Trisha Yearwood’s Breakfast Casserole Is Everything You Need to Start (Or End) Your Day

When it comes to hearty Southern comfort food, Trisha Yearwood knows her way around the kitchen. The country music star and beloved Food Network host has a treasure trove of family recipes, but one of her all-time favorites is her breakfast sausage casserole. “Everybody in the South has a breakfast casserole,” Trisha says, and hers is everything you want to wake up to: savory sausage, fluffy eggs, gooey cheese and buttery bread all baked into one irresistible dish. Even better? It’s simple to make ahead, perfect for breakfast, brunch and yes, even dinner.

What’s in Trisha’s breakfast sausage casserole?

Trisha’s casserole starts with cubed white bread, sage sausage, a rich egg mixture with half-and-half and a pinch of dry mustard and a generous handful of grated Cheddar cheese. “As it bakes, the eggs just sort of rise up around the rest of the ingredients and make it really fluffy,” she says. Trisha shares that this recipe is a family tradition: “My dad used to always make this casserole and have grits on the side—that’s a very Southern thing.” Whether you serve it for breakfast or supper, it’s a comforting, hearty dish that’s easy to prepare ahead and perfect for feeding a crowd.

The best part about this breakfast sausage casserole? Making it ahead and giving it plenty of time to rest before baking. “I’m making this casserole ahead of time because it is something that you should chill in the refrigerator,” she explains. Trisha recommends prepping the dish the night before and letting it sit for at least eight hours in the fridge. This helps the bread soak up the custard, ensuring a rich, tender bite in every forkful.

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Trisha’s tips for a delicious breakfast (or dinner)

While she’s the first one to say this recipe is “so easy,” Trisha does share her scerets to making this breakfast sausage casserole shine:

1. Don’t stress over the mustard. Adding some dry yellow mustard to the egg mixture gives the casserole a slight tang that Trisha loves, but it’s not a deal-breaker. “This is what my dad used to always put in this casserole,” she shares. “I have made this before and either forgot the mustard or didn’t have any, and it doesn’t make much of a difference.” So if you’re out of mustard, don’t worry, your casserole will still turn out delicious.
2. Go big on the cheese. When it comes to cheese, Trisha doesn’t hold back. “When I grate cheese, I grate a lot of cheese,” she laughs. As it bakes, the cheese melts into every nook and cranny, adding that irresistible gooeyness we all love.
3. Watch the sausage carefully. A key step, according to Trisha, is making sure the sausage is fully cooked before layering it in the dish. “You don’t want any pink in the sausage,” she cautions. She also recommends draining off the excess grease with a slotted spoon to avoid a greasy casserole.

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How to make Trisha Yearwood’s breakfast sausage casserole

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Ready to start your day (or end it) like a true Southern belle? “All you do is cover it in foil and put it in the fridge for eight hours, or overnight if you’re gonna actually eat it for breakfast, which we’re not, we’re eating this for dinner,” says Trisha. Here’s her official recipe:

Ingredients:

• ½ loaf sliced white bread, cubed
• Butter, for greasing
• 1 lb. fresh bulk pork sage sausage (or bacon)
• 10 oz. grated Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 tsp. dry yellow mustard (optional)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

• Total time: 9 hours 10 minutes (includes chilling and resting)
• Yield: 12 servings

1. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray, then add the cubed bread to cover the bottom.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until fully browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess grease, then spread the cooked sausage evenly over the bread. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the sausage.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, salt and mustard (if using). Pour the egg mixture over the entire dish.
4. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least eight hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake the casserole, covered, for 50 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before uncovering and serving.

Storage and reheating notes

Leftover breakfast sausage casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, simply cover and bake at 325° F for about 15–20 minutes until warmed through, or microwave individual portions for one to two minutes. You can also freeze the baked casserole tightly wrapped for up to two months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.