The Perfect Overnight Breakfast Casserole

(aka: the best way to love your holiday morning self)

It might be the season for cookies, but it’s also, most definitely, the season for Breakfast Casseroles.

Breakfast casseroles feel particularly necessary on Christmas morning, when the kids wake up with home-spun caffeine in their veins, anxious to rip into the nearest shiny thing. I simply cannot imagine trying to roll cinnamon rolls or properly wield a whisk in these conditions.

Because I am generally not an early riser, I am partial to breakfast casseroles that can be made at 9 PM, then slid into the oven in the morning, when I’m still slow moving and bleary eyed.

I’ve spent a considerable amount of time testing breakfast casseroles, and this one, loaded with bacon and cheese and big hunks of bread, and yes, even a helping of self-righteous spinach, is the one.

This casserole starts with bacon and only gets better from there. We use the leftover grease to saute onions (I mean, have you ever sauteed onions in bacon grease? It’s divine), then add the aforementioned spinach and garlic.

From there, it’s mostly your standard overnight breakfast casserole fare. Eggs and half and half are poured over big hunks of sourdough, then topped with two kinds of cheese and baked until everything is golden and melty.

This casserole is intensely savory and, as a happy accident, also looks rather festive, thanks to the green spinach and red-ish bacon.

Of course, you can make all sorts of substitutions to fit your own idea of the perfect casserole. I’ve included many options below, but you can also check out my full post for more ideas, as well as step by step photos.

And, if savory doesn’t fit the bill, or you need something sweet to add to the menu, I also recommend this Overnight Apple French Toast Casserole and Overnight Pancake Casserole.

Overnight Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

• 12 oz. bacon, or substitute 1 lb. ground sausage

• 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)

• 2 cloves garlic (minced)

• 5 cups fresh spinach (optional)

• 8 eggs

• 2 cups half and half (or whole milk, or cream, or a combination of both)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 Tablespoon chopped chives

• 8 cups bread cubes (I prefer day old sourdough or crusty French bread)

• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove the cooked strips to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool.

2. Remove all but 1 Tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spinach and saute for another minute or so or until spinach is wilted.

3. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt, pepper, and chives.

4. In a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish, layer the bread cubes, half the cheeses, the spinach and onion mixture and then the bacon. Pour the egg custard evenly over the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.

5. Remove the casserole from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while the oven is preheating to 350 degrees. Remove the saran wrap and bake for 35-40 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

• To freeze the breakfast casserole, follow the instructions through step 5. After the dish is covered in saran wrap, wrap it again with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator then bake as instructed above.

• This will keep for a full 24 hours in the fridge before you need to bake it, so feel free to make it the morning before!