Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Bake
This sausage and cheddar breakfast bake combines savory breakfast sausage with sharp cheddar in a fluffy, biscuit-like casserole that's perfect for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for busy mornings. Ready in under an hour and easily prepared ahead, it's a versatile breakfast solution that delivers comfort food flavors with minimal morning effort.
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage homemade or store-bought
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 tablespoons cold butter cubed
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or green onions plus more for garnish
- Hot sauce for serving (optional but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the sausage. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black pepper.
- Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. This creates that biscuit-like texture that makes this breakfast bake so special.
- Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese, reserving the remaining 1/2 cup for topping.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and cheese mixture, and stir just until combined. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy—that's perfect!
- Fold in the cooled sausage mixture and chopped chives until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top starts browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Let it cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. Garnish with additional chives and serve with hot sauce on the side if desired.
Notes
- Make-ahead option: Prepare the batter the night before, pour it into the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- For a spicier version, add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the dry ingredients or use spicy breakfast sausage.
- No buttermilk? Make your own by adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 1/2 cups of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- This reheats beautifully in the microwave or, for a crisper texture, in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes.