One thing every one of my busy mama friends tells me is this: Mornings are freaking hard with little kids.
Remember those heady pre-kids days when our coffee was hot, our showers were hotter, and we could listen to the news without the background noise of cartoons?
The glory days, man.
But those days of calm mornings are behind us (and, eventually, ahead of us)
So for here, for now, we’re in the get-everyone-out-the-door-without-going-berserk phase.
And on the crazy days, having breakfast made ahead of time is a life saver.
A sanity saver, too. Time saver, even!
Breakfast casseroles are the best at this. Make a big pan (or two!) on Sunday, divide it up, and BOOM PRESTO, breakfast is over and it’s time to go get your shoes on.
I’ve rounded up some of my favorite breakfast casseroles from the interwebs here for you!
Also, I helpfully separated them into the three categories I find most breakfast casseroles fall into: Paleo/Keto/Healthy/Gluten-Free, Sweet Casseroles, and Basic Breakfast Casseroles.
Oh, and here’s a tip: If you want to make your own breakfast casserole with what you’ve already got on hand, this is my basic ratio. I like to start with this, and then I play around with flavors:
- Line a 9×13” baking pan with bread cubes.
- Mix 8-10 eggs with 1 ½ cups half and half and pour on top
- Add cheese and protein, like sausage
- Bake at 350*F for about 18 minutes, until the middle of the pan is set.
Here’s the rest of the list; I’d love to hear your favorites in the comments below!
Gluten-Free
Spiralized Sweet Potato Casserole (<<this is my favorite one on the list!)
Turkey and Egg Breakfast Casserole
Bacon, Egg, and Spinach Breakfast Casserole
Cracked Out Grits and Ranch Breakfast Casserole
Veggie-Loaded Breakfast Casserole
On the Sweet Side
Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Casserole
Apple Fritter Breakfast Casserole
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole
Caramel Pecan Breakfast Casserole
Baked Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
Crockpot Cinnamon Roll Casserole
Back to Basics
Sheet Pan ‘Quiche’ (<<my second fave on the list!)
Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
English Muffin, Apple, and Sausage Egg Bake
Chicken and Waffles Breakfast Casserole
Pear, Leek, and Cheddar Savory Bread Pudding
Eggs Benedict Breakfast Casserole
Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Casserole
How to Meal Plan When You Hate Doing It
Ruthy Kirwan
Hi Erna! you could comfortably halve most of these recipes to fit them in an 8×8. A breakfast casserole is really forgiving!
Erna Buckles
We downsized to a fifth wheel and a 9×13 pan won’t fit in the oven. How can I shrink recipes for an 8×8 baking dish?
Ruthy Kirwan
Hi Kate- you’re not the first person to reach out about this! I’ve changed some settings in the backend that might make it easier to access; in the meantime, I’m emailing you a copy. Hope this helps!
Kate
I’m having a difficult time accessing your spiralized sweet potato breakfast casserole recipe from the link above and via Pinterest. Is it possible to share via email?
Ruthy Kirwan
I typically do thaw overnight first, but you don’t have to, especially if your casserole dish can go from the freezer straight into a hot oven without cracking (ie, it’s metal and not pure glass). If your dish is good to go, you can move the raw casserole straight into the oven and then account for extra cooking time. That will vary depending on the dish, so make sure you double-check everything has cooked through first!
Dawn
Quick question. When you freeze the raw casserole, do you thaw before cooking in the oven?
Ruthy Kirwan
Hi Joan! Yes, they definitely can- I do it all the time! I’ll wrap them in plastic wrap and then in foil, then stack the cut squares in the freezer. The plastic wrap-foil technique helps them stay a little fresher for longer. Then I thaw overnight and microwave in the morning.
Joan Cheney
Can this and other breakfast casseroles be made ahead then cut into serving sizes and freeze?
Thanks, Joan