Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole with Bacon and Gouda
This Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole with bacon and Gouda is rich and savory—perfect for weekends, holiday mornings, or hosting brunch. Prep parts of the recipe ahead for easier entertaining!
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
- 18 ounces grocery store croissants , day old (about 7 to 8 large croissants, see Note 1)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk (see Note 2)
- 1 cup heavy cream (see Note 2)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I use Maille)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (depending on the saltiness of your bacon and sausage)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika (I use Hungarian)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 ounces loose pork breakfast sausage (see Note 4)
- 6 ounces regular-cut bacon (about 6 slices), diced
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 large garlic cloves , minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 6 ounces shredded Gouda (see Note 5)
Instructions
Prep
- Cut or tear the croissants into about 1- to 1½-inch-wide pieces. Lightly spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray, then add the croissant pieces to fill the pan.
Make the Custard
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Set the custard aside while you brown the meats and assemble the casserole (see Note 3).
Brown the Meats
- Place sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- In the same skillet, cook diced bacon until the fat renders and the bacon begins to brown but is not fully crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Carefully pour off most of the bacon grease to a heatproof container, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Assemble the Casserole
- Combine the cooked sausage, bacon, onion, and garlic, then use a spoon to distribute the mixture throughout the croissant pieces. Let some of the mixture fall to the bottom of the pan between the croissants — you don't want all the meats to sit on top of the croissant casserole.
- Nestle the shredded Gouda between the croissant pieces, and over the top of the casserole. Like the sausage and bacon, you want cheesy pockets throughout the casserole, not just on top.
- Gently whisk the custard to redistribute any seasonings at the bottom of the bowl, and then pour it evenly over the casserole. Gently press down on the croissants so they absorb the liquid.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours for the croissants to soak up the custard (see Note 6). Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and let it stand at room temperature.
Bake and Serve
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover the casserole loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 15–20 minutes, until the center is set, the casserole is puffed, and the top is golden.
- Rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
1. Croissants: Day-old grocery-store croissants work best instead of fresh, flaky bakery croissants—the former hold their shape and absorb the custard more evenly. The exact number you’ll need depends on their size and density, which can vary quite a bit from store to store. I recommend weighing them on a kitchen scale. In my testing, I used 7 large Costco croissants (which are lighter inside), 7 to 8 BJ’s Wholesale Club croissants, or roughly 10 to 12 medium-sized croissants from various local grocery stores to fill a 9×13 pan. I haven’t tested this recipe with baked crescent roll dough.
2. Milk and Cream: If you don’t have both on hand, you can substitute 2 cups of half-and-half for the milk and cream.
3. Making the Custard First: The paprika can sometimes clump slightly when first whisked into the custard. I like to let it sit while I brown the meats, giving it a little extra time to hydrate and blend in more evenly. The custard can stand at room temperature while you assemble the casserole, but if you’re delayed longer than about an hour, cover and refrigerate it.
4. Sausage: I use Jimmy Dean Regular pork sausage, sold in a tube, or loose pork sausage from the butcher. My family likes mild sausage, but you can go with hot if you prefer. You can also substitute poultry sausage. If your sausage has casings, remove them before cooking.
5. Gouda: I use red wax Gouda, but smoked Gouda is a great option if you’d like a pronounced, smoky flavor. For the best melt and texture, I recommend shredding it yourself rather than using pre-shredded cheese. Depending on your shred size, 6 ounces will yield about 1½ to 2 cups. Swiss, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or Cheddar can also be substituted for Gouda.
6. Make-ahead: For the best texture, I don't recommend soaking longer than 4 hours. See the "Make Ahead Tips" section in the blog post above for prep tips.
Nutrition
Serving: 1rectangular serving (1/10 of the pan) | Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 820mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1105IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 2mg
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