Last Updated October 23rd, 2023 at 04:01 pm by Lisa
Everyone will rave about this golden-baked breakfast casserole with the flavors of pizza! This strata has layers of melted cheese, crumbled brown breakfast sausage, red pizza sauce, and savory pepperoni. A great recipe for family breakfast, brunch parties, game day gatherings, or busy holidays like Christmas morning.
Put this egg bake together the day before in a baking dish, and pop into the fridge. Then this overnight breakfast casserole is ready to bake with zero prep, for a spectacular strata breakfast. People will delight in the pizza taste in every yummy bite...
Breakfast Casserole Recipe (Strata)
The whole idea of this hearty breakfast casserole is to create similar flavors that you love on your pizza. Everyone LOVES this casserole! I first made it for a family many years ago, it just sounded so good and was different than my regular breakfast egg casserole I made many times.
Why You Will Love This Breakfast Casserole
The thing I love the most about this easy breakfast casserole recipe is:
- The fast prep time.
- It can be made ahead.
- Is a perfect potluck dish.
- Everyone loves it for a brunch party.
- No prepping on the day you bake it.
- Feeds a crowd, and is absolutely delicious!
Egg Bake Ingredients
Bobili Pizza Crust (or white bread slices)
butter
yellow onions
ground pepper
Italian seasoning
sea salt (kosher salt)
mild and or hot bulk pork sausage
fresh mushrooms and or bell peppers (optional of course!)
mixed shredded cheeses
mini Pepperoni
pizza sauce
large eggs or EggBeaters
milk
Cheeses: Try a mixture of grated cheeses in your egg bake casserole like white cheddar cheese mozzarella cheese, asiago, parmesan, provolone, or fontina.
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Breakfast Pizza Casserole Instructions
1. Spray or grease a large 9 x 13 casserole dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cut Boboli (or bread slices) into 1” pieces.
3. Chop 2 cups yellow onions. Heat a large skillet or heavy pan on medium-high heat, add butter, onions, sea salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning. Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until just browning.
Add bulk sausage (not in casings), and use a wooden spoon to stir and crumble the sausage into smaller pieces. Once the sausage is crumbled and cooked, add mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, stir and mix to combine, and turn off the heat.
4. Bottom Layer: Place ⅓ pizza crust (or bread), ⅓ sausage/onion/mushroom mixture, ⅓ pepperoni, and ⅓ grated cheese.
5. Middle Layer: Add ⅓ pizza crust (or bread), ⅓ sausage/onion/mushroom mixture, ⅓ pepperoni, and ⅓ grated cheese.
6. Top Layer: Add the last ⅓ pizza crust (or bread), the rest of the ⅓ sausage/onion/mushroom mixture and drippings, and the rest of the ⅓ of mixed grated cheese.
7. Crack 8 eggs into a large bowl, and add the milk. Use a whisk to combine well. Pour the milk and egg mixture evenly over the casserole dish.
8. Drop 8-10 spoonful dollops of pizza sauce (I use Trader Joe's) all over on top. Sprinkle the rest of the mini pepperoni on top.
9. Bake 375 for 45 minutes till golden brown and bubbly! Let rest for about 5 minutes, and slice to serve.
Keep breakfast strata leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container, and reheat in the microwave for about 3 minutes.
Strata Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole FAQ
Make-Ahead Tips: Assemble the night before covered in clear plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Remove the wrap and bake in the morning for your party.
A Strata. These bread-layered casseroles have eggs, milk, cheeses, and puffs up when baking. And are American cuisine. It is commonly served for brunch or on holiday mornings. And may sometimes include other additions such as breakfast sausage or vegetables like mushrooms or bell pepper. Some people also call these a bread pudding or savory bread puddings.
Breakfast Pizza Casserole Strata Variations
Just like you order a custom pizza, add in ingredients you love! Try different meats, veggies, and cheeses...
- Toss in some diced Smoked Ham or Canadian bacon!
- Add in some sliced or diced Roast Turkey
- Just like on a pizza, add some fresh sliced tomatoes, Sun Dried Tomatoes, or some roasted crushed garlic cloves!
- You can swap in bread cubes from a loaf of bread.
PRO TIP: Believe it or not, I have used leftover pizza from the night before in this breakfast casserole and it's delicious! Just cut up the sliced into small 1" pieces and bake with the other ingredients.
Here I am on a girl's getaway weekend in the mountains with the casserole hot out of the oven...Make this recipe and comment below!
More Brunch and Breakfast Recipes
What else goes with a baked breakfast casserole for a brunch party? Well for starters, have a nice fruit salad, hot coffee, juice, and mimosas or bloody marys. Have some good hot Sauce or Salsa for people to spice up their slice of breakfast casserole. And here are some other ideas!
A popular Christmas breakfast idea everyone loves a top reader favorite...Baked Parmesan Hash Browns. They are baked in a muffin tin with golden crisp edges and no stovetop mess.
When hosting a brunch party, some of my go-to make-ahead brunch recipes are Mini Brie and Bacon Quiche made in a muffin tin, easy and so good fresh from the oven.
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is an easy recipe loaded with taters with 15 minutes of prep time and bakes to golden hot in just 45 minutes. Put this tater tots dish together a day ahead for relaxed weekends, special occasions, or the holidays.
Hand-dip Pancake Muffins into warm syrup for a fast breakfast recipe or brunch party idea. The fun part is to top them with blueberries, raspberries, mini chocolate chips, and more. Take your Sunday brunch and football game day parties to the next level with a big batch of your own homemade Spicy Bloody Mary Mix, and set up the ultimate Bloody Mary bar.
Bake a batch of Raspberry Scones studded with sweet berries, and white chocolate chips, and drizzled with vanilla icing, for light, soft fluffy results.
More Light Breakfast Recipes
Need something light and healthy for breakfast or a light selection to go with your hearty brunch? Whip up one of these healthy recipes: Avocado Toast, or try one of these 5 Breakfast Egg Muffins Recipes for you to try, and it's so simple to make individual muffins for everyone in your family for weekday breakfast.
Homemade Granola made with fresh quality ingredients is the perfect breakfast cereal and is great in yogurt parfait bowls, granola bars, cookies, and more. Mix up a big batch (keep some in the freezer!) of this healthy granola recipe loaded with natural sweeteners, lots of texture, and a super great crunch.
Pink Grapefruit Detox Smoothies are great to start the day and are loaded with fresh spinach and fruit. These go great with beautiful Breakfast Yogurt Parfaits or a classic Boiled Egg.
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Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-14 ounce Bobili Pizza Crust 6 slices white bread
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions 1 large onion
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 pounds mild and or hot ground sausage ground sausage, not in casings
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms and or bell peppers optional
- 2 cups mixed grated cheese white cheddar, mozzarella, asiago, parmesan, provolone, or fontina
- 5 ounces mini Pepperoni
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 8 large eggs or EggBeaters 2 cups
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Spray large 9 x 13 casserole dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 375.
- Cut Boboli (pizza, or bread slices) into 1” pieces. Chop 2 cups yellow onions. Slice the mushrooms into ½ pieces.
- Heat a large skillet or heavy pan on medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter, chopped onions, sea salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning. Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until just browning. Adding the seasonings in early releases those great flavors!Next, add 2 pounds of sausage, and use a wooden spoon to stir and crumble the sausage into smaller pieces. Once the sausage is crumbled and cooked, add the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, stir and mix to combine, and turn off the heat.
- Bottom Layer: Place ⅓ pizza crust (or bread pieces), ⅓ sausage/onion/mushroom mixture, ⅓ pepperoni, and ⅓ mixed shredded cheese.
- Middle Layer: Add ⅓ pizza crust (or bread pieces), ⅓ sausage/onion/mushroom mixture, ⅓ pepperoni, and ⅓ mixed shredded cheese.
- Top Layer: Add the last ⅓ pizza crust (or bread pieces), the rest of the ⅓ sausage/onion/mushroom mixture and drippings, and the rest of the ⅓ of mixed grated cheese.
- Crack 8 eggs into a mixing bowl, and add the milk. Use a whisk to combine well. Pour the milk and egg mixture evenly all over the casserole dish.
- Drop 8-10 spoonful dollops of pizza sauce (I use Trader Joes) all over on top. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and mini pepperoni on top.
- Bake 375 for 45 minutes till golden brown and bubbly!
- Make-Ahead tips: Assemble night before covered in clear wrap. Bring to room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove wrap, and bake in the morning for your party.
Notes
Mushrooms & Bell Peppers
If these are not your thing, leave them out.Bobili Pizza Crust OR Bread
In the past, I have made egg casseroles with so many kinds of things. Leftover pizza cut up is incredible, and you can use French bread cut into cubes.Breakfast Pizza Casserole Strata Variations
Just like you order a custom pizza, add in ingredients you love! Try different meats, veggies, and cheeses...- Toss in some diced Smoked Ham or Canadian bacon!
- Add in some sliced or diced Roast Turkey
- Just like on a pizza, add some fresh sliced tomatoes, Sun Dried Tomatoes, or some roasted crushed garlic cloves!
- You can swap in bread cubes from a loaf of bread.
This breakfast casserole is the perfect thing to serve on Christmas morning. So good!
Wow, this is such a good breakfast casserole, everyone loved it!