Make-Ahead Sausage Breakfast Strata

This make ahead sausage breakfast strata is one of my go to’s when company’s coming. It has everything I want in a fuss free breakfast or brunch – flavor, texture, color and affordable ingredients that everyone loves. I also like that it’s easy to make ahead of time, customizable and uses up what ever is in the fridge.

piece of strata on scoop above whole pan
The perfect savoury breakfast that feeds a crowd.

Also Read: Apple and Cranberry French Toast Bake, Shakshuka, Puffed Oven Pancakes

It’s also a favorite for when I’m visiting others overnight. Like the time I froze it in a freezer bag, tucked it in a cooler and drove 13 hours for a family gathering! It was a hit and bringing good food when you’re a guest is always a good thing.

sausage and cheese breakfast strata baked in pan with garnish
Bread, eggs, cheese, sausage and veggies – what could be better?

5 Easy Steps to Sausage Egg Bake

Just 5 easy steps to make this delicious egg bake. Want to freeze it – just add one more step (freeze & thaw).

  1. Sauté sausage & veggies.
  2. Prep dry bread.
  3. Mix eggs, milk, cheese & seasoning.
  4. Assemble & let soak.
  5. Bake & enjoy.
piece of breakfast strata on plate with salad
Sausage breakfast strata for lunch with an orange side salad.

Ten Tips for the Best Breakfast Casseroles

I love that there are lots of options and just a few simple guidelines when making breakfast casseroles. With just a few tips, you can make the best breakfast casseroles ever. No runny, undercooked mush for you! Watch the video or read on for all the details.

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1.The Bread

Use whatever leftover, dry, old bread scraps you have. From white sandwich bread to dense pumpernickel and everything in between like croissants, bagels, hamburger buns or artisan sourdough – as long as it’s dry it’ll work.

The only thing that is not great is fresh bread, it won’t soak up the liquid as well and you risk having a soggy casserole. If all you have is fresh bread, dry it out a bit. Place it on a baking tray and bake for 20-30 minutes at 250°F.

The drier and denser your bread, the longer you need to let the strata soak before baking.

2. The Cheese

Use your favorite grated or crumbled cheese. Even better – use a blend of different cheeses for maximum flavor, texture and color. In this recipe we use three types of cheese – sharp cheddar, feta and Parmesan.

3. Eggs & Milk

The glue that holds everything together. Aim for roughly equal parts milk and egg. It’s not an exact science, so don’t worry too much. I assume 4 eggs=1 cup. So if you use 1 cup of milk, add 4 eggs.

Using more eggs or full fat milk or cream will lead to a thicker more custard like finish. Skim milk and fewer eggs will result in a lighter texture. Either way is great – do what you like best.

4. Meat

Use or don’t use meat – totally your choice. If you do choose to add meat be sure it is fully cooked. Pan fry uncooked sausage, bacon or  ham, drain excess oil and cool before adding to the egg mix. Also consider leftover meat like shredded roast pork, beef or poultry.

5. Veggies

Add whatever is in your fridge or pick the veggies you love best. I like adding pre-cooked, chopped dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, beet greens or swiss chard for their great color and nutrients and sweet peppers for the punch of color. Other veggies to consider are asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, shredded carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, red onions, rapini, etc.

To avoid crunchy veggies or soggy strata, pre-cook your veggies so they release their moisture before you add them to your breakfast bake.

diced colorful peppers, spinach and onions in cast iron fry pan
Gorgeous color and flavor! Cook them before adding to remove some of their moisture.

6. Herbs & Seasoning

If you add pre-seasoned or cured meat like bacon, ham or sausage you’ll already get some flavor and salt in your dish. Your cheese will also add flavor and salt. But don’t let that stop you from adding extra herbs and seasoning – just go easy on the salt. Try aromatic herbs like sage, thyme or rosemary or do a combination like oregano, basil and garlic powder. Add some mustard powder, Dijon, cayenne pepper or hot sauce for a little zing. Oh and nutmeg with eggs and spinach is AMAZING!

7. Soaking & Resting 

The bread needs a chance to soak up all the liquid, so soaking before baking is key for best results. Cover the dish and let sit in the fridge for two hours or overnight. The denser your bread, the longer you need to let it soak. (If you’re freezing the raw casserole, you don’t need to let it rest before you freeze it.)

After the casserole has finished baking, let it rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes to let the eggs set.

8. Baking & How to Tell When It’s Done

Grease or butter your baking dish on the bottom and on the sides. Grease it well!

Cover the dish in the last 10 minutes or so if browning too much on top.

Your breakfast casserole is done when:

  • the outer edges are a lovely golden brown
  • there is no liquid pooling anywhere
  • the center doesn’t jiggle when you gently shuffle the pan from side to side
  • a knife inserted in the center comes out clean
  • the internal temperature of the casserole is 165°F/74°C

9. Storing

Once baked and cooled, store the finished casserole in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s equally delicious the next day – so enjoy.

If you can’t finish it, freeze in individual portions or freeze the entire dish (see below). Wrap well and label with reheating instructions.

10. Reheating

Reheat in the microwave for 1-3 minutes. Start with 1 minute, rotate then add 30 seconds at a time until it’s as hot as you like.

Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes until heated through. Cover dish with foil while reheating in oven.

By the way – once it’s fully baked, you can eat pieces cold too – so good!

How to Freeze Your Sausage Breakfast Strata

a fully baked sausage breakfast strata in a glass baking dish
If you can’t finish it – freeze the fully baked version – just let it cool completely before wrapping and freezing. This technique is great for leftovers, but I prefer freezing the unbaked version when planning for a feast with friends and family.

You have several options for freezing this make ahead breakfast casserole.

Freeze Raw Ingredients in Baking Pan

If you don’t need your baking pan and you have plenty of freezer space, this is the easiest method.  Follow the recipe until the baking step. Cover the top of the dish with plastic wrap and seal as best as you can. Wrap entire pan with foil or place in a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. Carefully place pan in the freezer keeping it as flat as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. To make, thaw for 24 hours in the fridge and bake as directed. You may need an extra 10-15 minutes depending on how thawed it was.

Freeze Raw Ingredients in Freezer Bag

Ideal when you need the baking pan for other recipes. Simply combine all ingredients (except garnishes) in a large freezer bag (or two). Freeze for up to 3 months. To make, place frozen bags in a dish in the fridge for 24 hours, empty contents of bags into well greased baking dish and bake as directed in recipe.

make ahead breakfast casserole freezer bag
I use this method when I’m travelling and taking the breakfast dish with me or when I need the baking dish for making brownies!

Freeze Baked Dish

For quicker baking time the morning of, pre-bake the casserole as directed in the recipe then freeze it. In order to prevent ice crystals, it’s critical to let the casserole cool completely before packaging. Let it cool on the counter for an hour and then in the fridge until it is completely cooled. Once cooled, you can freeze it in the baking pan or remove it and freeze in a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months.

To reheat, thaw for 24 hours in the fridge, cover top with foil and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until heated through.

Pro Tip:Use a sharpie and write the recipe name, date and baking directions on the bag.

freezer instructions breakfast casserole
This recipe makes a large amount. When I make it for just the four of us, I freeze half after it’s been baked. I used parchment paper and a freezer bag.

Recipe for Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole

make ahead breakfast casserole on spatula
Print Recipe
4.70 from 10 votes

Three Cheese, Veggie and Sausage Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole

This delicious make ahead breakfast casserole can be made the night before or weeks in advance. Three cheeses, veggies and sausage are combined with bread cubes and eggs for a satisfying start to any day. Perfect for a hungry crowd. Read full article at www.gettystewart.com for more info on freezing options.
Prep : 15 minutes
Cook : 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

  • 454 g Italian sausage casings removed (1 lb)
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup well drained, chopped frozen spinach (4 nuggets)
  • 1 cup diced sweet peppers
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 10 eggs
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp mustard powder (or 1 Tbsp Dijon)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less as you like)
  • 1 cup grated old cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 cups dry bread cubes
  • 2 tsp paprika for garnishing
  • 2 Tbsp chopped parsley or green onions for garnishing

Instructions

  • Grease a 9×13" (23×33 cm) baking dish.
  • In fry pan, sauté sausage, remove from pan, set aside and let drain.
  • Remove all but 1 Tbsp oil from pan. Add onions and cook until transparent. Add garlic and cook but do not brown. Add well drained spinach and peppers. Cook 2-3 minutes to remove moisture.
  • In very large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, thyme, black pepper, mustard powder, salt, nutmeg and cayenne pepper.
  • Mix in bread cubes, sausage, veggies, and cheese (save 1/2 cup blend of cheddar and Parmesan for top). Stir well.
  • Pour into prepared pan. Top with remaining cheese.
  • Cover and refrigerate overnight. If making same day, let sit for at least 2 hours to allow egg and milk to soak into bread.
  • Remove from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Uncover and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cover with foil in last few minutes if top is becoming too brown.
  • Remove from oven, place pan on wire rack and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
  • Garnish with paprika and fresh parsley or green onions.

Video

Notes

There is lots of room for substitutions in this recipe. Use whatever meat or vegan meat, cheese and veggies you prefer. Just cook any meat or veggies before adding to dish.
You can freeze this casserole before or after it has been baked. You can freeze it in the baking pan or in freezer containers. For more details read the full article at www.gettystewart.com.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 913kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 37g | Sodium: 1752mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 16g | Iron: 9mg
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: breakfast, breakfast bake, breakfast strata, brunch, eggs, for a crowd, make ahead, savory breakfast bake
I make this ALOT! Here’s another pan of it – this time I had less bread, so there’s more egg texture. Just goes to show, it’s pretty versatile.

Other Breakfast Ideas

What are some other freezer friendly make ahead dishes that you enjoy? I’m always looking for more ideas to add to my repertoire.

Let me know what you think of this breakfast casserole and if you ate it right away or chose a freezer option. And of course, if you’re on social media – tag me with any photos so I can see them and like them! I’m on Instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.

Select, store and serve seasonal food for everyday cooking with Getty. Getty is a food educator and Professional Home Economist,who loves sharing tips and recipes following the seasons from her Canadian kitchen. Sign up to get seasonal tips and recipes delivered to your inbox. Learn more about Getty or check out her books and pdf guides.

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