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The Ultimate Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfast Casserole: Overnight Sausage, Egg, and Gruyère Strata

Close-up of a golden brown slice of christmas breakfast casserole with sausage and baked bread cubes.
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Prepare this hearty, savory breakfast strata the night before for a warm, delicious, and stress-free start to your Christmas morning. This make-ahead casserole feeds a crowd and ensures you spend less time cooking and more time celebrating.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked and drained
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen hash browns, thawed
  • 1 loaf (16 ounces) sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
  • 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Spread the cooked sausage evenly over the bottom of the prepared dish.
  3. Distribute the thawed hash browns over the sausage layer.
  4. Scatter the sourdough bread cubes over the hash browns.
  5. Sprinkle the Gruyère cheese and cheddar cheese over the bread layer.
  6. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until fully combined. This is your custard base.
  7. Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the baking dish, pressing down gently with a spatula to help the bread absorb the liquid.
  8. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight.
  9. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the plastic wrap.
  10. Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the casserole is puffed, golden brown, and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
  11. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving for a stress-free holiday brunch.

Notes

  • For an even easier morning, you can assemble the entire casserole, cover it, and place it in the refrigerator up to 24 hours in advance.
  • If you bake the casserole directly from the refrigerator, you may need to add 5 to 10 minutes to the total baking time.
  • Use sturdy bread like sourdough or French bread; soft white sandwich bread may become too mushy.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/christmas-breakfast-casserole-make-ahead/