Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Casserole bakes up bubbly and golden—layered, hearty, and perfect for potlucks, Sundays, and easy leftovers.
Golden Morning Bake with Bacon and Cheddar
A bubbly, custardy casserole studded with crisp bacon and gooey cheddar that’s as at-home on a slow Sunday as it is on a potluck table.
The first time this casserole comes out of the oven the kitchen fills with that irresistible combination of smoky bacon, melting sharp cheddar and warm buttered bread—an aroma that practically demands a fork. Layers of day‑old sandwich bread soak up a rich egg-and-milk custard so the interior is tender and just set while the top goes golden and slightly crisp. Tiny pops of sautéed onion and bell pepper add sweetness and snap against the savory backbone of bacon, and a last-minute scattering of fresh chives lifts the whole thing with a bright, oniony note.
This is one of those recipes where simple details make a big difference: reserving a bit of bacon fat to cook the vegetables deepens the flavor, Dijon mustard folded into the custard gives the eggs a subtle tang, and sharp cheddar delivers the gooey, salty pull everyone loves. Because the bread is a day old it absorbs the custard without turning mushy, producing a satisfying mix of creamy interior and golden crust at the edges.
Priya Lane developed this for Sunrise & Crumb as a true make-ahead winner—assemble it the night before, bake in the morning (about 40 minutes at 375°F) and serve warm. It slices cleanly for leftovers and reheats beautifully for quick weekday lunches or packed slices in a lunchbox. Feed four easily, double it for a crowd, and count on everyone asking for that recipe note: don’t skip the chives.
Ingredients
How to Make Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 9x9-inch (or similar 2.5-3 quart) baking dish.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8–10 minutes; transfer to paper towels, reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan, then chop the bacon into bite-size pieces.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat and cook over medium heat until softened, about 4–5 minutes; remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- While vegetables cool, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until blended.
- Add the bread cubes, chopped bacon, cooked onion and pepper, and 1 3/4 cups of the shredded cheddar to the egg mixture; stir gently to combine and let sit 5–10 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard.
- Transfer the mixture into the buttered baking dish, press lightly so it’s evenly distributed, and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the top.
- Bake uncovered until the center is set and the top is golden, 35–40 minutes; if baking straight from the refrigerator add 8–12 minutes to the bake time.
- Let the casserole rest 5–10 minutes before slicing; sprinkle with chopped chives and serve warm. The casserole can be made the night before, covered and refrigerated, then baked in the morning.
Recipe Card
Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Casserole
Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Casserole bakes up bubbly and golden—layered, hearty, and perfect for potlucks, Sundays, and easy leftovers.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 9x9-inch (or similar 2.5-3 quart) baking dish.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8–10 minutes; transfer to paper towels, reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan, then chop the bacon into bite-size pieces.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat and cook over medium heat until softened, about 4–5 minutes; remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- While vegetables cool, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until blended.
- Add the bread cubes, chopped bacon, cooked onion and pepper, and 1 3/4 cups of the shredded cheddar to the egg mixture; stir gently to combine and let sit 5–10 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard.
- Transfer the mixture into the buttered baking dish, press lightly so it’s evenly distributed, and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the top.
- Bake uncovered until the center is set and the top is golden, 35–40 minutes; if baking straight from the refrigerator add 8–12 minutes to the bake time.
- Let the casserole rest 5–10 minutes before slicing; sprinkle with chopped chives and serve warm. The casserole can be made the night before, covered and refrigerated, then baked in the morning.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 28
- Saturated Fat
- 15
- Sodium
- 1675
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 27
- Protein
- 39
- Fat
- 42
- Cholesterol
- 450
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 642
- Sugar
- 3