisquick batter to seep into the meat/cheese layers.

Breakfast Bake Tips

Spray a 9×13 glass or ceramic baking dish, not metal, very generously with non-stick cooking spray, as the cheese sticks to the pan if it doesn’t have plenty of cooking spray. For easiest removal of the first slice, I like to line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment before spraying.

This is especially helpful if you’re taking it somewhere and want to be able to pull out a couple of neat slices for company. A glass/ceramic baking dish works much better for this recipe because it cleans up more easily, especially if you use parchment, and heats more evenly.

Plus, you’ll be able to peek into it to check how well it’s setting and get a peek at the bottom to make sure it’s done. My favorite is this “Pyrex 3-quart oblong baking dish”.

It comes out of the refrigerator, goes directly into the oven and cleans up easily.

Breakfast sausage should be cooked, crumbled, drained of grease and then allowed to sit about 10 minutes. It should be warm and not hot when added to the casserole.

If it’s too hot the cheese will melt and it will raise the temperature of the casserole and the batter when adding.

If using leftover cooked ham, make sure to chop it and have it close to room temp.

If using cooked bacon, crumble and blot to remove excess grease.

The egg/Bisquick mixture will seem a little thin when poured over the meats/cheese but it will puff up as it bakes as the “Bisquick” kicks in. Don’t be tempted to make more.

If you double the egg/Bisquick mixture the middle will be a little undercooked/doughy.

Breakfast Bake Ingredients

makes 8-10 servings in a 9×13:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 pound breakfast sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup Bisquick baking mix
• cooked bacon (optional)
• cooked ham, chopped (optional)

That’s it. Just 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

There are no other seasonings hidden away in the pantry.

Can I use something else besides Bisquick?

It’s in the original recipe and works well. The leavening agents in Bisquick may react with just the right amount of eggs and milk.

But if you’d rather not use Bisquick you can substitute a combination of flour, baking powder, salt, and fat. The ratio is 1:1.

Can I use other types of cheese?

The recipe calls for cheddar. You can use the kind that comes shredded if you want to save yourself some work, but I think the bagged shredded cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly and doesn’t taste as good as shredding cheddar from a block.

Sharp cheddar will make for more zing, medium cheddar is more mellow. You could also add some mellow and melty Monterey jack.

What kind of milk should I use?

Whole milk is best. The recipe will work with 2% milk, but not with skim.

The eggs need the fat from the milk to set up well. Whole milk also makes for a more luscious, custardy taste.

What kind of meat can I use?

Breakfast sausage is convenient and flavorful. The sausage is seasoned so it gives the casserole flavor without any additional effort on your part.

If you’ve got ham leftover from Sunday dinner, diced up smoked ham makes a savory, not-as-fatty version. Bacon is good if you’re in the mood to put in a little extra work; the casserole has a smokier flavor and the bacon adds another level of texture since it gets crispy.

How to Make This Breakfast Bake

Step 1: Prep and grease the pan

Make sure that your 9×13 baking dish is well-sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Get into the corners and be generous with the sides.

Set aside near where you’ll be preparing the casserole.

Step 2: Cook the sausage

Brown the sausage. Heat a large skillet over medium-high.

Add the sausage, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks. Cook until no longer pink.

Remove from heat. Drain and crumble with a fork.

Pro: If you have a meat chopper it makes crumbling sausage so easy and ensures nicely-sized pieces. Set aside to cool (about 10 minutes).

The sausage should be warm, not steaming hot, when you use it.

Step 3: Layer the meat and cheese

Lay the cooled, crumbled sausage in a single layer on the bottom of your prepared pan. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the sausage.

Pro: this will help the casserole brown and acts as a barrier between the egg mixture and the sausage. Pro tip: You can make this part of the casserole ahead of time.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to continue.

Step 4: Mix the batter

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, Bisquick, salt, pepper, and stir vigorously or whisk for 2-3 minutes until smooth with no lumps. It should be thinner than a thick batter (think: pancake batter), but thicker than say, heavy cream.

Step 5: Pour the batter and bake

Pour batter evenly over cheese/meat layer; it will redistribute in the pan as it cooks. Bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, the top is nicely browned and the middle of the casserole is set.

Pro: The center should not jiggle, but when you shake the pan it won’t move around like it’s still runny. The edges should be starting to separate from the pan, too.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 5-10 minutes before serving. Pro: It’ll still be nice and hot in the middle, but this will help it to be set enough to serve without crumbling.

Four Versions We’ve Actually Made

Spicy version: Use hot breakfast sausage, pepper jack cheese and add 1/4 tsp smoked paprika to the batter for a version with a definite kick.

Smoky version: Substitute shredded gruyère for the cheddar and use a pound of bacon, cooked and crumbled, instead of the sausage. Stir a tablespoon of Dijon mustard into the egg/milk mixture.

This one’s pretty smoky, save it for a brunch where it’ll be the star.

Lighter version: If you’re making this as part of a large meal, consider using shredded Swiss and diced, smoked ham. It has a lovely, subtle, almost nutty flavor that won’t overwhelm other dishes.

And, because it lacks the sausage and cheddar it is decidedly lighter and less fatty.

Vegetarian version: For a meatless version, sauté about 2 cups of an assortment of diced vegetables, mushrooms, peppers, onions are good, in a bit of olive oil until their liquid has cooked away. Add these in place of the sausage.

Also consider increasing the amount of pepper in the egg/milk mixture by an additional 1/4 tsp and adding a small amount of garlic powder since you’ll be leaving out the seasoning in the sausage.

Make-Ahead and Leftover Notes

This makes a great make-ahead breakfast. You can also prepare this dish ahead of time by layering the meat and cheese in the pan the night before, tightly covering and refrigerating overnight.

The next morning, make a fresh egg/milk mixture, pour it over the cold layers, and bake at 375°F as directed. This way it bakes up lighter and fluffier and slices better.

If necessary, you can assemble the entire thing the night before, including the egg/milk mixture. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

It may take an additional 5 to 8 minutes if you’re starting it out cold so test with a toothpick if you’re not sure whether it’s done.

This makes a great accompaniment for holidays. It travels well so consider bringing this to a brunch.

It can be made ahead of time (see above) which makes it easy to bring along.

This will keep tightly covered in the refrigerator. Reheat individual portions.

Leftover Storage

Any leftover breakfast bake will keep, covered, up to four days in the refrigerator. You can leave it right in its baking dish covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or store it in an airtight container.

To reheat a slice in the microwave, pop it in for 60 to 90 seconds. However, if you have a toaster oven I’d suggest using that at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes for optimal texture, yielding crispy edges and evenly heated through to the center.

Freezing Breakfast Bake

Yes, this casserole freezes well after being fully cooked. Allow casserole to cool then slice into individual servings.

Wrap each portion tightly with plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, unwrap and allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to eat, reheat as directed. The texture of the casserole will be a tad firmer once thawed but taste just as delicious.

Breakfast Bake FAQ

Can I make this breakfast bake without Bisquick?

If you don’t happen to have any Bisquick on hand or prefer not to use it, you can make your own: In a bowl, stir together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon cold butter. Use a pastry cutter to combine ingredients, crumbling butter into flour mixture, until texture resembles coarse crumbs.

Bisquick substitute will have a tad different, less refined, texture than commercial product but will otherwise perform the same.

Why is the center still jiggly after 45 minutes?

Every oven is different and oven dials are often 25-50 degrees off, so invest in an oven thermometer if you don’t already have one. Keep in mind bake time will be affected by dish temp, since straight from the fridge/freezer requires about an additional 8-10 minutes, as well as additions/substitutions you’ve made, since more veggies and cheeses can equal added moisture which may take longer to set.

If necessary, tent dish with aluminum foil and continue to bake in 5-minute intervals, testing center with a toothpick to determine doneness.

Is it safe to assemble the night before and bake in the morning?

As long as the meat is thoroughly cooked and you place the casserole into the refrigerator as soon as it’s assembled, yes. However, any dish with raw egg should not sit out at room temp for more than 2 hours.

Refrigerated casserole will go into the oven as soon as you’ve turned it on.

Can I make this with bacon or ham?

Yes. Either can be substituted for the sausage.

Can I add shredded hash browns for a potato base?

Yes. Use shredded frozen hash browns that have been thawed, then press out any moisture before adding to the casserole dish, followed by meat and cheese.

The final product is different, think of it as adding a lightly crisped potato crust, but still tasty. Do allow an additional 5-8 minutes for baking so the dish is thoroughly cooked.

Other Morning Casseroles Worth Bookmarking

Easy Breakfast Casserole: A classic sausage and egg casserole comes together all in one pan.

Quick Breakfast Casserole – When time is of the essence, whip together a Quick Breakfast Casserole made with easy-to-find ingredients.

Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole – Layers of buttery croissants and savory sausage come together with eggs in this make-ahead Breakfast Casserole.