Easter Italian Breakfast Casserole

Tuesday, April 19, 2011
This Italian Breakfast Casserole has layers of sausage, ham, eggs, and cheese for the perfect breakfast, lunch, or even dinner!.


I love all-in-one breakfast casseroles and this one has cubed Italian bread in it so like I said everything is in there for breakfast, meat, bread, eggs, and fabulous!


The casserole can even be made ahead and taste great reheated so it's perfect for any holiday but we always seem to have all the ingredients we need around Easter leftovers.


We called it Easter Italian Breakfast in our home because we really made this with all the leftover Easter Bread from the holiday and it was perfect for repurposing all the meats from appetizers and dinner on Easter Sunday.


Mom always had leftover Homemade Easter Bread, baked sausage, and even home-fried or leftover potatoes that can go into this casserole, and if you don't happen to have escarole use spinach.


Just check out our suggestions and tips below to substitute whatever your family likes because this baked breakfast casserole can be plain and simple or loaded with everything in it.


The golden brown melted cheeses on top like mozzarella or provolone make this over-the-top delicious.


If you love easy recipes you may also like to try our Homemade Sausage and Cheddar Biscuits, they're so yummy.


Scroll down to make this absolutely perfect breakfast everyone will rave about!



made with leftover Easter bread and ham Italian Breakfast casserole





breakfast casserole with Italian sausage, escarole, ham and eggs


Holiday and Weekend Casseroles




Ours loaded with meat casserole is perfect for the weekends, holidays,s and weeknight meals especially if you have guests to entertain.


This whole meal in one pan will feed at least 6 people and is certainly a game-changer when it comes to standing over a hot stove and making everything separately!


The whole casserole takes around an hour to bake and frees up time to spend with the family during those busy seasons and weekdays.


I have several suggestions below, for different combinations of ingredients so don't worry if you're allergic or not fond of one of the ingredients our family loves, build your own.


breakfast casserole with cheese on top ready to bake


Tips


  • Use pre-cooked sausage and bacon for faster cooking or leftover meats that are cooked like sausage and spiral ham from the holiday
  • Always oil spray the casserole dish with oil spray or butter it first
  • Use Italian bread or Easter Bread (we used Panettone at Christmas) not American soft bread cubes
  • Fresh herbs are the best to use in our recipe for the best flavor
  • This casserole can be made a day before and taste great reheated to save time
  • If you like a little heat add a dash of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the egg mixture
  • For a super cheesy casserole add a blend of cheeses on top instead of using one kind
  • If using all Italian sausage hot marinara poured on top is a great addition to this breakfast for dinner
  • Add cooked leftover cubed potatoes
  • Any meat can be used from a previous meal during the week to repurpose just make sure it's boneless
  • slice or cube all meats into small pieces you're using


eggs in a tupperware mixing bowl with whisk beaten


Cooked Meat Toppings

  1. Italian sausage patties
  2. Canadian bacon
  3. Boneless pork chops
  4. Ham or ham steak chopped
  5. Boneless deli meat of your choice(ham works the best) mortadella, salami, pepperoni
  6. Bacon, prosciutto, pancetta


meats in the casserole dish and cubed bread for breakfast meal


Vegetable Suggestions

  • artichoke hearts canned
  • chopped asparagus
  • escarole, spinach, swiss chard
  • roasted peppers
  • hot peppers 
  • chopped plum tomatoes
  • diced eggplant
  • diced zucchini
  • finely minced garlic
  • chopped onions
  • sliced portabello mushrooms
  • potatoes
  • chopped fresh parsley, dill, basil, mint oregano can be used


cheese melted on the breakfast casserole in the oven


Creations


  • use a combination of ham, salami, sausage, prosciutto
  • mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, Swiss and Cheddar cheeses
  • add red pepper flakes or hot sauce for a spicy casserole
  • mix and match assorted vegetables and omit meats for vegetarian
  • add fish in place of the meats
  • leftover leg of lamb is also a nice addition with spinach or escarole
  • get creative and make a combination of leftovers you have to repurpose


eggs and bread


Pin For Later



pin for later Easter bread breakfast casserole


More Breakfast Recipe Ideas



Homemade Breakfast Sausages


Easy Bacon and Egg Biscuits


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All-In-One Pan Easy Breakfast Casseroles



These breakfast-style casseroles are the easiest way to get everything all served at once without all the fuss.


Precooked meats, leftovers from another meal, and vegetables or whatever you have can be transformed into the easiest of all breakfasts to feed a large family, or guests, on a busy day.


One other tip, for those who have picky eaters, make this casserole super plain and set up a breakfast bar, just serve the cooked meats and a tray of sliced fruits, and let them add whatever they like.


Enjoy, hope you love this recipe as much as we do.



Easter Italian Breakfast Casserole

Easter Italian Breakfast Casserole

Yield: 8
Author: Claudia Lamascolo
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
This is a delicious Italian breakfast casserole great anytime loaded with meats, cheese, vegetables, and the perfect way to repurpose leftovers.

Ingredients

  • Egg mixture:
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, oregano, basil, and dill (use fresh when available)
  • Optional: red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or a dash of hot sauce
  • Bread and filling:
  • 4 cups (4-6 slices) of Italian bread or Easter Bread (we used Panettone at Christmas) not American soft bread cubes
  •  cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 cups chopped boiled escarole or chopped spinach, (drained and pat dry if using frozen)
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
  • 1/2 cup diced ham, I usually use leftover spiral ham or a Ham steak
  • 1/2 cup cooked Italian sausage cut into small pieces
  • see notes below for other additions and combinations to substitute
  • cooking spray oil
  • Topping:
  • 3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella, Provolone or Gruyere cheese (only use a brick style and grate it not slices.)
  • 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano grated cheese
  • olive oil or melted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350-degree oven.
  2. Coat a glass baking dish or a 2-quart casserole with melted butter and lightly sprayed with cooking oil.
  3. To prepare the eggs, whisk egg whites, eggs, and milk in a medium bowl.
  4. Add the mustard, pepper, and herbs and whisk to combine.
  5. Toss in cubed bread, escarole or spinach, roasted red peppers, sausage, and ham in a large bowl.
  6. Add the egg mixture and toss to coat.
  7. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and push down to compact.
  8. Cover with foil.
  9. Bake until the bread mixture is set, 50 minutes to an hour in the center.
  10. Uncover, sprinkle with cheeses, drizzle with olive oil or melted butter around a tablespoon.
  11. Sprinkle with a little more parsley and continue baking until the middle is puffed and golden on top, 15-20 minutes more or how crispy you prefer you cheese on top.

Notes

Vegetable Suggestions

  • artichoke hearts canned
  • chopped asparagus
  • escarole, spinach, swiss chard
  • roasted peppers
  • hot peppers 
  • chopped plum tomatoes
  • diced eggplant
  • diced zucchini
  • finely minced garlic
  • chopped onions
  • sliced portabello mushrooms
  • cooked cubed potatoes
  • chopped fresh parsley, dill, basil, mint oregano can be used

Cooked Meat Toppings

  1. Bacon, pancetta,proscuitto
  2. Italian sausage patties
  3. Canadian bacon
  4. Boneless pork chops
  5. Ham or ham steak chopped
  6. Boneless deli meat of your choice(ham works the best) mortadella, salami, pepperoni

Tips


  • Use pre-cooked sausage and bacon for faster cooking or leftover meats that are cooked like sausage and spiral ham from the holiday
  • Always oil spray the casserole dish with oil spray or butter it first
  • Use Italian bread or Easter Bread (we used Panettone at Christmas) not American soft bread cubes
  • Fresh herbs are the best to use in our recipe for the best flavor
  • This casserole can be made a day before and taste great reheated to save time
  • If you like a little heat add a dash of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the egg mixture
  • For a super cheesy casserole add a blend of cheeses on top instead of using one kind
  • If using all Italian sausage hot marinara poured on top is a great addition to this breakfast for dinner
  • Add cooked leftover cubed potatoes
  • Any meats can be used from a previous meal during the week to repurpose just make sure it's boneless
  • slice or cube all meats into small pieces you're using


Italian breakfast casserole, bread and meat breakfast casserole, all in one breakfast casserole, Italian Easter Casserole, Breakfast casserole recipes, Easter recipes, holiday breakfast recipes
breakfast recipes, casserole recipes, one pan recipes, easy recipes
Italian


Pin for Later



pin for later breakfast casserole made with easter bread


More Breakfast Recipe Ideas


Egg Breakfast Casserole
Sausage and Cheddar Biscuits


crispy cheese topped breakfast casserole in a white casserole dish



38 comments

  1. YUM! Sounds soo good. Always love finding new breakfast recipes to try!

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  2. Oh this looks so good, Claudia!

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  3. Hmm.. Smells so good.. Love the presentation..

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  4. What a rich pie! I like this ingredients mix very much. It's also a tasty way to use leftover bread. Bye, have a great week

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  5. What time did you say again that I should be at your house for this on Easter Sunday??? ;)
    Seriously, this looks SO GOOD. I copied the recipe. This would be wonderful for a 'company' - for a breakfast or brunch; I am going to keep it in my file. Thanks, as usual, for sharing with us!!
    Best,
    Gloria

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  6. I really like this one Claudia! I'm sure you could even make it the night before!

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  7. Oh, fantastico! Yeah...what time is dinner??

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  8. I love a savory breakfast, this sounds wonderful!

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  9. I love stratas. The last time I made one we had a ton of company and I got up early to make it. Most of the people were staying at a hotel and were supposed to be St my house for breakfast at 7:00. Well somebody went to the hotel breakfast for coffee and was spotted by another person and before you know it they all ate breakfast at the hotel. I ended up with strata for 20 people and just my wife and I to eat it. They all got to eat together which was the goal, but I got left out. Your strata sounds really good. I hope you have better luck with your crowd than I did with mine.

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  10. I love stratas. The last time I made one we had a ton of company and I got up early to make it. Most of the people were staying at a hotel and were supposed to be St my house for breakfast at 7:00. Well somebody went to the hotel breakfast for coffee and was spotted by another person and before you know it they all ate breakfast at the hotel. I ended up with strata for 20 people and just my wife and I to eat it. They all got to eat together which was the goal, but I got left out. Your strata sounds really good. I hope you have better luck with your crowd than I did with mine.

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  11. This would be a perfect dish for a hearty brunch! Great with a Bloody Mary. This looks so good, in fact, it's almost enough to make me consider celebrating Easter! (At the very least I would happily celebrate this strata.)

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  12. I truly love this type of dish.

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  13. Ohmygoodness. This looks outstanding. Easter at your house rocks.

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  14. East brunch? I'm thinking tonight's dinner. It has it all - color, texture,and many enticing flavors.

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  15. I love baked pastas this one sounds awesome delicious.

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  16. I want to eat this for breakfast! ♥- Katrina

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  17. Oh my Claudia, This sounds so good! I would love to have a piece of this anytime of day! Just delish! Blessings, Catherine xo

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  18. Super comforting and delicious Claudia! The smell of that baking would get me out of bed early on Easter!

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  19. I'm with Reeni! This looks and sounds very inviting!

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  20. Oh, how I love a breakfast strata! This looks spectacular, Claudia!

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  21. Love the combinations of ingredients and flavors, not to mention the one dish breakast is ready!

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  22. Oooh...this would be a perfect Easter dish. I love stratas. They're so easy to make for a brunch! Looks delicious!

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  23. This great! I am having a special sunday Easter Linky buffet Any Easter recipe accepted no limit to what you like to submit. I am taking submissions till saturday, your welcome to post this! http://deedeesdelights.blogspot.com/p/special-easter-sunday-buffet.html

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  24. Hi Claudia, I am so going to make this. Your photos are superb and I know the family will just love this. I hope to make it for Easter. Things have been just a mess here. I can't seem to get it together on anything. Been looking for a night job and running business during the day. Blogging in between! Haven't even planned the first thing for Easter :(

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  25. This Strats is similar to one of my Nonna's specialties which I have yet to replicate.
    I'm sure that with her recipe and yours, I'll be able to please everyone at the table. ;o)

    Flavourful wishes,
    Claudia

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  26. Delicious....I don't think I could confine this dish to just breakfast. ;)

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  27. Yum! This sounds like the perfect thing to start Easter morning with!

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  28. I don't eat ham but if I left it out, this looks like a fantastic recipe, filling and warming and delicious.

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  29. Yum, yum, delish, drool...I love fried zucchini so I know I'd love these too. thank you for sharing. Hugs!

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  30. Wonderful, warm and delicious! Looks fantastic!!!

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  31. It looks so good, and I know my family would love this :)

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  32. Claudia, what a breakfast casserole. I've just got to make this! I'll catch up on all of my commenting here after final exams week ends next week. Just wanted to say Happy Easter!!!

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  33. Oh, this looks outstanding! I'm crashing your house the next time you're serving this! YUM!

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  34. This looks lovely - a wonderfully satisfying and delicious breakfast, lunch or brunch! Thank you so much for sharing it with Let's Do Brunch - hope that you will come and link up again later this week!

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  35. I've never had gruyere before. This looks great, love the ham!

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  36. Strata just screams brunch, and this one is perfect for Easter or after...really lovely!

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Remember to use the search option for a recipe you're looking for and thanks for all your kind words and support. We love our readers all the best Claudia