Italian Sausage and Scrambled Egg Casserole can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Whenever you have a taste for a cheesy, meaty egg casserole with a touch of Italian flavors, this is the right time to enjoy it!
Casseroles have always been a favorite of mine to make, and eat. I love that they typically can be assembled and popped into the oven right away, or they can be made-ahead to heat and serve later. Some of my very favorites are: Chili Mac with Cornbread Crust, Make-Ahead Apple and Croissant Bake, Left-Over Turkey with Linguine Casserole, and Cheesy Farro and Onion Casserole.
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Table of Contents Found Here
- The ingredients:
- Ingredient information:
- Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- How this recipe came to be:
- Add in and substitution suggestions:
- Can this breakfast casserole be made in advance?
- My tips and tricks for recipe success:
- How many servings does this make?
- What to serve alongside this delicious egg casserole?
- Does this breakfast casserole freeze well?
- How long will leftovers be kept in the fridge?
- Additional scrambled egg recipes for your enjoyment:
- Printable Recipe Card
- Please comment if you've made this recipe.
The ingredients:
*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.
Ingredient information:
ITALIAN SAUSAGE - Feel free to use sweet, mild, hot Italian sausage; it's your call. Use your favorite brand or variety. Just remember to take the sausage out of its casings before browning. OR you can purchase bulk Italian sausage, and you won't have to worry about the casings. I used what I had on hand, so I wrote this recipe using Italian sausage links.
POTATO BUNS - I love a good potato bun, which I had in my freezer, so I went with it. Of course, you can use whatever type of bun you enjoy or have on hand. There are really no hard and fast rules on this recipe.
EGGS - You'll need eight large eggs. Eggs will blend more easily if they're at room temperature. If you forget to take eggs out of the refrigerator beforehand, you can easily warm them by placing them in a bowl with warm water for 5 minutes.
RICOTTA CHEESE - The ricotta in the scrambled eggs is a flavorful addition. The ricotta helps add additional moisture to the eggs so they don't become dry, especially since this dish will be finished in the oven.
MOZZARELLA CHEESE - I used packaged shredded mozzarella (the kind with the cream cheese) because that's what I had on hand. Shredding your mozzarella from a block of cheese is preferred (for better melting), but the shredded bagged cheese works in a pinch.
PARMESAN CHEESE - Either grated or shredded will work. Since good quality aged Parmesan cheese is rather salty in flavor, I cut back on the salt I used in the scrambled eggs so it isn't an overly salty casserole.
DRIED BASIL - A small pinch of dried basil will enhance the Italian sausage's flavor and help emphasize this casserole's Italian influence. This ingredient is optional, but I urge you to use it.
MILK - I used 2% milk when making the scrambled eggs for this recipe. However, feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand. Half and half or heavy cream will also work.
BUTTER - Salted butter is what I always use, but you can certainly use unsalted butter if that's what you have. The butter is used in conjunction with the olive oil and will be brushed onto the buns and toasted in the oven before adding them to the bottom of the casserole dish.
OLIVE OIL - You can never go wrong when using a touch of olive oil for additional flavor. For this recipe, there is no need to use extra virgin olive oil, but you can if that's what you have. If you prefer, you can also use avocado oil. This recipe only uses one tablespoon of oil, heated with the butter and brushed on the rolls.
GARLIC POWDER - This ingredient is optional, but since I'm a garlic lover, I wanted to add it to drive home the Italian-inspired influence of this sausage and egg casserole.
SALT AND PEPPER - I always use kosher salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns. Due to the salty nature of Parmesan cheese, the amount of salt called for in this recipe is minimal. Please see the box below if using table salt.
*Important Note—If using table salt instead of kosher salt, please cut back on the amount of salt called for in the recipe card by half because they measure differently due to grain size.
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Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- large skillet
- 13" x 9" casserole dish
- baking sheet
- parchment paper (optional)
- mixing bowls
- slotted spatula
- measuring cups and spoons
- pastry brush
- whisk
- silicone spatula
- box grater or cheese grater (optional)
- kitchen timer
How this recipe came to be:
I didn't actually plan this recipe in advance; it just sort of happened. I had some potato buns that I was going to use for something else, but I didn't.
I had Italian sausage in the freezer, eggs, and a carton of ricotta cheese in the fridge that was calling my name.
What can I do with all these items to make a tasty casserole? I asked myself.
This recipe (with video included) is the tasty result.
Add in and substitution suggestions:
Rather use pork breakfast sausage instead of Italian sausage? Go for it!
Sauteed onions and peppers would be an amazing addition. Sauté sliced onion and peppers in a skillet with olive oil until lightly caramelized. Remove and set aside. Layer the sauteed vegetables on top of the toasted buns and top with the eggs, sausage, and cheese.
Feel free to substitute cottage cheese for ricotta cheese if necessary.
Prefer to use gluten-free buns? Why not?
Don't have potato buns? No problem! Feel free to swap out other kinds of buns, English muffins, bagel halves, or even Italian or French bread slices. Just make sure to toast them lightly before adding them to the bottom of the casserole dish for added structure and stability for piling on all the other ingredients.
Can this breakfast casserole be made in advance?
You bet!
Assemble the casserole as the recipe instructs, but instead of popping it right into the oven, cover it with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
To heat and serve, remove from the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the counter at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven is pre-heating to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Remove the plastic wrap from the casserole dish and replace it with foil. Bake, covered for 20 minutes or until hot.
My tips and tricks for recipe success:
Do not overcook the scrambled eggs. Since this casserole will finish cooking in the oven, make sure to keep the scrambled eggs a little on the wetter side because they will continue cooking in the oven, and you don't want rubbery scrambled eggs.
Toast the buns (or whatever bread you're using) lightly before adding them to the casserole dish and piling the other ingredients on top. Not only will toasted buttered bread add flavor, but it will also add structure and stability for the other ingredients to sit on top of for baking and presentation.
Depending on the size of bread you're using; you may need to push it down into the casserole dish for the best fit. This is not a problem and will not affect the presentation or flavor of the final casserole.
Always crush dried herbs with your fingertips to release more flavor.
How many servings does this make?
As written, this recipe will serve approximately eight people.
What to serve alongside this delicious egg casserole?
This Foolproof English Muffin Bread is always my choice to accompany a delicious breakfast casserole. Heck, you can even use it as the bread portion of this casserole...just don't forget to toast and butter it first.
Prosciutto Wrapped Pineapple Spears are a sweet and savory treat that hits all the right bells and whistles on your taste buds!
And for the 21 and older crowd a Bacon Bloody Mary is a tasty start to any weekend brunch. It's almost like a full meal in a glass, but don't forget to leave room for this Italian Sausage and Egg Casserole!
Does this breakfast casserole freeze well?
Yes.
Store any leftovers in an airtight freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months.
How long will leftovers be kept in the fridge?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I like to use these dissolvable content labels for adding dates and container content information to the outside of refrigerator and freezer packages.
Additional scrambled egg recipes for your enjoyment:
When you make today's recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did.
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Printable Recipe Card
Italian Sausage and Scrambled Egg Casserole
Equipment
- box grater optional
- paring knife optional (for removing casings from sausage)
- bench scraper optional
Ingredients
- 5 each approximately 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed
- 8 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 6 each potato buns
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and whisk in the olive oil and garlic powder. Set aside.
- Remove the Italian sausage from the casings (if using link sausage). Brown and crumble the sausage in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Stir in the dried basil and cook until the sausage is no longer pink.
- While the sausage is browning, place the split buns on a baking sheet and brush each cut side with the melted butter, oil, and garlic mixture. Lightly toast the buns in the oven for 7-10 minutes. Remove and lay the buns butter side up in a 13" x 9" casserole dish.
- Once fully cooked, remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside. Do NOT drain the sausage drippings from the skillet. You'll be cooking the eggs in this same skillet with the drippings.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¾ teaspoon black pepper until combined.
- Turn the heat under the skillet to medium/low and add any remaining melted butter, oil, and garlic to the pan. Add the eggs to the pan and slowly start to scramble the eggs. When the eggs are still wet and not fully scrambled add in the ricotta cheese. Stir well to combine and cook (stirring frequently) for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cooked and browned Italian sausage into the skillet with the scrambled eggs and stir well to combine.
- Spoon the egg and sausage mixture evenly over the toasted buns in the casserole dish and top with the grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted.Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you will enjoy making (and eating) this cheesy Italian sausage breakfast casserole as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Bill says
why mess with perfection? Italian sausage in scrambled eggs it's full of flavor by itself. I've eaten it with Easter bread every holy Saturday for 80 years. as do each of children.
Why gild a lily?
Renée says
Hello, Bill.
Why not gild a lily from time to time?
I'm sorry that you didn't appreciate this particular recipe for
that reason, but I have to ask...did you even try it?
Either way, have a wonderful Easter.
Take care,
Renee