Overnight Christmas Breakfast Casserole
- 1 h 10 min
- 29 g protein
- 380 kcal
- 8 servings (9×13 pan)
Updated November 11, 2026
Quick answer
Assemble this Christmas breakfast casserole the night before: cubed bread, browned turkey sausage, peppers and spinach in a 9×13 pan, covered with 12 eggs whisked with cottage cheese, milk and cheddar. On Christmas morning bake it 45 to 50 minutes at 350 °F. It serves 8 with 29 g protein each.
Why it's better made the night before
An overnight rest lets the bread soak up the egg, so the casserole bakes up custardy instead of dry on top and soggy below.
It also means Christmas morning is just: oven on, pan in, coffee on. Take it out of the fridge while the oven heats so the center cooks through in time.
Cottage cheese is our protein trick: blended into the eggs it disappears, adds 24 g protein per batch and keeps the eggs soft.
Christmas morning timeline
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| Dec 24, evening | Assemble, cover, refrigerate (8 to 24 hours) |
| 8:00 | Oven to 350 °F; casserole out of the fridge |
| 8:10 | Bake, covered with foil for the first 20 minutes |
| 8:55 | Check: center at 160 °F, knife comes out clean |
| 9:00 | Rest 10 minutes while you pour the coffee |
Make it your way
| Swap | Instead of | Protein | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pork sausage | Turkey sausage | 26 g | Richer, about +60 calories |
| Ham, diced | Turkey sausage | 28 g | Good use for leftover holiday ham |
| Hash browns (4 cups, thawed) | Bread | 27 g | Gluten-free |
| Egg whites (2 cups) | 6 of the eggs | 30 g | About 40 calories less |
| Vegetarian: mushrooms + extra cheese | Sausage | 21 g | Brown the mushrooms first |
Freeze and reheat
Bake it, cool it, cut it into 8 squares and wrap each one. Frozen squares keep 2 months. Reheat from frozen: 2 to 2½ minutes in the microwave, or 20 minutes at 350 °F.
Overnight Christmas Breakfast Casserole
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 50 min
- Total: 1 h 10 min
- Makes: 8 servings (9×13 pan)
Ingredients
- 1 lb turkey breakfast sausage
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
- 5 cups day-old French bread, 1-inch cubes (about 7 oz)
- 12 large eggs
- 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar, 6 oz, divided
Instructions
- Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the pepper for the last 2 minutes.
- Grease a 9×13 pan. Spread the bread cubes in it and scatter the sausage, peppers, spinach, green onions and 1 cup of the cheddar over them.
- Blend the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth, about 20 seconds.Tip: No blender? Whisk hard; small curds are fine.
- Pour the eggs evenly over the pan and press the bread down so it soaks. Top with the rest of the cheddar. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.
- Bake at 350 °F, covered with foil for 20 minutes, then uncovered 25 to 30 minutes more, until set and golden. Rest 10 minutes before cutting.
Nutrition per serving
- 380Calories (kcal)
- 29 gProtein
- 17 gCarbs
- 21 gFat
- 1 gFiber
- 3 gSugar
Estimated with USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Blender
- Instant-read thermometer
Variations
- Christmas colorsRed pepper plus spinach gives the red-and-green look; add halved cherry tomatoes on top before baking.
- Smaller crowdHalf recipe in an 8×8 pan, 35 to 40 minutes.
FAQ
Can I bake it the same morning without the overnight rest?
Yes, let it stand at least 30 minutes so the bread soaks, then add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake.
How do I know it's done?
The center should be set and puffed and read 160 °F on an instant-read thermometer; a knife in the middle comes out clean.
Can I halve it?
Yes. Use an 8×8 pan with half of everything and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Why use cottage cheese?
It adds protein and moisture without tasting like cottage cheese. Blend it with the eggs for the smoothest texture.
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