Sausage Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole
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Sausage crescent roll breakfast casserole is delicious and filling. It features a buttery crescent roll layer topped with crisp sausage, tender veggies, fluffy eggs and savory cheese. A favorite for Easter and Christmas morning, it’s an ideal dish for a potluck or Sunday brunch.
📌 Pin Sausage Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole
If you’re looking for an easy make-ahead breakfast to feed a crowd, this is it! Assemble and bake the casserole the evening before. In the morning, loosely tent the baking dish in aluminum foil and rewarm it in the oven.
Some recipes suggest assembling the casserole, refrigerating it overnight, then baking it in the morning. But this is not what I recommend. The crescent roll base can become soggy and not properly crisp when baked. And it will take longer to bake the casserole in a cold baking dish.
For the freshest make-ahead taste with the best texture, grate the cheese, cook the sausage and veggies, then refrigerate everything in separate containers. The next morning just assemble the sausage crescent roll casserole in 5 minutes then bake. It’s so quick and easy.
Comforting, cozy and satisfying, this breakfast casserole is popular on holiday mornings like Easter and Christmas. But because it’s so delicious and simple to make, it deserves to be enjoyed year round.
Similar to a quiche, it’s an appropriate meal for brunch or dinner. Plate individual servings with berries, or sliced fruit like melon, cantaloupe, pineapple, mango or watermelon. On the table include a basket of warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas. Just like Grandma would do.
🛒 Ingredients
- Breakfast Sausage: I prefer Jimmy Dean pork sausage – it comes in a roll. But you can also use sausage links – just remove the meat from the casings and discard the casings. Instead of pork, feel free to use chicken or turkey breakfast sausage, or even lean ground beef.
- Onion: I use a sweet onion, as it contributes a sweet/savory flavor to the casserole. But feel free to use yellow or white onion instead. If no fresh onion on hand, use shallots or 1 teaspoon onion powder.
- Red Bell Pepper: Adds color, crunch and flavor. But feel free to use any color bell pepper. For a Mexican vibe, use a poblano pepper instead.
- Garlic Cloves: Add a rustic earthy bite to the breakfast casserole. If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, use 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Fresh Spinach: Adds substance as well as color, texture and flavor.
- Crescent Dough Sheet: I used a refrigerated 8-ounce tube of Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheet. But if you can’t find this product, use a tube of refrigerated crescent rolls dough. Just pinch the seams of the dough together to create a crescent dough sheet.
- Cheddar Cheese: I used mild cheddar cheese. But you can also use Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and Colby Jack. Or combine one or more of these with mozzarella or Swiss cheese.
- Large Eggs: Hold the ingredients in the casserole together.
- Half-and-Half: Adds rich flavor and moisture. It lightens up the breakfast casserole so it’s not too dense.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Freshly-cracked Black Pepper: Has a complex flavor profile. It adds a touch of heat that’s so delicious.
- Green Onion: We use it to garnish the sausage crescent roll breakfast casserole. It adds bright color and freshness. But if you don’t have it on hand, use fresh Italian parsley or fresh thyme leaves instead.
📖 Recipe Steps
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage for about 5 to 6 minutes until there’s just a slight amount of pink. As the meat cooks, break it into crumbles with a wooden spatula. Drain off excess fat – this is important as we don’t want a greasy casserole. Return the pan to stovetop. Add in bell pepper, onion and garlic.
- Cook sausage and veggies for 2 to 4 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked and getting a bit crisp, and the veggies are tender.
- Remove the pan from heat. Add in the spinach. Stir to combine. Set the pan aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, and salt and pepper until the mixture is light and frothy. Set the bowl aside.
- Open the crescent sheet tube. Carefully unroll the dough. Arrange it inside the prepared baking dish, spreading it out so it fully covers the bottom of the baker. Seal any perforations. Sprinkle half the cheese cheese over the dough.
- Spoon the sausage mixture over the crescent dough and cheese. Spread it out into an even layer.
- Pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the surface of the sausage crescent roll casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is fully set. If the surface becomes brown too soon, tent the dish with aluminum foil. To check for doneness, slip a knife into the middle. It should come out clean. Remove from oven. Let the casserole set for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with green onion before serving.
🧑🏼🍳 Recipe FAQ
These are the most commonly-asked questions for achieving the BEST sausage crescent roll breakfast casserole, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
Try sautéed mushrooms, cooked crispy bacon bits, diced tomatoes, diced poblano peppers, diced nopales, a can of Ortega fire-roasted diced green chilies (with the liquid drained off), minced jalapeño, a pinch of red pepper flakes, sliced black olives, or diced pan-fried ham.
Use a plant-based sausage, or swap out the sausage for 8 ounces of diced mushrooms. Use delicious veggies like spinach, onion, garlic, and a bevy of colorful bell peppers.
When properly stored, it can last up to 3 days in the fridge. Once the casserole has cooled, tightly cover the top of the baker with aluminum foil and refrigerate. For leftovers, transfer sliced squares of casserole to a shallow airtight container or kitchen zip-top bag and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Let the refrigerated casserole sit out on the counter for 20 minutes to shed off the cold. Tent the baking dish with aluminum foil. Reheat for 20 minutes or until warmed through. To reheat leftover squares, rewarm in the oven or in a skillet on stovetop to keep the crust crisp. If rewarmed in a microwave the crust will be limp.
It’s not recommended. The crescent roll layer will become soggy which is not the desired texture. Instead, refrigerate and enjoy within 3 days.
🍳 More Easy Breakfast Recipes
When planning a Sunday brunch, these are the recipes you need. Each is a time-tested favorite that’s requested by family again and again.
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Breakfast Pizza
- Chile Relleno Casserole
- Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs
- Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Homemade Sausage Egg McMuffin
- Bacon Egg Cups
- Lemon Blueberry Crepes
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Flavor testers rated this the BEST sausage crescent roll breakfast casserole. They loved the rich savory taste and delicious mouthfeel. They appreciated the addition of veggies for more color, texture, flavor and nutrients.
If you agree this is a must-make dish for Sunday brunch, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends on Facebook. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.
Sausage Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole
- Total Time: 55 Minutes
- Yield: 12 Servings 1x
Description
Sausage crescent roll breakfast casserole is a favorite make-ahead dish for potlucks, holidays and Sunday brunch. It features savory sausage, veggies, eggs and cheese over a buttery crescent-roll crust.
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (like Jimmy Dean pork sausage roll)
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce roll) Pillsbury crescent dough sheet
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 10 large eggs
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon sea salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onion, for garnishing
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baker.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage for 5 to 6 minutes or until there’s just a slight amount of pink. As the meat cooks, break it into crumbles with a wooden spatula. Drain off excess fat – this is important as we don’t want a greasy casserole. Return the pan to stovetop. Add in bell pepper, onion and garlic.
- Cook sausage and veggies for 2 to 4 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked and getting a bit crisp, and the veggies are tender. Remove the pan from heat. Add in the spinach. Stir to combine. Set the pan aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, and salt and pepper until the mixture is light and frothy. Set it aside.
- Open the crescent sheet tube. Carefully unroll the dough. Arrange it inside the prepared baking dish, spreading it out so it fully covers the bottom of the baker. Seal any perforations. Sprinkle half the cheese cheese over the dough.
- Spoon the sausage mixture over the crescent dough and cheese. Spread it out into an even layer. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the surface.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is fully set. If the surface becomes brown too soon, tent the dish with aluminum foil. To check for doneness, slip a knife into the middle. It should come out clean. Remove from oven. Let the casserole set for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with green onion before serving.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
How to make a vegetarian casserole: Use a plant-based sausage, or swap out the sausage for 8 ounces of diced mushrooms. Use delicious veggies like spinach, onion, garlic, and a bevy of colorful bell peppers.
How to store the casserole: Once the casserole has cooled, tightly cover the top of the baker with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To store leftovers, slice the casserole into squares. Transfer the squares to a shallow airtight container or a kitchen zip-top bag with the air pressed out and refrigerate.
How to reheat make-ahead breakfast casserole: Preheat oven to 350°F. Let the refrigerated casserole sit out on the counter for 20 minutes to shed off the cold. Tent the baking dish with aluminum foil. Reheat for 20 minutes or until warmed through. To reheat leftover squares, rewarm in the oven or in a skillet on stovetop to keep the crust crisp. If rewarmed in the microwave the crust will become limp.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 45 Minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Breakfast Casserole 👉🏻Join the Convo
Have you ever tried making this easy breakfast bake? Was it for Easter or Sunday brunch? What are your favorite sides to serve it with? Share your thoughts on this sausage crescent roll breakfast casserole in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you.
