The Only Breakfast Casserole You Need for the Holidays—According to the Internet’s Favorite Grandma

We don’t need to tell you that the holiday season is a busy time. If you’re one of the lucky family members who host a get-together, then you know firsthand just how hectic it can be getting food on the table.

That’s why, when everyone’s favorite internet grandma, Barbara “Babs” Costello, needs to feed her holiday crowd, she turns to this breakfast casserole she’s been making for over 40 years. The seven-ingredient casserole is easily made the night before, so on a busy morning, you can just throw it in the oven and have food on the table by the time everyone wakes up.

Costello shared her recipe in an interview with Allrecipes. You can also find it in her holiday cookbook, “Celebrate with Babs,” or in this viral TikTok.

Give this recipe a try and “you will have a delicious, wonderful, scrumptious holiday breakfast waiting for you,” says Costello.

How To Make Babs Costello’s Holiday Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sausage
• 8 eggs
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 loaf brioche or challah bread, cubed
• 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly grated

Instructions:

1. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling with the back of a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease.
3. Beat eight eggs in a bowl until smooth.
4. Whisk together milk, dry mustard, and salt. Add the milk mixture to the eggs and mix until combined. Fold in sausage, bread, and Cheddar until just combined.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate overnight.
6. The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Bake uncovered until eggs are set, 40 to 45 minutes.

Babs’ Top Tips For Making Breakfast Casserole

Costello has been making this recipe for more than 40 years, so she’s obviously had some time to perfect it. When it comes to her ingredients, there are a few must-haves.

• Make sure you use whole milk. It’ll make your casserole extra rich.
• Use at least 8 ounces (use even more if you like your casserole extra-cheesy) of freshly grated Cheddar—none of that store-bought shredded cheese (it won’t melt as well).
• Add your own unique touch with the sausage. Costello says you can use breakfast sausage or Italian sausage, but you could even swap in hot sausage if you like your food to have a little zip.

The Verdict

I tried this casserole, and not only was it incredibly easy to make, but it was also delicious. I can see why it has remained Babs’ tried and true holiday recipe all these years—it’s definitely a recipe you want to keep on hand when you need to feed a crowd.