This ham and cheese breakfast casserole is my go-to around the holidays because it’s made with just 8 simple ingredients and can be assembled the night before.
The Breakfast Casserole I Bust Out Every Christmas
I love a dish that lends itself well to making ahead of time. Especially when it comes to breakfast and brunch.
Recipes like my French toast casserole, sausage breakfast casserole, and my deep dish spinach, leek, and bacon quiche are perfect for hosting a brunch crowd (and still festive enough for Christmas morning).
And this ham and cheese breakfast casserole is another recipe that falls into that category. It’s especially near and dear to my heart because it never makes another appearance at any other time of the year than on Christmas morning. We simply don’t ever want it to lose its special shining sparkle. It’s got an amazing consistency like a soufflé or a strata, but I just call delicious.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Prep it ahead. You’ll want to set aside time to prepare this breakfast casserole the night before you bake it so the egg mixture is absorbed into the bread and nooks and crannies of the layers of ham and cheese. We toss the filled casserole in the fridge to rest overnight, ready to be popped in the oven the next morning as we lounge in our PJs and take turns opening presents.
Be sure to use a ham that hasn’t had extra water added to it. You’ll know if it has if the first ingredient is water in the list. My mom turned me onto the Hormel Cure 81 hams. They’re one of the few hams that doesn’t have extra water added in and it’s the one I use every year. You’ll want to grind the ham in the food processor or ask your butcher to grind it for you. Ground ham, rather than chopped or diced, is the key to the flavors all melding together.
Gradually mix in your mustard. Don’t dump the dry mustard into the whole egg and milk mixture or it will never mix in smoothly. Instead, add ¼ cup or so of the egg and milk mixture to a different small bowl and mix the mustard in it first, then add to the larger amount. No chunks of mustard to surprise you here.
The 8 Ingredients You’ll Need
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- White bread — Nothing fancy here, I like good old classic white sandwich bread (but you could also use challah).
- Butter — For buttering the baking dish so things don’t stick.
- Ham — I use a no-water ham from the butcher and have them grind it up for me (you could also use leftover baked ham, and just grind it up in a food processor). Just be sure whatever ham you use does not have any water added to it!
- Medium cheddar cheese — White or yellow cheddar (feel free to swap it out if there’s another cheese you prefer).
- Eggs — To add moisture and bind the bread and all of the other ingredients together.
- Milk — To soak into the bread and make this casserole nice and fluffy, and never dry!
- Dry mustard — I love the little bit of zest and flavor this adds to the ham, egg, and cheese casserole.
- Fresh parsley — For some color on top (swap it our for fresh thyme if you prefer)
Heidi’s Tip: I don’t add salt to this recipe because I find the ham is salty enough.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
- Layer the breakfast casserole like a puzzle. There’s actually a strategy here, and this is the order in which I layer (my mom swears by this order!). Tear the bread into small-ish pieces of about 1 inch or so, and layer like puzzle pieces in the bottom of a buttered 9×13 pan. Then, layer half of the cheese and then all of the ham and then the rest of the cheese and then top it with the rest of the bread pieces.
Heidi’s Tip: Don’t pack the bread cubes too tightly together otherwise the egg won’t have anywhere to run and seep into the bread pieces. Plus, I’ve found showing off a few shaggy edges on top makes for a much prettier presentation. You may have to press down a bit to get it all to fit, just fit the bread snugly against the edges of the casserole dish and you’ll be set.
- Whisk together the milk, dry mustard, eggs, and parsley in a measuring cup. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole.
- Refrigerate overnight. Refrigerating the ham and cheese breakfast casserole overnight before baking gives it a soft, almost custardy texture.
- Cover and bake. You’ll know it’s done once it’s golden brown.
Want to Bake This Right Away? Here’s How
This breakfast casserole with ham and cheese tastes best if it’s allowed to sit overnight in the fridge. But, in a pinch you can you let it soak for 30 minutes to an hour and it should still be good.
Ingredient Swaps and Variations
- I’ve never made this recipe vegetarian, so I’m not sure how omitting the ham would affect the texture and flavor of the dish. If you’re looking for a vegetarian strata recipe, check out my Mediterranean Strata instead.
- Add some veggies like sautéed mushrooms, onion, or green onions
- Swap the parsley for fresh thyme or chives
- Instead of cheddar, try Swiss cheese, gruyère, Parmesan, or Havarti
- To add a little heat, add in some freshly ground black pepper or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Overnight Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 24 ounce loaf sliced white bread
- 2 pounds no-water added ham , finely ground in a food processor or by your butcher (I buy Hormel Cure 81 hams)
- 1 pound medium cheddar cheese , grated
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×13-inch pan with softened butter. Tear the bread slices into 1-inch pieces of bread and cover the bottom of the pan with half of the loaf, fitting the pieces tightly together like puzzle pieces.
- Layer the ground ham over the bread and then top with the cheese. Tear the rest of the bread slices into pieces and nestle them together over the ground ham but don't pack too tightly, just so they fit together.
- In a 1 quart measuring cup, whisk the eggs and milk until smooth. In a small bowl, take 1 tablespoon of the egg and milk mixture and use a fork to mix the dry mustard into it until smooth. Add the mustard mixture into the quart measuring cup and mix well so that all of the mustard is incorporated. Add the chopped parsley and whisk.
- Starting at one end of the casserole, slowly pour the egg mixture over the the bread, evenly distributing the wet ingredients and making sure to get into the edges too.
- Cover with non-stick aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the foil and bake at 325° F for 50-60 minutes or until the eggs are set and bubbling. If the bread starts looking too brown, loosely tent the foil over the top of the casserole and continue to cook until the egg is set. Remove the casserole from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Nutrition
Storage Tips
Leftover breakfast casserole will keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge (or in the dish you bake it in, covered with a lid, foil, or plastic wrap) for about 4 days.
You can also freeze it. Thaw completely before reheating, ideally in the oven. I’d suggest 325ºF until it’s warmed through. You could always finish it under a low broil to toast the top back up.
More Make-Ahead Egg Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Easy Quiche Lorraine
- Spinach and Mushroom Egg White Frittata
- Bacon, Broccoli, & Potato Frittata
- Deep-Dish Spinach, Bacon, & Leek Quiche
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Phyllis
It’s amazing that comments are from 2011 !!!!
I intend to make this for Christmas 2022!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY SAFE and HEALTHY NEW YEAR.
Ashley
Is it OK to bake this casserole right after preparing? Or is the overnight refrigeration essential to the outcome? Wanting to make this tonight for dinner with leftover ham
It’s best if it sits overnight to absorb in the bread. But, if you let it soak for at least 30 minutes to an hour, it should still be good. Let us know how it works!
Jan Baker
I made this awesome recipe for New Year’s Day morning! I had a hard time using the entire load of bread, so ended up with about 6 slices of bread leftover, even though I put in as much as I could. Do you use the entire loaf? The flavor was amazing!!
Hi Jan, sometimes the whole loaf gets used and sometimes not, depending on which brand I buy and how big I tear the pieces and squish them in the pan. There really isn’t any wrong way to do it :) So glad you loved it too! Thanks for making!
Sus.
What sized loaf of bread does this call for? How many ounces?
Susanna, use a 24 ounce loaf of soft white bread. Enjoy!
Holly
So delicious! We’ve been enjoying the leftovers for a few days too
Patti Langrock
I started making that breakfast casserole for our family Christmas breakfast when you were a baby and the first grandchild. There are so many wonderful memories of our much smaller family get together. We’ve expanded with the addition of new generations who now enjoy their Christmas traditions. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you who enjoy that special time with your loved ones. Heidi Your video demonstration will be helpful to all those who have questions about the process. My mouth is watering. Love you!
XOXOXO P, love making this every year!
Laura | Tutti Dolci
Love this, what a great breakfast idea for the holidays!
jude
I have the same question as Amanda – one or two layers of ham & cheese?
This looks so good! I want to make it for breakfast one day while we’re on vacation and I want it to come out looking just like your pictures!!
Hi Jude, I used to make it with two layers until my mom corrected me and told me only one layer of ham and cheese! It’s great either way, but more creamy with just the one layer :)
Amanda
It looks like there are two layers of ham/cheese but the recipe doesn’t indicate to do another layer. Am I missing it? Thanks.
Hey Amanda, in the original photos I did do an extra layer, but have since been corrected by my mom that it’s only one layer of cheese and ham!