Overnight Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole is a delicious make-ahead breakfast casserole. Made with ham, sharp cheddar cheese, a rich egg custard, and cubed bread, this ham and egg casserole is simple to make and perfect to entertain with.
Whenever I have leftover ham from Instant Pot Ham or Oven Baked ham, I set aside cubed ham to make this breakfast casserole. It is especially delicious when made with Cranberry Walnut Bread or Cinnamon Raisin bread, giving this casserole sweet notes that pair perfectly with the savory ham.
There is something about sweet and savory combinations at breakfast.
That has to be why Brunch is so popular–you can have a little bit of a savory, a little bit of sweet and be incredibly satisfied.
That is why a breakfast casserole made with sweet and savory ham gives you the best of both worlds!
Sweet cranberry walnut bread, savory ham, sharp cheddar, and a rich egg base are baked up into an EASY breakfast casserole.
Since this is an overnight ham and egg casserole, it is absolutely PERFECT for entertaining. Prep the night before, and your only job will be to brew the coffee while your casserole bakes.
Key Ingredients
- Bread: Cranberry Walnut Bread or Cinnamon Raisin Bread is my choice for this ham and egg casserole as it lends a subtle sweetness to the dish. However, you can use whole wheat bread, french bread, brioche bread, or even gluten-free bread.
- Ham: Use leftover diced ham or cube up a large piece of ham steak. If you don’t have ham, diced up maple sausage links are a great alternative to the ham.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese is my choice of cheese for this casserole as the sharpness from the cheese helps to cut the sweetness in this casserole. Swiss cheese is another great option.
How to Make Ham and Egg Casserole
- Grease a large casserole dish (9 by 13 or 2 quarts) with butter.
- Layer the bread, ham, and cheese inside the prepared dish.
- Whisk together the eggs, cream, mustard, maple syrup, and seasonings until well combined.
- Pour the egg custard over the mixture.
- Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. If you do not have time to refrigerate the ham and egg casserole overnight, press down the bread into the custard to “help” it absorbs the egg mixture and then bake for 10 minutes less than directed.
- In the morning, remove the plastic wrap bake.
- Serve with maple syrup on the side.
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes
- Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Easy Skinny Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Green Chile Egg Casserole
The next time you have leftover ham, be sure to set some aside to make this EASY and DELICIOUS Ham and Egg Casserole–you won’t regret it! And I would love for you to leave a comment to let me know how much you enjoyed this recipe!
Overnight Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 cups Raisin Bread or Cranberry Walnut Bread, cubed
- 1 cup ham cubed
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- butter for greasing
Instructions
- Butter a 2 quart or 9x13 casserole dish.
- Evenly spread the bread over casserole dish. Top with ham and cheese.ย
- Mix together eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, mustard, nutmeg, and salt. Pour over bread and ham.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, preheat oven to 350. Remove the casserole from the fridge while the oven preheats.
- Uncover casserole and bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with maple syrup if desired.
Notes
- If you need this be a gluten-free, use your favorite Gluten-Free Bread and be sure your ham is gluten-free as well.
- Feel free to use whole wheat bread, Italian Bread, French Bread or Brioche bread in place of Raisin Bread or Cranberry Bread.
- If you do not have time to refrigerate the ham and egg casserole overnight,ย press down the bread into the custard to "help" it absorb the egg mixture and then bake for 10 minutes less than directed.ย
- If you want to have cranberries or raisins in this breakfast casserole without raisin or cranberry bread, sprinkle raisins or cranberries over the ham and bread and add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to the egg custard.
- Cooked maple sausage would be great in this casserole in place of ham if desired.
This post was originally published in 2017 but has been updated with new tips in 2020.
The ingredient list cites cottage cheese but the instructions reference cream. I’d really like to make this but I’m not sure what to use.
There is no cottage cheese in this recipe, just cream or milk. I hope you enjoy!
When I think of breakfast casseroles, I think of family gatherings, fun times, and Sunday Brunch. This is the ideal recipe for the weekend! Yum. Yum.
I am so glad you enjoyed this so much Denay!
The thing that stood out for me was using raisin bread. It added such a unique flavor and texture. Loved it!
It really does make this casserole hit all the notes–sweet, savory, and delicious! So glad you enjoyed!
This is a keeper! Made it for a brunch bible study with friends and it was a hit! I used a brioche bread rather than cranberry walnut and it was very good! Making it again for a church brunch this time adding cranberries and cinnamon as instructed! Love it!
Hi Mary! I am so glad your bible study group enjoyed so much! It is great to use whatever bread you have on hand, but I think you will like the added sweetness of the cranberries and cinnamon. Thank you for sharing your review and enjoy your church brunch!