18 Make-Ahead Breakfast Casseroles for the Holidays

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal. I look forward to special holiday breakfasts as much as I do the holiday ham for dinner. But that doesn’t mean I want a sink full of dishes to clean before I’ve had my coffee. I prefer making breakfast before heading off to bed.

That’s why breakfast casseroles are my breakfast hero during the holidays. I’ll either bake one all the way through and warm it up in the morning, or if I’m making a bread-based casserole, then I’ll assemble it and bake it in the morning. I prep the ingredients when I’m in the kitchen making dinner. No extra cutting boards to wash.

Love sausage, egg, and cheese? We’ve got a casserole for you. More into sweet and fruity? Same. Honestly, I’ll make one of each and save myself from having to choose.

All you need is four ingredients: eggs, milk, cheese, and day-old bread to make a breakfast casserole. From there you can add vegetables, breakfast meats, or herbs if you are so inclined. You can assemble it the night before and then bake it in the morning. Easy peasy.

Let the freezer help you get ahead of the game by baking this cozy blueberry casserole ahead of time and then freezing it. To thaw, defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then microwave individual pieces or rewarm in the oven before serving.

The Jimmy Dean Sausage company knew what it was doing when it printed a similar recipe 20 years ago. It’s bound to become a family favorite this holiday season. You can bake and freeze it and then rewarm it for the special day.

Use up the leftover holiday ham and make a simple breakfast casserole for the next day. In fact, you can let this sit in your refrigerator for up to 48 hours before baking it. All you do is cut sturdy bread into triangles and then layer it with a mixture of eggs, milk, and cheese. Toss in sliced tomatoes if you have them for a pop of color and bright flavor.

Even if you haven’t had peach Melba before, you’ll fall head over heels for this peach and raspberry breakfast casserole. It’s easy to make using frozen peaches and sturdy bread. You can make the raspberry sauce a full week ahead of time.

Did you buy too many potatoes for dinner? Use them in this simple vegetarian frittata. Turmeric gives it a lovely color and a slightly earthy flavor. You can cook it the day before and then warm it in the oven before serving.

I make biscuits and gravy at least once over the holidays and I love the idea of making it ahead of time. The sausage and mushroom gravy is sandwiched between two layers of biscuits. You can make the biscuit dough rounds and gravy ahead of time, store them separately, and then assemble and bake in the morning.

Delight your family by turning their favorite bagel breakfast sandwich into a make-ahead casserole. Everything bagels bursting with flavor make this anything but boring. You can keep it covered in the refrigerator overnight and then bake it in the morning.

Grab an extra loaf of fluffy French bread and use it to make an overnight breakfast casserole. Partially assemble the casserole then cover and refrigerate until the next day. You don’t want to skip the cinnamon and butter drizzle—it adds a slightly sweet crunch to the baked casserole.

Founder Elise Bauer says, “While the recipe calls for kale, you could easily make this with chard or other good braising greens.”

Savory-sweet Monte Cristo sandwiches are the perfect fancy brunchy breakfast to adapt to a breakfast casserole. A raspberry drizzle garnishes this version, bringing a burst of striking color.

Vegetables take center stage in this breakfast bake. Grated zucchini, chopped tomatoes, and a handful of basil will remind you of sunny days spent out in the garden and look festive on a holiday table. You can put the casserole together the night before and then bake it in the morning. 

Gruyere adds the right amount of decadence to this easy strata. Look for sturdy Italian bread for the best results and toast the cubes before they soak in the egg and milk custard.

Slow cookers are the epitome of the make-ahead meal. You can assemble this in the slow cooker the night before and then start it in the morning; it ‘ll be ready by brunch.

Contributor Aaron Hutcherson says, “I only needed about three-quarters of the bag that I purchased, so you’ll have extra Tater Tots that you can save for another use — bonus!”

Blueberries are sprinkled throughout this easy breakfast casserole. It’s a great option for a smaller gathering and takes only seven ingredients. You can make this on the spur of the moment or assemble it beforehand and bake the next day.

English muffins turn out to be excellent in a breakfast casserole. This rich and creamy one is a take on spinach Florentine, so it feels posh but it’s quite easy to make.

Asparagus and leeks make an otherwise fairly standard breakfast casserole more memorable. The recipe calls for feta and Parmesan, but try Gruyere or even some Brie leftover from your cheese platter.