This Croissant Breakfast Casserole is filled with savory sausage, tender bell peppers, and plenty of melted cheese. Buttery croissants soak up the egg mixture while the top bakes until golden brown, making this an easy breakfast or brunch for a crowd!

A metal spatula lifting a serving of breakfast casserole made with croissants, sausage, diced bell peppers, and melted cheese from a white baking dish.

Quick Snapshot:

  • Total Time: About 55 minutes
  • Pan Size: 9×13 baking dish
  • Best Tip: Bake until the ggs are just set in the center
  • Perfect for: Meal prep; breakfast for a crowd; brunch

Some mornings, making breakfast for everyone feels like making four different meals before you’ve even had coffee…am I right?

This croissant breakfast casserole puts sausage, eggs, peppers, and melted cheese into one dish, so you can get a hearty breakfast on the table without standing at the stove flipping or scrambling individual servings.

You can cook the sausage and pepper ahead of time, and morning prep gets even easier! And to be sure this breakfast casserole using croissants bakes up with just the right amount of texture and flavors, I tested this dish three different times to ensure you’re getting a quality recipe.

And if love hearty breakfasts like this, you’ll love this sausage and hashbrown breakfast casserole and egg white frittata. Both are easy to customize and perfect for meal prep!

A baked breakfast casserole with croissants, sausage, peppers, and melted cheese in a white rectangular dish, served with coffee and croissants.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Croissants: You’ll need six large croissants, cut into quarters. I use store-bought ones for conveinence.
  • Ground sausage: I used mild Italian sausage. Breakfast sausage would also work, though it will give the casserole a different flavor.
  • Red bell pepper: Cooking the pepper first softens it and brings out its sweetness.
  • Swiss or Gruyère cheese: Both melt well, so it just depends on your preference. Gruyère has a nuttier flavor, while Swiss is more mild and often less expensive.
  • Eggs and milk: Eggs hold the casserole together, and a little milk keeps the filling tender. 
  • Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper give the eggs lots of flavor.
A platter of croissants with bowls of raw ground meat, shredded cheese, diced red bell peppers, a pitcher of milk, a carton of eggs, and a small dish of seasonings.

How to Make Egg Croissant Breakfast Casserole:

  • Prepare the dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange the quartered croissants in an even layer.
  • Cook the sausage and pepper: Brown and crumble the sausage in a large skillet, then drain it. Cook the diced pepper in the same skillet for about five minutes, adding a tablespoon of olive oil if the pan needs it. Transfer both to a large bowl.
  • Mix the filling: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, two cups of cheese, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the sausage and pepper and stir to combine.
Browned ground meat cooking in a light-colored skillet.
A metal whisk in a glass bowl filled with pale yellow eggs speckled with black pepper.
Diced red bell peppers cooking in a speckled frying pan.
  • Assemble: Pour the filling evenly over the croissants. Gently press down on the pieces so they’re coated with the egg mixture, then sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top.
  • Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the top is golden and the eggs are just set in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
A glass bowl containing a yellow, whisked egg mixture with small pieces of red bell pepper and meat.
Pieces of cubed croissants in a white rectangular baking dish.
A white rectangular baking dish filled with a breakfast casserole of cubed croissants, crumbled sausage, diced red peppers, and shredded cheese.

Can You This Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole Ahead of Time?

Yes! I would cook the sausage and bell pepper the day before and refrigerate them in a covered container. You can also shred the cheese (if you’re not using the bagged kind) and cut the croissants ahead, too. In the morning, whisk the egg mixture, assemble the casserole, and bake as directed.

Note: I haven’t tested refrigerating this casserole fully assembled overnight. Because croissants soften as they sit in egg mixture, prepping the components separately is the best make-ahead option for this recipe.

Tips and Tricks:

  • Spread the croissants evenly: This helps the egg mixture reach every piece instead of pooling in one spot.
  • Drain the sausage: Leaving excess grease in the filling can make the bottom of the casserole oily.
  • Press the croissants down gently: You want them coated with the egg mixture without flattening them completely.
  • Check the center before removing the dish: It should look set rather than wet or liquid. 
  • Let it rest before slicing: Those 10 minutes give the filling time to settle and make serving easier.
A baked breakfast casserole with sausage, red peppers, and melted cheese in a white ceramic dish.

Variations:

  • Try breakfast sausage: Swap it for the mild Italian sausage for a more classic breakfast flavor.
  • Change the cheese: Use all Swiss, all Gruyère, or another kind all together.
  • Add spinach: Cook it first and squeeze out excess moisture before adding it to the sausage mixture.

Storage and Reheating:

  • Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot. For a larger portion, cover it with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven until heated through.
A serving of sausage, egg, and croissant breakfast casserole on a white plate with a fork and a cup of coffee.

FAQs: 

Do I need to use day-old croissants?

No! Fresh or day-old croissants can be used here. Day-old croissants may hold their shape a little better after the egg mixture is added.

Why is my casserole still wet in the middle?

The center takes longer to cook than the edges. If it still looks liquid after the suggested bake time, continue baking for a few minutes at a time and check again. Keep it loosely covered with foil if the top is already golden.

What to Serve With This Breakfast Bake:

This hearty casserole pairs well with fresh fruit or a simple fruit salad.

For a bigger brunch spread, add:

A metal spatula lifts a serving of cheesy breakfast casserole with sausage and red peppers from a white baking dish.

If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below, share a photo with me on Instagram (tag @pumpkin_n_spice), or save this recipe to Pinterest so you can make it again whenever the craving hits!

More Easy Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love:

A baked breakfast casserole with sausage, red peppers, and melted cheese in a white ceramic dish.
Gayle Bialas

Croissant Breakfast Casserole

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This Croissant Breakfast Casserole is filled with savory sausage, tender bell peppers, and plenty of melted cheese. Buttery croissants soak up the egg mixture while the top bakes until golden brown, making this an easy breakfast or brunch for a crowd!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 large croissants, cut into quarters (I used the store-bought ones found in the bakery sections of the grocery store)
  • 1 pound ground sausage (I used mild Italian sausage)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2½ cups shredded swiss or gruyere cheese, divided
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2½ cups milk, any kind (I used 2%)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add quartered croissant to the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage until browned. Drain, pour into a large bowl, and set aside.
  3. If needed, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan and cook the diced pepper for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add cooked peppers to sausage mixture.
  4. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, 2 cups of shredded cheese, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture into sausage mixture and stir to combine.
  5. Then pour the mixture evenly over the top of croissants. Lightly press down to ensure each croissant is saturated with the egg mixture. Top with remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese.
  6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or golden and eggs are just set in the middle. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • See my tips and tricks for making this casserole above the recipe box.

Did you make this recipe?

Mention @pumpkin_n_spice or tag #pumpkin_n_spice!