Italian Bacon Breakfast Casserole

This breakfast casserole is best for mornings when you want to feed a lot of people or want to make something special. It’s a great overnight dish that you can make the day before and put in the refrigerator until the next morning. Start the oven when you wake up, put in the casserole, and get out the plates. It’s that easy to make the best breakfast you’ve had all week.

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon: Thick-cut bacon is the best for this dish.
9 slices of sandwich bread: White sliced bread or a loaf of bread will work.
1 cup shredded cheese: Cheddar cheese tastes great with these ingredients.
8 eggs: Use large fresh eggs.
2 cups milk: Whole milk is best in this recipe.
1 cup cream: Heavy whipping cream makes this dish even creamier.
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs: You can buy a combination of these herbs in one bottle in the spice section of the grocery store.
1 teaspoon salt: Use kosher salt here.
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper: Fresh-ground black pepper is more robust and will go farther.

How to make Italian bacon breakfast casserole:

Video recipe:

Here’s a brief overview of how to make this dish. See the recipe card below for the specific recipe instructions.

1. Preheat the oven.

2. Cut off the crust from sandwich bread slices and cut each slice into cubes.

3. Whisk eggs with cream and milk, add salt, pepper, and dried herbs.

4. Mix bread with eggs and pour into a baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight.

bread cubes mixed into egg mixture in a baking dish

5. Cook sliced bacon until crispy.

6. Top casserole with crispy bacon and shredded cheese.

bacon sprinkled over casserole in a baking dish being held by two hands

7. Bake at 350F/180C for 50 minutes.

Tips for success:

Here are a few tips for success and variations you can try to make this the best Italian bacon breakfast casserole you've ever had.

Try adding some potatoes like tater tots or hashbrowns to make this dish even more filling.
Add some vegetables like corn, asparagus, or spinach.
This recipe uses cheddar cheese but you can add or substitute cream cheese, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack.

How can I make this casserole ahead?

This is the perfect make-ahead meal. You can make it the night before you need it and keep it in the fridge overnight. You can also cover the casserole with plastic wrap and freeze it until you need it later. To prepare this dish in advance, slice the bread, whisk the wet ingredients, cook the bacon, and pour it all together. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon on top and then refrigerate.

a slice of breakfast casserole on a blue plate

Can I make this in an instant pot?

It’s easy to make this casserole in a pressure cooker and will save your oven for another dish. Pour the mixture of eggs, milk, seasonings, and bread into the bowl of your instant pot. Seal on the lid, cook for 20 minutes, carefully release the steam, and remove the lid. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon on top and allow the cheese to melt. Serve while still hot.

What can I serve with this Italian bacon breakfast casserole?

If you’d like to serve sides along with this tasty casserole, some great options are biscuits, croissant rolls, or cornbread. You can also serve fresh fruit, juices, diced potatoes, or warm tortillas. Bisquick is a great brand of pre-mixed flour for biscuits that makes it easy to whip up a fresh batch whenever you want.

How to store:

Store any leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat it in the microwave with 30-second increments until it’s hot all the way through.
To freeze the entire casserole, wrap it in aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Label it with what it is, how to cook, and the date. Labeling will help you remember later. Remember that if you cook it from frozen, it will take longer to cook in the oven without thawing first. Keep the foil on until the last 30 minutes of cooking so the top can brown.

FAQs:

What other meat can I use in this Italian bacon breakfast casserole?

This casserole has crumbled bacon on top, but you can add other meat like ground sausage, ground turkey, ground beef, pulled pork, or Canadian bacon.

How can I make this dish spicy?

If you like a little spice in your breakfast casserole, you can add some diced jalapenos, cayenne pepper, adobe peppers, red chili flakes, or tabasco.

Can I make this breakfast casserole gluten-free?

It’s easy to make this dish without gluten. All you need to do is leave out the bread. You can replace it with potatoes or vegetables to keep it hearty.

Yield: 8 servings