Description
This Croissant Breakfast Casserole with Sausage, Cream Cheese, and Green Onions is a hearty and flavorful baked dish perfect for a weekend brunch. It features flaky croissants filled with a creamy mixture of breakfast sausage, cream cheese, cheddar, and fresh vegetables, all soaked in a seasoned egg custard and baked until golden and bubbly.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 8–10 small/medium croissants, stale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sausage Mixture
- 1 lb breakfast sausage
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups white cheddar, grated (divided: 1 1/2 cups for mixture, remainder for topping)
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Egg Custard
- 10 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups half and half
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Frank’s or Tabasco)
- 2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning
- Kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon divided)
- Freshly cracked pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon divided)
Instructions
- Brown the meat and veggies: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is mostly cooked through. Then add the diced yellow onion and red bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Mix the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cooled sausage mixture with the cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups of shredded white cheddar, paprika, and sliced green onions. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated and creamy.
- Prep the croissants: Slice the croissants in half lengthwise. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter. Arrange the bottom halves of the croissants evenly in the baking dish. Divide the sausage filling evenly over the croissant bottoms, then place the top halves back over the filling to form sandwiches. Set aside.
- Mix the eggs: In a blender or a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper until very smooth and uniform in texture.
- Pour and set: Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture for brushing later. Pour the remaining egg mixture evenly around and over the croissant sandwiches in the dish. Cover the casserole and let it soak at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight to allow the croissants to absorb the egg custard fully.
- Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake: Before placing the casserole in the oven, brush the croissants lightly with the reserved egg mixture. Sprinkle the entire casserole with the everything bagel seasoning and a bit more shredded white cheddar on top. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the custard is fully set, the top is golden brown, and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let rest a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Using stale croissants is recommended to prevent them from becoming too soggy during soaking.
- The casserole can be assembled the night before and refrigerated for convenience.
- Feel free to substitute breakfast sausage with turkey sausage or a vegetarian alternative.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce to suit your taste preference.
- Leftovers refrigerate well and can be reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
