Holiday Breakfast Bake

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Holiday Breakfast Bake

Brunch was always my favorite shift to work when I was a server.People are joyful, there’s a buzzy energy about the day’s possibilities, and if you kept their coffee cups filled and mimosas topped up, you’d get a good tip.

Somehow, this must have been my inspiration to host a Christmas Eve brunch many years ago. (The energy and joy, that is, not the tips! 😂!) There’s plenty of evening parties and dinners throughout December, but gathering with friends and neighbors for brunch on the 24th sets the vibe (as my teen would say) for the festivities of Christmas ahead. Celebrating community has become the highlight of the Christmas season for our family. 

The open-house style party has grown quite a bit… we’re expecting some 120+ people to stop by this year! But while quantities have increased the menu has stayed consistent, and this Raddish Holiday Breakfast bake is always on it. So whether you are cooking breakfast for a crowd, or your own family on a cozy holiday morning, I can’t recommend this versatile, flexible, and make-ahead recipe enough. Just keep in mind that it does need at least two hours to chill before baking, but also works well made the night before. (Psst: it’s even great as winter breakfast-for-supper, too!) 

Make a one-dish savory feast that everyone will enjoy, full of sausage, cheese, eggs, and bread.

  • Active Kitchen Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 servings
  • Chill Time: 2 hours to overnight
  • Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 2 lbs breakfast sausage
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1 dozen eggs
  • 1 pint half & half
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 loaf French or Italian bread
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

Supper Smarts:

  • Mix it Up: The filling ingredients in this recipe are endlessly swappable. Try bacon, broccoli, corn, mushrooms, or any of your favorite veggies!

  • Speed it Up: Swap sausage, peppers, and spinach for filling ingredients that don't require cooking. Try jarred roasted red peppers, chicken sausage, and defrosted frozen spinach.

  • Leftover Love: Use up any old stale bread for this recipe, like croissants or baguettes (a mix of different breads works too, as long as they're cubed in roughly the same size.)

  • Make Ahead: This dish needs to sit for at least 2 hours to allow the bread to soak up the liquid, making it the perfect breakfast to assemble the night before and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Steps:

1
Dice 1 red bell pepper into small squares.
2
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 lbs breakfast sausage and peppers.
3
Cook sausage and peppers for 10 minutes. Use wooden spoon to break sausage into bits.
4
Add 4 cups baby spinach to skillet. Cook 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Turn off heat.
5
Crack 1 dozen eggs into large bowl. Whisk. Add 1 pint half & half, 1 cup milk, and ½ tsp kosher salt. Whisk.
6
Tear or cut 1 loaf French or Italian bread into one inch cubes.
7
Spread half of the bread cubes on the bottom of a greased baking pan.
8
Sprinkle ½ of the filling over the bread cubes. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded Jack cheese over filling.
9
Spread remaining bread on top of filling. Sprinkle with remaining filling and 1 cup shredded Jack cheese.
10
Slowly and evenly pour egg mixture over the casserole.
11
Cover dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate casserole for at least 2 hours or overnight.
12
Preheat oven to 400°F. Uncover casserole and bake for 60 minutes. TASTE & SHARE!
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