Get it on the table and get to the beach!
Overnight Egg Casserole: the perfect breakfast when you have summer guests
By Lisa Zaslow Segelman
We shore summer weekend hosts wake up with a dilemma: how can we be hospitable with breakfast and still enjoy morning shore activities and get to the beach by early afternoon?
Should we cook a giant breakfast while our guests go out and bike ride, run, play tennis or, or just put out bagels and muffins and encourage them to help themselves while we improve our own pickleball game?
There is a happy medium – it’s called the Overnight Egg Casserole.
If you’re too tired to make it the night before, you can also make it in the morning. It’s a real pleasure, however, to wake up and pull this dish out of the fridge. By morning you will have forgotten the effort you put in the night before and you will be very happy when the compliments come at you from around the table.
This dish is great for weekend mornings because it’s infinitely adaptable. You can chop up leftover vegetables from your barbecue the night before or toss in leftover veggies that were already grilled. Grated chunks of cheese from your cocktail party crudité platter work as well. Meats like bacon and sausage, be it beef or turkey, make the dish hearty. Meanwhile, lighter eaters love it when it’s meat-free. I add in chunks of cooked hash browns (the air fryer does a nice job or bake in the oven). If you like to make the most of your grocery order and not “toss” leftover ingredients at the end of the weekend, this recipe is for you.
The word “casserole” is derived from the French word for saucepan. The oldest casserole recipe is 774 years old. People shared communal pots for meals in 1250, so consider inviting the neighbors over, putting out a serving spatula and letting them serve themselves. The first casseroles were made of pasta sheets cooked in water and layered with cheese and spices, but I for one am glad that it’s evolved into a terrific breakfast dish.
Back here in 2024, our Overnight Egg Casserole goes in the fridge preferably overnight, which gives the liquid ingredients a chance to be absorbed into the bread. If you’re too tired to make it the night before, 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge on the morning you plan to serve it may not be perfect, but it will give you enough absorption time for delicious results.
I use disposable (recyclable) pans to make clean-up non-existent. Round out with some juice, fruit and some muffins and you’ll have happy, well-fed guests heading for the beach with you by their side. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Overnight Egg Casserole
Serves 8
You can double the recipe for a bigger brunch and use two pans.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups crusty or day-old bread
- 1 tbsp. olive oil or butter
- 1 lb. sausage, turkey sausage, or 8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped into bite-size pieces (if using)
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning (optional)
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary (optional)
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion or white onion
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 cups chopped bell peppers, any color
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1 dozen eggs
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 2/3 cup whole milk or half-and-half
- 5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2-3 baked hash brown patties, chopped (optional)
Garnish: 4 scallions, chopped, and or chopped parsley
Method:
Grease or spray a 9 X 13-inch pan, a 4-quart oven safe dish, or disposable pan. Arrange bread cubes in an even layer in bottom of pan.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and rosemary/Italian seasoning, if using, and cook until it begins to brown, four minutes. Add the peppers, garlic, onions, mushrooms, spinach, or leftover vegetables and cook another four minutes.
Spread skillet mixture over the bread cubes. Add chopped hash browns, if using.
Whisk the eggs, milk, cheese, salt, and pepper until well blended. Pour over sausage/vegetable mixture making sure to cover all of the bread. Add another sprinkle of salt and grind of pepper on top.
Cover casserole with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Take out and let rest for 15 minutes on the counter at room temperature before baking.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake uncovered, until golden brown (about 40-45 minutes). If people are still getting ready for the beach or sleeping in, lower oven to warm, cover with foil and wait for your guests to come down.
Cut into squares and serve. Leftovers keep well and make a great breakfast for family when you’re back to work, camp, summer jobs or if you’re lucky, back to the beach on Monday morning.
Lisa is an advertising copywriter (think ‘Madmen’ without the men), journalist and columnist. Claim to fame: Lou’s waitress for four teenage summers. For column comments, story ideas, or to get on her “quote” list for future columns: redshoeslzs@gmail.com
