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This mini breakfast casserole is made with crusty bread, cooked sausage, and melted cheese. It’s an easy, flavorful dish that’s perfect for one or two people and makes a hearty way to start the day.
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“We love this recipe! Just the right size for the two of us.”
– Betty
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Convenient: Prep it the night before and in the morning, all you need to do is bake it.
- Flavorful: The overnight soak allows the bread to absorb the egg mixture, making every bite rich and delicious.
- Versatile: Customize it with your favorite ingredients – swap sausage for bacon, add vegetables, or try a mix of cheeses.
- Perfectly Sized: Designed as a breakfast casserole for one, it’s portioned just right with no leftovers or waste.
Overnight breakfast casseroles make mornings easier, and this one is a favorite of mine.
I use crusty bread, sausage, an egg, cheese, and a creamy milk mixture. Everything soaks together overnight, so by morning, all I have to do is bake it for a warm, flavorful breakfast.
This small casserole is just the right size for one, no leftovers and nothing wasted.
Looking for more small batch and single serving breakfast recipes? Try our mini French toast casserole, breakfast bagel, small berry filled Dutch baby, cheesy baked eggs, French breakfast puff, or small batch banana pancakes.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serve breakfast casserole recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Pork Sausage: Adds a flavorful, savory element to the casserole. You can substitute with turkey sausage or vegetarian sausage for a lighter or meat-free option. Leftover sausage? Use it in recipes like pork stir fry for one or a single biscuit with sausage gravy.
- Egg: A single large or extra-large egg works perfectly as the binder for this casserole, holding all the ingredients together.
- Milk: Whole milk or 2% milk is ideal, but non-dairy options like almond or oat milk can be used if you prefer.
- Bread: Crusty bread varieties like a small loaf French bread are best because they soak up the egg mixture without becoming too soggy. Day-old bread works great here, reducing waste and enhancing texture.
- Cheese: Choose your favorite cheese! Cheddar is my go-to for its rich flavor and excellent meltability, but other cheeses like mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or even a spicy pepper jack would work well.
Recipe Variations
Although this mini breakfast casserole is delicious as is, you might like to try these variations:
- Add Some Heat: Mix in red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños.
- Vegetarian Option: Swap the pork sausage for your favorite vegetarian sausage or omit it entirely and load up on extra vegetables.
- Loaded Casserole: Enhance the dish with sautéed mushrooms and fresh spinach for added flavor and nutrition.
- Cheese Lover’s Casserole: Use a blend of cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, and pepper jack for a rich, melty breakfast casserole for one.
How To Make A Breakfast Casserole
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make an individual breakfast casserole. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Cook the Sausage: Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked and no longer pink. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease, then set aside.
- Prepare the Egg Mixture: In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Whisk in the milk, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Assemble the Casserole: Butter a 5×5-inch baking dish. Arrange the bread cubes evenly in the dish, then sprinkle the cooked sausage and shredded cheese over the top. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread, ensuring everything is coated.
- Refrigerate: Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
- Bake the Casserole: The next day, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the casserole, covered, for 25–30 minutes, or until the egg mixture is set and the top is lightly golden.
- Serve Warm: Remove from the oven and enjoy the casserole while it’s still warm.
Expert Tips
- Soak Bread Evenly: Make sure the bread is fully coated in the egg mixture without excess pooling, too much liquid can make it soggy.
- Bring to Room Temperature: If chilled, let the casserole sit out for 30 minutes before baking to ensure even cooking.
- Mix In Extras: Add spices like paprika or garlic powder, or toss in diced vegetables like bell peppers or onions for more flavor.
- Use Fresh Cheese: Shred your own cheese for better melting and flavor, pre-shredded can affect texture.
- Baking Dish Options: A 5×5-inch baking dish is ideal, but two 10-ounce ramekins work well too.
RELATED:20 Single Serving Breakfast Recipes Worth Waking Up For
Frequently Asked Questions
While crusty bread like French or sourdough works best, you can also use brioche, challah, or even day-old sandwich bread.
Yes, you can leave out the sausage for a vegetarian option or replace it with cooked vegetables like bell peppers, spinach, or mushrooms.
Yes, let the casserole soak for at least 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard mixture before baking.
Cover and refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Certainly! Use a 6×8-inch baking dish and double the ingredients for additional servings.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: 15 Easy Single Serving Dessert Recipes
If you’ve made this Breakfast Casserole For One or tried any recipe from One Dish Kitchen, I’d love to hear your feedback! Please rate the recipe and share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Get a Quick Recipe Overview
Mini Breakfast Casserole
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces ground pork sausage -cooked and drained of fat
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup milk
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 cups cubed French Bread
- ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: Use a medium-sized skillet to cook the sausage until it's no longer pink. Then, transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to drain and set aside.
- Prepare the Egg Mixture: In a small bowl, beat the egg. Whisk in the milk, salt, and pepper.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Butter a 5-inch baking dish. Arrange the bread in the dish, cutting it to fit if necessary.
- Assemble the Casserole: Sprinkle the cooked sausage and cheese over the bread. Then, evenly pour the egg mixture over everything. Cover the dish and refrigerate it overnight.
- Bake the Casserole: The next day, take the casserole out of the refrigerator and let it reach room temperature, about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the casserole, covered with aluminum foil, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the egg is set.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove the casserole from the oven and serve it hot.
Notes
- Soak Bread Evenly: Make sure the bread is fully coated in the egg mixture without excess pooling, too much liquid can make it soggy.
- Bring to Room Temperature: If chilled, let the casserole sit out for 30 minutes before baking to ensure even cooking.
- Mix In Extras: Add spices like paprika or garlic powder, or toss in diced vegetables like bell peppers or onions for more flavor.
- Use Fresh Cheese: Shred your own cheese for better melting and flavor, pre-shredded can affect texture.
- Baking Dish Options: A 5×5-inch dish is ideal, but two 10-ounce ramekins work well too.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I made some modifications for diet (GF, DF) but it was great! I used my air fryer set to 385 after preheating and cooked it for a total of 30 minutes with a loose foil cover and then 5 more minutes uncovered to get the crusty crispy bits.
I made it again this morning, forgoing the overnight soak. I let it soak for around 10 minutes, gave it a little stir, and microwaved it on high for 2 minutes, then into the air fryer for the preheating cycle, 400 for 4 minutes and it was perfect after sitting for a couple minutes to make the coffee.
superb recipe, this is a winner!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the casserole! Thank you so much for your feedback.
Loved it! Easy to follow instructions. I tweaked it a bit with seedtastic bread and it turned out delicious! Love all your one-dish recipes.
Thank you.
Thank you! I’m so happy you enjoyed the casserole.
This was a delicious breakfast dish. I added a bit of grated veggies , onion and carrot, to a second one , made it in the morning and had it for dinner. Both casseroles were wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the breakfast casserole! Adding veggies like onion and carrot sounds like a great twist, and I love that you made it for dinner too. Thanks for sharing your delicious adjustments! 😊
Could I make up several of these and freeze them? If so should I cook them off first then wrap and freeze or should I assemble them freeze. I probably would defrost overnight in the fridge.
I recommend baking the casseroles and freezing them after baking. To do this, prepare and bake the casserole as usual, then let it cool completely. Once cooled, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn, and then place it in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat it in the oven until warmed through. Freezing the baked casserole has worked great for me and makes busy mornings so much easier. I haven’t tried freezing it unbaked, but I’d love to hear how it turns out if you give it a go!
I’ve made this recipe several times. It’s easy to put together and tastes great with either an Italian or Mexican twist. I’ve never had it come out greasy or oily.
I tried to post this before, and it said it was already posted. Clearly not the case.
This was disgusting. Greasy, even though I laid it on paper towels, blotted it and rinsed it hot water in a sieve, soggy, and tasteless. Yuck!!!
Apparently negative comments are not posted which would explain the five star ratings for every recipe even those will that were marginal at best.
Use this site a lot and have loved many other recipes. However, this one is awful.
I’m so sorry to hear this didn’t turn out as expected for you! I’ve made this dish many times and haven’t encountered it being greasy. The type of sausage can definitely make a difference. I recommend using a low-fat sausage next time. Also, rinsing the sausage with water might have made it soggy and bland.
We have a helpful instructional video showing the detailed steps and final results, which might be useful.
We value all feedback, no matter the rating, and always aim to help our readers achieve delicious results. Thank you for your honesty, and I hope your next cooking adventure is much more enjoyable!
If you don’t care for a recipe, just say you didn’t like it or too much grease. Saying it was disgusting isn’t necessary. I wouldn’t have blamed her for not posting your response, it was nasty. You say you have used other recipes and loved them but one didn’t work and it “disgusting, soggy and tasteless. Your words, not mine. Do you have a website we can find lots of recipes on? I’d be interested in seeing your winning recipes.
I made the small breakfast casserole for one and it was excellent. I didn’t have French bread on hand so I use two handfuls of Texes toast croutons. It’s a definite keeper. Thanks
I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Can it be cooked in microwave or air fryer I don’t have an oven?
We have not tested this recipe in an air fryer.
I am going to try this in the air fryer and will report back.
My plan is to use the same temperature setting (after pre-heating the air fryer) and reduce the time by 10 minutes. Then I’ll check done-ness, add 5 minutes, check again, and so on. I’m also going to follow up with a blast of heat with the casserole uncovered for 2 minutes hoping to get some good crispy bits. I’ll keep adding time until it’s how I’d like it.
I am allergic to wheat so could you use hash browns instead?
I haven’t tested this recipe using hash browns instead of bread.
if you’re willing to experiment a little, I would omit the milk completely, and use 2 eggs. Then, since no milk or bread, there’s nothing to soak it up, you should be able to bake it right away.
Terrific recipe. For a different take on the recipe, you can substitute 2 cups of any (or assorted vegetables) for the bread cubes.