Take your favorite egg and cheese bagel sandwich and turn it into a make-ahead breakfast casserole instead! This breakfast bake is an easy crowd-pleaser.
I’ll be the first one to admit that I am not a breakfast person. The thought of having to wake up and begin working to feed myself (or others) just makes me want to roll over and go back to sleep.
Just give me a cup of coffee around 10 a.m. and I’m good to go.
That was fine and dandy when I was single, but now I have a big, burly husband and two tweenagers who are perpetually hungry. They just so happen to think breakfast is the best meal of the day.
Easy-to-assemble morning meals, like this Breakfast Bagel Casserole with Sausage, Egg, and Cheese, are now a necessary thing for me.
Turn bagels into a make-ahead casserole
Instead of laboring over individual sandwiches for the entire family, I’ve tossed together the ingredients from my favorite breakfast bagel sandwich and baked them together in a casserole.
The slightly sweet, chewy bagels get crisp right along the edge of the casserole, while the hints of sage in the sausage and the sharp cheddar meld to give a savory tang that makes it a hallmark breakfast dish.
The beauty of a breakfast bake
Breakfast bakes like this make mornings bearable because they require minimal effort to prepare, and they can often be prepped the evening before you want to enjoy them. They are ideal if you have to feed a morning crowd.
The night before, just chug along with the recipe’s instructions, wrap the dish in foil, and put it into the refrigerator. In the morning, pull the dish from the fridge and let it warm for a few minutes on the counter while the oven preheats (this takes the chill off). Then just put it into your hot oven, and bake as directed.
Adapt this recipe to your own tastes!
This casserole is not only economical, it’s one of the most filling and versatile meals I’ve ever created.
Alter the flavors by using chorizo instead of sage sausage; or use Swiss cheese instead of cheddar. If you’re allergic to seeds, swap out the everything bagels for the plain or whole wheat instead. The combos you can create from this basic recipe are virtually endless.
More Great Breakfast Casseroles!
Bagel Breakfast Casserole with Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Recipe
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 6 (20-ounce package) everything bagels
- 7 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (I used sage-flavored)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 3 cups (8 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
Method
1 Prep the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F, then lightly grease or butter a 13”x 9” casserole dish.
2 Prep the bagels: Using a serrated bread knife, cut each bagel into bite-size pieces. I like to cut the bagel in half (from top to bottom) and then cut each half into fourths. Try to cut the bagel into pieces that are no larger than an inch.
3 Make the egg mix and combine with the bagels: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper until no yolk is visible and the mixture is smooth.
Add the cut bagels to the egg mixture and, using a large spoon or spatula, toss to coat the bread in the liquid. Set this to the side to allow the bread to soak while you brown the sausage.
3 Cook the sausage, onion, and pepper: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer (this should take about a minute).
Add the breakfast sausage to the pan and begin to brown it. Break up the sausage into small chunks with a wooden spoon until the sausage is about the size of pistachios. It should not look minced.
Once the sausage has cooked through and browned (about 5 minutes), create a well in the center of the pan using your spoon. Add the diced peppers and the onions. Stir them with the sausage and cook the mixture for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the veggies are glossy and soft.
Drain any excess fat by straining the mixture in a colander, then allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes. This is a great time to shred your cheese if you haven’t already.
4 Combine the sausage, bagel and egg mixture. Once your sausage mix has cooled slightly, add it to the bagel and egg mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of the parsley and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese. Toss the ingredients together to combine evenly.
5 Assemble the casserole: Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil.
Make-ahead step: At this point, you can place the dish into the refrigerator overnight and bake in the morning. Once you’re ready to bake, remove the casserole dish twenty minutes prior to baking, then proceed as follows.
6 Bake the casserole: Bake, covered with foil, in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and then carefully remove the pan from the oven and remove the foil.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the middle is no longer jiggling, and the surface has browned.
7 Cool and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and immediately top with the remaining cheese and parsley. Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes prior to serving.
