Ham and Cheese Overnight Breakfast Casserole is savory, filling, and super easy to make! Serve this hearty dish for at a fancy brunch or on a busy weekday morning for your family.
I’m admittedly a sucker for a great overnight breakfast casserole (check out all of my favorites here). But this recipe, with tangy cheddar cheese, tender chunks of ham and simple seasonings, exceeds all my expectations! This casserole is so easy to throw together the night before a big event, say Christmas morning, or Easter brunch. But it’s casual enough to whip up the night before so busy mornings run more smoothly.
Ingredients for Ham and Cheese Overnight Breakfast Casserole
No need to stress about finding obscure ingredients for this overnight breakfast casserole. You’ll find everything you need in your fridge or pantry! Here’s all you need:
- eggs
- milk
- heavy cream or half and half
- cubed ham
- cheddar cheese
- bread (day old or stale bread works best)
- dashes of onion and garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- scallions (for garnish)
Using Block Cheese Instead of Pre-Shredded
I know it takes a bit more effort to shred cheese from a block instead of ripping open a package of pre-shredded, but trust me, it is so much better! Not only is the flavor more abundant, it melts better in the casserole. Definitely worth the extra step!
How to Make Overnight Casserole
Follow these simple steps and you’ll have a hearty dish ready to serve in no time!
- Mix the ingredients in a bowl.
- Pour them into the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with more cheese.
- Cover with foil and put in the refrigerator.
- Bake in the morning.
Making this Breakfast Casserole the Day of
Where are my procrastinators at? Don’t worry; you can most definitely this recipe the day of. Just use this simple tip:
- This recipe works best with dry or stale bread. If you don’t have any, throw some bread slices in the oven at a low temperature for about 5-10 minutes until they dry out a little.
How to Store Overnight Breakfast Casserole
- You can make this recipe up to four days ahead of time! It’ll stay nice and fresh in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
- Make sure to refrigerate any leftovers within two hours.
- Leftovers are great for three to four days. Just microwave and serve!
- You can bake the entire casserole, cool, then freeze it to use anytime in the next three months.
More Breakfast Recipes
Looking for more ways to dress up breakfast? Move that box of cereal aside and cook up some of these simple and scrumptious favorites!
- Homemade granola
- Apple carrot zucchini muffins
- Buttermilk pancakes
- Bloody mary mix
- Yogurt Pancakes
- Cheese and Sausage Egg Muffins
- Ham and Cheese Quiche
Ham and Cheese Overnight Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or substitute half and half)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 – 2 cups cubed ham
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded & divided
- 4 cups cubed bread
- 2 to 3 scallions diced (optional)
Instructions
- Spray a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream and seasoning.
- Stir in the ham, bread, and 1 cup of the cheese. Make sure that the bread is fully coated with the egg mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and put in the refrigerator overnight.
- In the morning, leave the casserole covered with tin foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm!
Terri says
Could I use the same recipe to bake my ham in the oven?
I haven’t tried this in the oven, though I think you could. I would just make sure that you cover it so that it does not dry out.
Lyla Hassan says
OMG, this looks so delicious…A perfect breakfast recipe infact…Thanks for sharing this Lisa
Linda Muse says
Served this recipe this morning to a group of women who have never heard of breakfast casserole much less eaten one! I kept to the recipe as much as possible (I live overseas and sometimes ingredients have to be substituted like not having cheddar cheese) and kept it simple. It was a big hit!
I’m so happy to hear this, Linda! Thank you for following along.
Darla Meyer says
Hello,
If you bake, cool and then freeze to use in future, how do you prepare when you take it out of freezer? Just curious what temperature & how long it takes to warm it up? Or is microwave better?
Hi Darla! I haven’t tried that with this casserole. I would recommend thawing it in the refrigerator overnight and then baking it for 20 minutes, covered, at 350 degrees. Or, if you want to bake it right from frozen, I would recommend 40 minutes.
Joyce says
Thank you Lisa, This looks yummy and great for even vacation morning!! I always bring several things I need on vacation for us and this would work out great. Gramms
I hope you love it!
Joan says
I was glad to be introducced to your sight. I had a stroke and these recipes are great, I can understand them and cook away….
I’m so happy to hear that Joan!