This easy sausage croissant breakfast casserole is the perfect make ahead meal. The flakey croissants, hearty sausages, and delicious cheese are a winning combination.
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Pin RecipeThis breakfast casserole really is a complete meal in one dish. It is hearty and very filling thanks to all those eggs and breakfast sausages that fill every bite. On the other hand, the casserole is light enough that you won’t feel weighed down after a few bites. It is just the ideal combination of ingredients that will help you start your morning ideally.
Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole Recipe
One little piece of advice I want to give right upfront is that this recipe does need to be made the night before you intend to eat it. The casserole is best when it sits in the fridge overnight so the croissants soak up all the delicious juices and seasonings. I actually love breakfasts like this that can be completely assembled a full day in advance. It makes the mornings so much easier when you don’t have to think about breakfast. All you need to do in the morning is bake and serve!
Another tip I wanted to give you is to make sure to use stale, older croissants. Stale croissants will be dry which also means they will soak up more of the milk and egg mix. This will make them more flavorful and irresistible. Skip the freshly baked croissants and grab your leftovers- they will work better! I promise.
(If you love this recipe, be sure to try my Bisquick Breakfast Casserole, too!)
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Ingredients for Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole
See recipe card below this post for ingredients quantities and full instructions.
- Breakfast sausage – Any brand and any type will work. I like maple breakfast sausage because the savory and sweet combination tastes so good.
- Unsalted butter
- Onion
- Large croissants – You can usually find croissants in the bakery section of your grocery store.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – Buy pre-shredded cheese to save a little kitchen time.
- Eggs
- Whole milk – You can use a different type of milk but whole milk definitely makes the casserole rich and creamy.
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce adds a tangy taste that is garlicky, sweet, and really interesting in a breakfast dish.
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Variations
Here are a few recipe substitutions and variations you may want to try.
- Swap the whole milk for almond milk or skim milk to make the casserole a little lighter.
- Use ground red pepper flakes in place of black pepper to make the sausage casserole a little bit spicy.
- Use bacon in place of sausage for a new, classic breakfast casserole. Cook one pound of bacon as the first step for the recipe then continue to make the croissant casserole as directed.
How to Make Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole
- Prepare the pan: Start by spraying a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Set the dish aside.
- Cook the sausage: Add the breakfast sausage to a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned. Remove the sausage from the pan and cut it into small, bite-sized pieces. Add the pieces to a large mixing bowl.
- Cook the onions: Add the butter to the same skillet you used to cook the sausage and let it melt. Then, toss in the onions and saute them for about 8 minutes. The onions will be soft and start to brown as well. Pour the cooked onions into the large mixing bowl with the sausage.
- Shred the croissants: Rip apart the croissants with your hands, making small, bite-sized pieces. Add them to the bowl with the sausage and then mix the shredded cheese into the bowl as well. Pour this mix into the prepared casserole dish and pat it into a flat layer across the entire dish.
- Make the batter: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper together. Pour the egg mix over the croissants in the baking dish. Use a spoon or spatula to pat the croissants in the pan, pressing them into the egg mix so that they soak up all the juices.
- Cover and chill: Cover the casserole dish and place it in the fridge to chill overnight.
- Cook the croissant casserole: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F then bake the breakfast casserole for about 45 minutes. The top of the casserole will be golden brown and the center will spring back to the touch and not look wet. Scoop and serve!
Quick Tip
If you want to bake this casserole the same day you assemble it, you definitely can. Add 1/2 cup extra milk to the egg mixture so the croissants get a little more moist and don’t dry out quickly in the oven. If possible, still try to let the casserole sit, fully assembled, for about an hour before baking. This will really help make a tender, delicious sausage croissant casserole in a little less time.
How to Store Croissant Casserole
If you happen to have leftover sausage croissant casserole, you can wrap the dish and store it in the fridge for up to a week. Scoop some of the casserole onto a dish and reheat it in the microwave anytime you are hungry! This is a great way to premake breakfast for a whole week!
FAQs
This sausage croissant breakfast casserole is a complete meal in a dish. However, if you want to serve some side dishes along with it, go for a fruit salad, a sliced banana bread or just some fresh squeezed orange juice. Lighter, sweet side dishes are best.
You can replace the croissants in this recipe with 8 cups of cubed bread. Try to use day old french bread or a baguette. Buttery, crusty breads will be good in this recipe.
Yes! You can fully bake and cool this sausage casserole and then wrap it tightly and place it in the freezer. It will keep for about 2 months in the freezer. To thaw and serve the casserole, unwrap it and put it into a 375 degree F oven for about 20 minutes. Once the casserole is hot, it is ready to serve!
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Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- Skillet
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula
- knife
- cutting board
- whisk
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 6 large croissants (a little stale is preferable)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute the sausage until browned throughout, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the butter and onions to the pan, continue to cook until the onions are tender, another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, break the croissants into large, bite sized pieces. Add the sausage mix and the shredded cheese. Mix together until all the croissant pieces are well coated. Spread in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Using the same mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, worcestershire, salt and pepper. Pour over the croissant and sausage mixture. Push down any pieces of croissant that aren’t submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight. This will allow the croissant pieces to completely soak up the egg mixture.
- Preheat an oven to 350 F. While the oven preheats, take the casserole out of the fridge to take off the chill.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the center springs back slightly when touched and the top is golden brown. Let sit for 5 to 6 minutes before serving.
Hello! I LOVE your website and recipes, but I have one complaint: is there any chance that you can omit the “EQUIPMENT” list, only because to print out the recipe, it takes two pages, when it can easily print out on just one page, if you got rid of the “equipment” list. Everyone who cooks kinda knows what to use when cooking or baking – just an FYI from wee little-ol-me. 🙂 THANK YOU!
Thank you for the feedback, Pamela! We’ll see what we can do and hope you continue to enjoy our recipes!
Sorry. Family didn’t like it. Made it exactly as recipe called.
A favourite of mine. Absolutely delicious
Thank you, Robyn!
Can you use a crockpot to bake this in the morning?
Hi Carla!
We haven’t tested it but think it would work just fine. Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try!