A Very Merry Brunchmas: Overnight Eggs Benedict Casserole Recipe

It’s Day 2 of 12 Days of Brunchmas. If you haven’t tried Day 1’s bagel, check it out later! Today I finished the masterpiece of an amazing Eggs Benedict Casserole. Casseroles are fantastic when you want to make something for a crowd in advance, especially during the holidays when you just want to spend time with your family. Every Christmas Eve when I was a kid, my mom made a sausage casserole so that she could easily pull it out of the oven to feed us right after we opened our gifts from Santa.

This Eggs Benedict recipe from Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen takes casseroles to a whole new level. It transforms the brunch classic into an easy make ahead meal that can generously serve 8 people.

Hot tip 1: This isn’t a recipe you can easily take to a friend’s house. The dish needs to soak overnight before cooking, and it tastes best when you can eat it right out of the oven.

Hot tip 2: My parents are gluten intolerant, so I used Udi’s Gluten Free Biscuits. The original recipe says to dry the biscuits overnight or broil them. I found the texture was a lot better if you broil them.

What You’ll Need

• 1 12 oz package broiled or day old English muffins split in half and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 lb fully cooked smoked ham or Canadian bacon cubed (I used deli smoked ham)
• 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 2 cups half and half
• 8 large eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dry thyme
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp butter cubed
• paprika
• 1 recipe Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce OR 1.25 oz packet Hollandaise Sauce mix
• chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnishing

Instructions

• Spray an 11 x 7 deep baking dish with cooking spray. Layer 1/2 of English muffins on bottom, top with 1/2 ham and 1/2 shredded cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together half and half, eggs, salt, pepper, mustard, garlic, onion powder, thyme and nutmeg until fully combined. Pour evenly over the ingredients. 
• Using the back of a spoon gently press muffin cubes into the custard and make sure it’s evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. (Too easy!)
• To bake: Preheat oven to 350°F Remove from fridge 15 minutes prior to baking. Remove the plastic wrap and evenly dot the top with butter and sprinkle paprika. 
• Cover with foil and bake covered for 30 minutes. After that 30 minutes, bake for another 12-20 minutes uncovered until the top is golden and a knife inserted into the center comes back clean. 
• Meanwhile, if you’re feeling on top of the world make hollandaise sauce. See Melissa’s step-by-step instructions here. (I simply used this pre-packaged Hollandaise.)
• Let stand 5 minutes on counter. Drizzle with hollandaise just before serving with additional on the side, if desired. Garnish with chives or parsley.
• Enjoy!