37 Breakfast Casseroles for Sleepy Mornings and Easy Brunches
Brunch can be fiddly: cooking each perfectly crispy waffle one by one, making everyone’s eggs just the way they like them. Breakfast casseroles make it all easier. These make-ahead wonders scale to feed a crowd with minimal effort—which means you can have another cup of coffee and just enjoy how great your kitchen smells when there’s a casserole in the oven. Below, you’ll find our best breakfast casserole recipes, including savory numbers with eggs and bacon or sausage and cheese, vegetable-packed stratas, and baked French toast (and chocolate baked French toast). Pick one to prep the night before you’re hosting, stash it in the fridge, and you’ll wonder why you don’t host a big brunch every weekend.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson1/37Bacon and Egg Casserole
Store-bought frozen puff pastry can transform everyday breakfast ingredients into fancy breakfast casseroles. This lattice-topped number brings together bacon, potatoes, spinach, onion, and cheesy, custardy eggs. Prep the filling in advance and refrigerate, or bake the whole thing a day ahead and reheat when your brunch guests arrive.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone2/37Croque Madame Casserole With Ham and Gruyère
This elegant ham and cheese casserole is ideal for Christmas morning breakfast or Easter brunch. Serve with a big bowl of fruit salad or some simple greens on the side. (And maybe a mimosa—for the vitamin C, of course.)
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova4/37Cowboy Breakfast Casserole With Sausage and Spinach
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch5/37French Onion Breakfast Strata
In this herby make-ahead brunch dish, French onion dip meets savory bread pudding. The secret to its savory flavor? A homemade spin on onion dip mix.
Photo by Jeremy Liebman6/37Baked French Toast With Pecan Crumble
If your sweet tooth has tired of cinnamon rolls, switch gears and transform a loaf of challah into a feast. The pecan crumble adds texture and deep, toasty flavor to this easy breakfast casserole recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne8/37Rumbledethumps
A cousin of the Irish colcannon and English bubble and squeak, this is the best breakfast casserole for times when you’ve got leftover mashed potatoes around. Serve with eggs and bacon and strong tea or coffee.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Molly Baz9/37Cheesy Kale and Mushroom Strata
Hosting family for the holidays and looking for brunch casserole recipes that add to the week’s veggie quotient? This toasty strata will have them devouring a whole bunch of kale—and mushrooms too.
Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian10/37Hot Chocolate Baked French Toast
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food styling by Mira Evnine11/37Noodle Kugel
The crispy cinnamon-sugar cornflake topping is the real star of this sweet noodle pudding.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert12/37Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
Instead of cream-of-something soup, this cheesy potato casserole gets its richness from béchamel and silky sour cream. Thaw the frozen hash browns before you get started.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht14/37Baked Apple Pancake
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne15/37Capirotada
Capirotada is a classic Mexican bread pudding, usually served during Lent. This version combines raisins, nuts, coconut, and bananas in a sweet custard with torn bolillo rolls.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by John Bjostad18/37Crème Brûlée French Toast Casserole
This make-ahead French toast has guaranteed the success of special-occasion breakfasts since it first appeared in Gourmet in 1998. Could you dollop whipped cream on each plate? We certainly won’t stop you.
Photo by Brian W. Ferry20/37Parmesan Bread Pudding With Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta
The richness of pancetta balances the bitter kick of broccoli rabe, but you can also make this savory casserole with standard broccoli or broccolini.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Laura Rege21/37Mushroom and Kale Breakfast Skillet
Lisa Hubbard24/37Sausage, Fontina, and Bell Pepper Strata
Trying to think of a budget-friendly way to feed your whole crew? This hearty dish is the way to go, especially if you already have bell peppers in your fridge.
Cristian Barnett25/37Croissant Bread and Butter Pudding
It’s hard to beat bread pudding, but a croissant pudding is even more luxurious. Just add a large bowl of fresh fruit—and maybe take a nap after.
Photo by Romulo Yanes27/37Crustless Quiche
You can still have quiche when you’re not up for fussing with pie dough. This is a great way to use up any leftovers from your holiday ham in a festive Christmas breakfast.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne29/37Funeral Potatoes
This creamy potato casserole and its crispy cornflake topping might not be a complete brunch just yet, but add a sheet-pan of bacon and some scrambled eggs and you’re good to go.
Photo by Laura Murray. Food styling by Judy Mancini32/37Cheesy Egg Bake With Sausage
Can't get enough butternut squash? Roast some wedges until tender, then toss them into this eggy brunch casserole made with shredded cheese (whether that’s cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella) and breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, or chorizo.
Mark Ferri35/37Praline French Toast Bread Pudding
There are a lot of overnight breakfast casserole options, but this French toast situation really benefits from the time soaking up flavor. Make the custard and pour it on the bread, top with pecans and brown sugar, then cover with plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge overnight. The next day, you’ll drizzle maple syrup on top and bake until it’s piping hot.
Photograph by Chris Simpson, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker37/37Pumpkin and Cheddar Strata
Pumpkin purée and rosemary maximize the cozy factor of this strata; it’s one of those make-ahead breakfast casseroles that could easily be the star of a vegetarian supper that the whole family will love.
