Martha Stewart Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Enjoy a flavorful Martha Stewart Christmas Breakfast Casserole with rich eggs, sausage, and cheese, perfect for festive brunches.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork breakfast sausage
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 (1-pound) loaf of sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
Step 1: Brown the Sausage and Onions
In a large skillet, cook the pork breakfast sausage together with the chopped yellow onion until both are deeply browned and fragrant, the sausage forming little caramelized nuggets and the onion turning translucent with glossy, browned edges. Drain away any excess rendered grease so the mix will be pleasantly savory rather than oily, then transfer the finished meat-and-onion to a resting bowl so it can cool slightly before assembly. Treat this as the flavor base you’ll fold through the bread — it should look richly browned, slightly crisped at the edges, and studded with soft, sweet onion pieces.
Step 2: Assemble the Casserole
Toss the cubed sourdough bread with the cooled sausage-and-onion mixture and the shredded Gruyère plus grated Parmesan in a large mixing bowl until pieces are evenly distributed and cheese strands cling to bread. Press or transfer this hearty mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish so the cubes sit snugly together, cheese visibly tucked between layers and some crumbs and shreds resting on the surface. This is where the structure of the casserole is built — a rustic, studded mound of bread, savory meat pockets, and pale ribbons of cheese, ready to receive the custard that will bind it all together.
Step 3: Prepare the Egg Custard
Crack the eggs into the same mixing bowl and whisk them vigorously with the whole milk, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and a hint of ground nutmeg until the custard is silky, pale yellow, and homogenous — no streaks of yolk or pockets of unmixed cream. The emulsion should be lightly aerated with tiny bubbles and a smooth, pourable consistency that will soak into the sourdough without collapsing it. Keep the whisk in the bowl or resting on the rim so the scene still feels active and in-motion.
Step 4: Combine and Refrigerate
Pour the prepared custard evenly over the bread-and-sausage mixture in the baking dish, watching the liquid settle and sink into the cubes so some remain proudly peaked while others become glossy and saturated. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, the wrap clinging close to the rim and showing faint condensation or droplets as it chills; this overnight rest lets the custard thoroughly permeate the bread for a uniformly tender interior. Tuck the whisk and bowl nearby as evidence of the work; refrigerate the covered dish for at least 8 hours or overnight for best texture and flavor.
Step 5: Bake to Perfection
Bring the casserole out of the fridge to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes, then bake uncovered at 350°F (175°C) until the top is gloriously golden brown, the cheese at the edges bubbling and crisping, and the custard set but still tender — usually 50–60 minutes. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes, then slice a generous triangular wedge and lift it partially free to reveal a luscious, custard-like interior speckled with sausage. Serve immediately for a warm, airy, richly textured centerpiece that shows a firm golden crust and a soft, custardy height inside.
Notes
- Drain the excess grease from the sausage to prevent a greasy casserole.
- Use stale or lightly toasted bread for the best texture.
- Allow the casserole to rest to properly set the custard before slicing.