Sausage Croissant French Toast Casserole

Sausage Croissant French Toast Casserole is tender, buttery and flavored with sage and Gruyere cheese! Perfect breakfast or brunch recipe to make for company, or just because.

Sausage Croissant French Toast Casserole

I’ve made loads and loads of French toast casseroles over the years. Known by other names like savory bread pudding,  strata, or overnight French toast casserole, they all have a bread component.

I tend to reach for challah,  a sturdy egg bread, but have used cinnamon bread and now croissants. Paired with  Italian sausage and sage, this was one stupendous brunch recipe over the holidays.

Both boys and the hubby gave this easy breakfast casserole rave reviews. When I sent some leftovers home with our oldest, Bill was a little concerned that I’d send TOO much in his care package!

How to Make an Easy Breakfast Casserole

A friend (Hi, Mary!) shared this New York Times recipe on her Facebook page. It looked so cheesy, tempting and EASY that I knew I’d be making it ASAP. Much as the family would love this every week, the cheese, the croissants, and the cream make it a special occasion breakfast. Sausage croissant French toast casserole is definitely worth the caloric splurge!

• Toasting the croissants before soaking them in the egg mixture helps dry them out. This allows them to soak up more of the custard mixture.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, and cream until they’re well combined before stirring in the cheese, etc.
• Feel free to use bacon instead of sausage or a breakfast sausage instead of Italian sausage if that’s your preference. We like the nuttiness of Gruyere cheese, but sharp cheddar would taste delicious, too.
• The goal is to add the custard to the croissant and sausage mixture and give the croissants time to soak up the rich liquid. This gives you the perfect opportunity to prep your brunch dish the night before. Then just pop it in the oven about an hour before you plan to serve it.
• But, you can also shorten the soaking time to 4 hours if needed. Just keep it covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated no matter which time frame you choose.

Kitchen Tools to Make Sausage Croissant French Toast Casserole

• Cucina Stoneware 9-Inch x 13-Inch Rectangular Baker
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set with Lids, Non Slip Silicone Bottoms

More Breakfast Casseroles You’ll Love:

• Crock Pot Cinnamon Roll Casserole from Wishes and Dishes
• Fully Loaded Cheesy Breakfast Casserole from The Slow Roasted Italian
• Creme Brulee French Toast
• Coupétade 
• Bacon and Egg Strata 
• Chiles Rellenos Casserole
• More Brunch Recipes

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The Recipe:

Sausage Croissant French Toast Casserole

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Yield 10 servings

A savory French toast casserole made with croissants and sausage. Adapted from the NYT.

Ingredients

• 1 pound croissants (about 5 to 7), split in half lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bunch scallions, white part sliced thinly
• 3/4 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 8 eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces Gruyère, grated (2 cups)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread croissants on a large baking sheet and toast, cut side up, until golden brown, about 5 minutes (watch carefully to see that they do not burn). Let cool, then tear into large bite-size pieces.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add sliced scallions and sausage meat; cook, breaking up the sausage until mixture is browned and crumbled, about 5 minutes. Stir in sage, and remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, toss the croissant pieces and sausage mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream. Then mix in the 1½ cups cheese, salt, and pepper.
4. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add croissant mixture into the pan, spreading it out evenly. Pour the custard over the croissants. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. When you’re ready to bake the casserole, heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake until casserole is golden brown and set, about 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 591Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 258mgSodium: 986mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 25g

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