Description
Grilled cheese breakfast casserole brings your favorite comfort sandwich to life in a morning-friendly baked dish. Crispy bread, melted cheese, and hearty eggs combine for a simple breakfast that feeds a hungry crowd with zero fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Components:
- 12 slices sandwich bread
- 12 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
Supporting Seasonings:
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Add-Ins:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Cooked bacon or sausage crumbles
- Sliced tomatoes or bell peppers
- Fresh herbs like chives or parsley
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Coat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a skillet. Grill 12 slices of bread until crispy and golden brown, creating perfect grilled cheese surfaces. Slice each piece into four quarters after cooling.
- Generously spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer half of the toasted bread quarters across the bottom, ensuring buttered sides face upward.
- Sprinkle 6 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese evenly across the bread layer, creating a smooth cheese blanket.
- Construct a second layer using remaining bread quarters, stacking them carefully over the first cheese layer.
- Scatter the remaining 6 ounces of cheese across the top bread layer, distributing it evenly.
- Crack 8 large eggs into a mixing bowl. Whisk them thoroughly with 2 cups whole milk, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Pour the egg mixture slowly and uniformly over the bread and cheese layers. Press gently with a spatula to help bread absorb the liquid.
- Cover the casserole and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator and uncover.
- Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the center sets and the top turns golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let the casserole rest 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps the dish stabilize and makes cutting easier.
Notes
- Crisp your bread thoroughly when grilling to prevent soggy layers and maintain a delightful texture in the final casserole.
- Experiment with different cheese varieties like sharp cheddar, gruyere, or pepper jack to customize the flavor profile.
- For a protein boost, add cooked bacon, ham, or sausage between the bread and cheese layers before pouring the egg mixture.
- Make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free bread and ensuring all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 337 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 490 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 215 mg