Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe

No Christmas morning would be complete without this Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole.

Filled with spicy Italian sausage, spinach and peppers, this casserole is healthy and hearty! It has all the protein and nutrients you need to start a big day.

It’s also the perfect dish to serve with friends at brunch! All you need is a simple side salad and a mimosa or two to make the meal complete.

This filling dish can be prepared and baked in under an hour. Once you have this recipe down, use your favorite ingredients to make your own version!

All About The Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole Ingredients

Italian Sausage

Italian sausage is a pork sausage filled with an earthy blend of herbs and spices. This Italian seasoning mixture usually contains coriander, sage and parsley.

But the key ingredient in this herb blend is fennel seed. Fennel has a liquorice scent and a sharp flavor that makes this sausage stand out from the others.

The hot version of this sausage uses red pepper flakes for a hint of spiciness. If you’re a spicy food lover, you can opt for hot Italian sausage in this recipe.

Before adding sausage meat to your breakfast casserole, make sure to drain and pat it dry. This will prevent your casserole from becoming overly greasy.

Egg Mixture

The creamy egg mixture in this breakfast casserole is similar to a custard. It’s made with whisked eggs and milk, and sometimes cream for an extra rich flavor.

The milk helps make the eggs super fluffy. It also prevents the eggs from getting rubbery while they bake in the oven.

If you prefer a dairy-free breakfast casserole, you can omit the milk.

Peppers

Peppers make a colorful addition to this breakfast casserole and add little pops of sweet flavor.

You can use whatever type of pepper you like, but red and yellow peppers are the sweetest. If you prefer a less sweet casserole, use green peppers which have a more grassy flavor.

Yellow and red peppers are actually the same as a green pepper, just ripened for longer.

Cheese

This breakfast casserole wouldn’t be complete without a good sprinkle of cheese on top! The cheese helps give your casserole creaminess and balances the spicy sausage and sweet vegetables.

To get that gooey texture, use a melting cheese like sharp cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese. Or, try crumbled feta to give each bite of your casserole a delicious salty tang.

Other delicious cheesy additions include goat cheese, parmesan, and gruyere. Experiment with your favorite flavors—there are no rules!

Method

1. Preheat Oven
   

   Heat the oven to 325°F.
   

2. Remove the Sausage Casings
   

   Use a paring knife to remove the casings from the Italian sausages. Discard the casings.
   

3. Cook the Sausages
   

   Heat a skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage meat to the skillet and cook sausage until evenly browned, stirring occasionally.

   Use a spatula to break up the sausage mixture so it has a crumbly texture.
   

4. Add Vegetables
   

   Place the sausages on a plate and drain the oil from the skillet. Add the diced onions and peppers to the skillet and cook until soft.

   Add the spinach and cook until it wilts, about 1 minute. Season the vegetables with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
   

5. Assemble the Casserole
   

   Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add the cooked sausage meat to the bottom of the dish.

   Layer the cooked vegetables on top, and 1/2 of the cheddar cheese.
   

6. Whisk Eggs and Milk
   

   Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and add the milk. Beat eggs until the yolks are broken and milk is mixed in.

   Pour the egg mixture over top of the sausage and vegetables.
   

7. Bake and Serve!
   

   Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes.

   The eggs should be firm and the cheese should be bubbling when it’s done.

   Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
   

Ways To Enjoy Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole

This Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole is best served warm, when the cheese is nice and melty. If you want a quick meal, this casserole tastes delicious reheated either in the oven or microwave.

To round out this hearty breakfast dish, serve your casserole with a fresh side. A sweet fruit salad would be the perfect addition.

If you’re serving this casserole for brunch, opt for a healthy green salad, or marinated grilled vegetables.

Breakfast casseroles are a special treat on those busy holiday mornings. For these special meals, you need an extra special side.

Pancakes, cinnamon buns, biscuits or hash browns will make this a filling dish the whole family will enjoy.

Delicious Ways to Adapt This Recipe

Spicy Italian sausage gives this breakfast casserole tons of flavor. But you can use any type of sausage you prefer.

Spicy chorizo or sweet maple breakfast sausage will give this casserole completely different flavors.

You can also skip the sausage altogether and use bacon, ground beef, or chicken. You may need to increase the seasoning though, since they aren’t as flavorful as sausage.

Pretty much any vegetable will be delicious in this easy breakfast casserole. Swap out peppers and try sautéed mushroom instead, or diced tomatoes.

To increase the depth of flavor, try caramelizing the onions. You’ll need to cook the onions over low heat for at least 45 minutes to release all the natural sugars.

If you want an extra spicy casserole, add some crushed chili pepper to the egg custard before baking.

Can You Make Italian Sausage Breakfast Casserole Ahead?

This is the perfect breakfast dish to make ahead of time! It reheats quickly, and can be frozen or refrigerated right in the baking pan.

If you have a big morning planned, make this breakfast casserole the night before and store it in the fridge. As long as you seal it with saran wrap, the casserole will be good like this for up to five days.

It’s also a great breakfast meal to have ready to go in the freezer!

To freeze, bake your casserole in an aluminum foil lined pan then let it freeze overnight. The next day, you can remove the casserole from the baking dish and wrap it with saran wrap.

This method will help you save room in the freezer, and free up your casserole dishes. This space saving method will also allow you to conveniently stack up multiple casseroles in your freezer.

This is perfect for last minute guests, or unexpected celebrations. When you want to reheat the frozen breakfast casserole, simply pop it back into a casserole dish and bake!