Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Casserole

Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Casserole turns day-old cornbread into a hearty breakfast with maple sausage, breakfast sausage links, eggs, cheese, chives and a small amount of maple syrup. Keeping the cornbread in large chunks lets it absorb the egg mixture while leaving plenty of cornbread recognizable after baking.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast casserole with cornbread, cornbread breakfast casserole, cornbread casserole, leftover cornbread breakfast casserole, leftover cornbread recipe, sausage breakfast casserole

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Resting 10

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 524kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

baking dish 9x13 (23 x 33 cm). For assembling and baking the casserole.
large skillet For cooking the onion, ground maple sausage and breakfast sausage links.
mixing bowls (large), For whisking the egg and dairy mixture.
whisk For thoroughly mixing the eggs, cream, milk and seasonings.
Cutting board and knife. For preparing the onion, chives and cooked sausage links.

Ingredients

cooking spray
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
⅓ cup (~50 g) diced yellow onion
1 lb (454 g) ground maple pork sausage
6 oz (170 g) pork breakfast sausage links about 7 links
6 large eggs beaten
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
4 cups (~600 g) leftover cornbread broken into large chunks (homemade or store-bought)
1⅓ cups (150 g) shredded Italian-blend cheese divided
2 tbsps (6 g) finely chopped fresh chives or green onions
1 tbsp (20 g) pure maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
cooking spray
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer the onion to a plate and set aside.
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, ⅓ cup (~50 g) diced yellow onion
Add the ground maple pork sausage to the same skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking the sausage into crumbles, until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess grease if necessary, then combine the sausage with the cooked onion.
1 lb (454 g) ground maple pork sausage
Cook the breakfast sausage links in the same skillet according to package directions, turning as needed, until fully cooked. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces.
6 oz (170 g) pork breakfast sausage links
Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, salt and black pepper together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
6 large eggs, 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt, ½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
Arrange half of the cornbread chunks across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Reserve ⅓ cup (about 38 g) of the shredded cheese for the top.
4 cups (~600 g) leftover cornbread
Distribute half of the remaining cheese, chives, sliced sausage links and ground sausage-onion mixture over the cornbread. Place some of the sausage and cheese between the cornbread chunks so the filling is distributed throughout the casserole.
1⅓ cups (150 g) shredded Italian-blend cheese, 2 tbsps (6 g) finely chopped fresh chives
Add the remaining cornbread chunks, followed by the remaining ground sausage mixture, sliced sausage links, chives and cheese.
Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the casserole, allowing it to run between the cornbread chunks. Drizzle the maple syrup evenly over the top.
1 tbsp (20 g) pure maple syrup
Bake for 20–25 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved ⅓ cup (about 38 g) cheese over the top and continue baking for about 10 minutes, or until the center is set and reaches 160°F (71°C). Total baking time should be approximately 30–35 minutes.
Let the casserole rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Day-old cornbread works best because it has had time to dry out some. You can also make the cornbread the night before specifically for this casserole.
Keep the cornbread in large chunks instead of crumbling it. This helps the pieces stay together as they absorb the egg mixture.
Some cornbread will remain exposed above the egg mixture. That’s fine and gives those pieces a chance to brown in the oven.
Using both ground maple sausage and sausage links gives you two different textures. You can use one type of breakfast sausage instead if preferred.
Cornbread, sausage and cheese vary by recipe and brand, so the nutrition information is an estimate.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Noble Pig makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition