15 Scrumptious Breakfast Casseroles

Recipe: Breakfast Enchiladas

Who says enchiladas are just for dinner? You and your entire family won't be able to resist this decadent breakfast casserole. It’s flavored with bold Mexican flavors, like fresh red bell peppers, salsa verde, fresh cilantro, and chopped avocado. The cheese sauce comes together with only six ingredients, and helps take this crowd-pleasing casserole to the next level in flavor and fill. Remove eggs from stovetop while they're still a bit wet; they'll finish cooking in the oven. To make this a day ahead, go through Step 2; cover and chill the casserole. Let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes before baking.

Recipe: Cheesy Sausage-and-Croissant Casserole

This casserole is rich, delicious, and worthy of any Thanksgiving Brunch or Christmas Morning Breakfast. Topped with Gruyère cheese, the casserole browns beautifully and has a delicious nutty flavor, but you can sub Swiss cheese if you prefer. Pre-made store bought croissants from your local grocery give bakery-fresh flavor with minimum effort, and add a flaky crust to the dish’s edges. Serve with grits and fruit for a filling meal, and finish the brunch with a decadent desert like Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Ambrosia Sauce for a holiday-worthy brunch that all of your friends will remember for years to come.

Recipe: One-Dish Blackberry French Toast

Our readers love this family friendly favorite, decadent French toast. Perfect for a holiday breakfast or a weekend brunch, this French toast recipe is loaded with tasty, sweet ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar, but the reduced fat cream cheese helps lighten the meal. Although this recipe calls for French bread, you can sub sweet Italian bread, a dense, crumbed white Pullman, challah, or brioche for varied density and flavor. This one-pan dish is great to make the night before for company, or for a family member’s birthday breakfast. It is sweet on its own, but of course, you can always add a little extra sweetness with maple syrup or whipped cream for special occasions.

Recipe: Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole

The key to this delicious brunch dish is in the smoked sausage. Salt, thyme, garlic powder, and cheddar cheese give depth to the casserole’s savory flavor, but the most rich and filling flavor comes from the sausage. Choose local links for unique flavor. We love Conecuh Hickory Smoked Sausage, made in Evergreen, Alabama, since 1947. You can also opt for a breakfast sausage, flavored with sage and black pepper, for a classic breakfast dish. Low on time? You can assemble this up to four days ahead, and keep in the fridge; then let it stand at room temp for 30 minutes before baking.

Recipe: Red Pepper, Potato, and Ricotta Frittata

Part quiche, part omelet, but easier than both. This hearty Italian frittata recipe makes enough to feed your entire family—all in a single skillet. In our recipe, we amped up our basic eggs with diced red bell pepper, fresh parsley, chopped chives, crispy potato wedges, and creamy ricotta cheese. You can use any combination of fillings you'd like –such as savory bacon, summer tomatoes, or dried rosemary. For a simple fix, throw in last night’s leftovers and whichever cheese you have on hand. For a colorful, eye pleasing plate, make sure you include ingredients in a variety of colors: they will rise to the top of the frittata.

Recipe: Tomato-Herb Mini Frittatas

These mini frittatas work for simple weekday breakfasts, but can be spruced up and individually plated for more formal occasions. BY transferring the ramekins from the bottom baking sheet to the middle rack during the last few minutes of cooking time, you’ll give the frittatas a crispy golden brown layer of cheese on top.  Give them a restaurant finish by topping them with mixed baby greens tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. No ramekins on hand? This recipe can also be adapted for a large frittata – simply pour the egg mixture into a 13x9 baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes longer.

Recipe: Breakfast Enchiladas

Associate Food Editor Mary Allen Perry likes the make-ahead ease of this best-loved sausage breakfast casserole recipe.  Prepare the recipe, without baking, and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes and bake as directed - in just an hour, you’ll have what reviewers call “the best tasting breakfast casserole ever eaten.” Serve with Mexican toppings such as salsa, avocado slices or guacamole, sour cream, hot sauce, sliced green onions, chopped fresh cilantro, and pico de gallo.

Tip: Make the Cheese Sauce before scrambling the eggs so the sauce will be ready to add at the proper time.

Recipe: Praline-Pecan French Toast

Yes, we did. We blended one of the South’s most cherished desserts, Pecan Pralines, with one of its favorite breakfast foods – French Toast. Try it with French bread, challah, or Italian sweet bread for texture variety. Looking for a flavor variation? Try using pumpkin bread in the fall. And although it will taste fresh from the stove, this short-order breakfast special gets an easy hands-off finish in the oven. One online reviewer claims that this Praline-Pecan French Toast recipe is, "sinfully delicious." While eating it may be decadent, it sure isn’t sinful. Your guests will be asking for the recipe before they can even clean their plates.

Recipe: Squash Frittata

This squash frittata is perfect for vegetarians. Looking for a seasonal brunch item? This fresh zucchini and fingerling potato frittata makes a stunning presentation when plated, and is a perfect start to a crisp fall day. Fresh harvest flavors of parmesan cheese and pepper abounds in every bite, and a dash of heavy cream gives it a smooth and decadent texture. Although yellow squash works in place of zucchini, make sure that you don’t leave the green squash out entirely – it gives color while the yellow blends in with the rich egg frittata. Garnish with chopped fresh chives, torn parsley, and basil for a magazine-worthy plate.

Recipe:  Sunny Breakfast Skillet

Homemade shredded potatoes, butter, bell peppers, onion, and garlic – it’s a complete meal in one skillet. Sunny-side up eggs top off the meal. Pop some whole wheat bread or English muffins in the toaster, and this one-dish breakfast is served. We bet that your family will like it so much that they’ll ask request it for dinner, too. Pressed for time? Instead of baking and shredding the potatoes yourself, use storebought frozen hash browns. Looking to take it to the next level? Add a sprinkle of sausage to the hash browns, and top the eggs with sharp cheddar or mozzarella cheese for a perfect Easter breakfast.

Recipe: Creamy Egg Strata

A strata is similar to quiche and frittatas. It’s a mixture of eggs and cheese baked in a baking dish, with cubed bread coated in butter serving as a base. This Creamy Egg Strata uses half of a French bread loaf, cubed and drizzled with melted butter. A mixture of Parmesan cheese and Swiss cheese pack a sharp punch, and dry white wine and chicken broth create an added layer of savory flavor. Let Creamy Egg Strata be the star of your next brunch. Made with Swiss and Parmesan cheese, this creamy egg dish is worth waking up for. Just make sure you chill it for 8 to 24 hours so the bread has a chance to soak up the flavors.

Recipe: Scrambled Egg and Crêpe Casserole

Homemade crêpes, baked ham, and cheese sauce join forces for this twist on classic Gentleman’s Casserole. Once you master the savory herb crêpe, you’ll have tons of garnish options. Don’t let the thin pancake’s reputation scare you – crêpes don’t take chef-level skills. Choose a plain wheat flower, and do not try to flip it as you would a pancake. Simply tilt the pan in all directions after pouring the batter. This blend of breakfast basics – scrambled eggs, breakfast ham, green onions, and cheese sauce – is a new take on traditional flavor. If you have leftover crêpes, wrap them around smoked salmon, vegetables, and cream cheese for another breakfast option for guests.  

Video: How to Make Scrambled Eggs

Recipe: Brie-and-Veggie Breakfast Strata

Looking to feed a crowd? This sourdough bread based strata serves 8-10 brunch guests. We promise you won’t have leftovers. Creamy Brie cheese combines with the fresh flavors of onion, bell pepper, and potatoes in this hearty casserole. Add breakfast sausage or cubed honey ham to up the protein and add more flavor. Make sure you prepare the entire casserole the night before you plan to serve it, so the bread has time to absorb into the eggs, milk, and oil, and cheese. Just pop it in the oven the next morning and bake for 45-50 minutes. Serve with sweet berries for a balanced meal.

Recipe: Savory Ham-and-Swiss Breakfast Pie

A homemade crust made from grits makes this memorable pie a one-of-a-kind dish that your family will request over and over again. Which won’t be a problem – it’s so easy to make, and maintains its savory flavor after reheating! After the creamy grits crust is set, the cheesy egg filling can be easily customized to fit your family’s unique preferences. We added garlic, Swiss cheese, ham, and green onions – try breakfast sausage and Parmesan for a variation. Serve this egg-based dish for breakfast with fruit, or add spinach and Italian sausage to make an easy weeknight meal, served with a light side salad.

Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Grits Casserole

You simply cannot go wrong with this eggs, cheese, and grits combination. It’s unassuming but absolutely delicious, and a true Southern favorite. It comes together with ingredients that all Southerners have on hand – milk, butter, grits, eggs, and cheese. This creamy grits casserole can be served as is for a casual morning breakfast or as a main dish. Add a sprinkle of crumbled breakfast sausage or diced baked ham for added bulk. Don’t limit this crowd-pleaser to breakfast or brunch. Serve it on the side of a main meat, such as shrimp or brisket for a classic, rich, and comforting Southern supper.