Savory Sourdough Breakfast Bake with Sausage, Egg, and Cheese

My savory sourdough breakfast bake is the perfect way to use up that loaf of bread that might be a couple of days past its prime, and the sausage and eggs pack a healthy protein punch that the whole family will love. 

The Sourdough Revival

Sourdough everything became popular over the course of the last year as the pursuit of health, and a certain level of self-sufficiency flourished with the onset of the pandemic. Conventional bread flew off the shelves at the grocery store, and active dry yeast became a commodity that was garnering black market prices. It soon became clear that if we planned to eat bread, we’d better roll up our sleeves and get to baking. 

If you too couldn’t give up the soul-nourishing, carb-laden delicacy that is bread, and have a starter bubbling away on your countertop, give this recipe a try. Even if you don’t have your own starter, a store-bought sourdough loaf will work just as well. You’ll be thanking yourself in the morning when you wake up and blearily stumble to the kitchen to find that all you have to do is pop it in the oven and look like Martha Stewart.

The Benefits of Sourdough

We’ve all become accustomed to the sugar-filled storebought sandwich bread made with bleached flour that has pretty much no nutritional value. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like the first tomato sandwich of the summer with a sun-warmed tomato picked straight from the garden, sandwiched between two slices of white bread that have been slathered with Duke’s mayo. 

Hang on, let me wipe the drool off my keyboard.

Alright, I’m back. 

So, as I was saying. Sourdough bread is even better than that. It’s delicious, packed with minerals, and easier for your body to digest because it’s fermented. The fermentation process decreases the phytate levels in the bread which increases your body’s ability to absorb the minerals. That’s right folks, bread is good for you. Now, try that little tomato sandwich recipe with some sourdough and honey hush, you’ve got yourself a true southern treat.

Serious Comfort Food

I love a good breakfast casserole because it can be thrown together the night before and eaten on for a few days. They also remind me of the holidays. My mother is one of four sisters, and a few times a year all of the aunts come to town and set up camp at Mama’s house. There’s always good food, good wine, and good gossip. There are elaborate charcuterie boards with every meat, cheese, and olive you can imagine (and my hot pepper jelly, of course), Mama’s pasta puttanesca, and my aunt Sheri’s egg breakfast bake. Depending on the time of year, you might find garden-fresh tomatoes or fresh dill baked in. No matter what she adds, it’s always a crowd-pleaser and inspired me when making my own breakfast bake. This is the perfect recipe to make for Christmas morning or any other special occasion! 

Even More Sourdough Goodness

If you’re searching for more sourdough inspiration, be sure to check out the other recipes at the end of this post. I’ve partnered with sixteen of my best foodie blogger friends to bring you sourdough recipes for everything from breakfast, to desserts, and everything in between.

Oops. Here I am drooling again!

Scroll to the bottom of this post to check out all of their delicious recipes!

Ingredients for Savory Sourdough Breakfast Casserole recipe

• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 cups stale sourdough bread cut into 1-inch cubes (I love using my sourdough dutch oven bread)
• 1 pound ground sausage – precook in a large skillet before adding to the breakfast bake. 
• 1 finely chopped onion – sautéed until tender (5-7 minutes)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 8 large eggs
• 1 tbsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions to make this savory breakfast casserole

• Coat a 9×13 baking dish with butter.
• Place the sourdough bread cubes in the dish.
• Spread browned sausage and cooked onions on top of the bread.
• In a medium-size bowl, beat together the eggs, cream, nutmeg, mustard powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
• Sprinkle freshly grated cheese over the entire dish.
• Pour egg mixture over the cheese, cover in aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, preheat your oven to 350°
• Bake the casserole, still covered with foil, for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Remove when the middle is set and no longer runny and the edges are golden brown.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• I used our homemade venison sausage, but pork sausage, turkey sausage or breakfast sausage will work just as well
• If you don’t have your own sourdough starter for homemade sourdough bread, just use a store-bought loaf of sourdough bread. This recipe is a great way to use leftover sourdough bread that has become a little hard. The stale bread soaks up the milk mixture and doesn’t get soggy like fresh bread will. 
• You can substitute milk for the heavy cream if you don’t have any on hand.
• I like to use sharp cheddar cheese because it, and the sourdough, give this dish a nice little tang.
• In my video you’ll notice that I didn’t add the shredded cheese until the next morning….that’s because I totally forgot it when I put the dish together the night before. No need to fret! You can’t go wrong with cheese, after all.
• This recipe would be delicious topped with fresh herbs, or even sour cream, avocado, and salsa. Get creative!
• The recipe is written as an overnight breakfast casserole, but you can pop it in the oven whenever is best for your schedule, I wouldn’t go longer than 24 hours, though.
• Feel free to get creative with different flavors. Just like my aunt does, you can add seasonal goodies to this sourdough egg bake and use garden fresh produce like tomatoes, zucchini, or bell peppers or whatever else your taste buds desire!

How to store Sourdough Breakfast Casserole

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in airtight container for 3-4 days. Or just simply place some plastic wrap over the 9×13 baking pan and store in the fridge. Then reheat in a 350-degree oven or pop in the microwave until warmed through. 

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More Sourdough Recipes from my Friends