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    Home » Breakfast

    Italian Sausage and Egg Casserole

    Published: Feb 25, 2023 · Modified: Mar 7, 2023 by Mamma C · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    pinnable image for Italian sausage and egg casserole

    You'll love this Italian Sausage and Egg Casserole featuring bell peppers, red onion, Fontina and Parmesan! It's low-carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly. It's the perfect breakfast for a crowd, make-ahead brunch recipe or breakfast-for-dinner idea!

    sausage and egg casserole in glass pan with slice missing

    I had to do it. I had to take one of our favorite dinners and turn it into an Italian sausage breakfast casserole featuring eggs, peppers, onions, Fontina and Parmesan.

    Oh, yes, my friends.

    If you love my Baked Sausage, Peppers and Onions, you must try this breakfast bake! And guess what? It's a sausage and egg casserole without bread, so it happens to be low-carb, keto-friendly and gluten-free!

    We all love it. Whenever I make it, my hubby may or may not hover near the oven asking "Is it ready yet?"

    Recipe ingredients

    crumbled sausage, peppers, onion, cheese, eggs, milk, oil, seasonings

    Italian Sausage: Buy ground sausage in a package or ask the butcher to grind it for you. Otherwise, you’ll have to take the casing off of sausage links and break up the meat.

    I always use sweet Italian sausage and recommend it for serving to guests. You can use hot Italian sausage, but keep in mind, not everyone can handle spicy-hot dishes.

    Bell Peppers: I love the sweetness of orange, yellow, or red bell peppers, but you can use green ones if you prefer. You just need two.

    Onions: Red onions taste delicious here, with a hint of sweetness. But feel free to substitute Vidalia onions (also sweet) or white onions, which are milder.

    Fontina: Fontina is a rich and creamy, semisoft cheese with a mild, buttery, nutty flavor. I love it and also use it in my Broccoli au Gratin.

    But you can use Swiss cheese instead.

    Parmesan Cheese: I prefer freshly grated Parmesan for better texture and flavor, but you can use canned Parmesan if that's what you have.

    Milk: Use whole milk or 2% milk. If you want, you can use half and half for extra richness.

    How to make a sausage and egg casserole

    See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.

    Prep the sausage, peppers and eggs

    sausage in pan, peppers in pan, draining cooked peppers, bowl of beaten eggs
    1. Brown the sausage crumbles in a 12-inch skillet (affiliate link).
    2. Sauté the chopped peppers and onions.
    3. Drain the vegetables in a colander (affiliate link) and pat them dry with paper towels.
    4. Beat the eggs and whisk them with milk.

    Assemble the breakfast casserole

    assembling the sausage, peppers, cheese and egg casserole
    1. Place the cooked sausage in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan (affiliate link).
    2. Stir in the drained peppers and onions.
    3. Add the grated Parmesan and Fontina cheeses.
    4. Pour the egg mixture over the top.

    Bake the sausage and peppers casserole, uncovered, until it's set and lightly browned on top.

    baked sausage and egg breakfast casserole in pan

    Recipe tips

    • Drain the cooked peppers and onions well and pat them dry so the casserole isn’t soggy.
    • Feel free to use leftover sausage, peppers, and onions that you cooked for dinner! Just remove the casing from the meat and chop everything up, pat it dry and add it cold to the casserole pan.
    • Store leftovers covered with foil instead of plastic wrap so there isn’t extra moisture.
    slice of egg casserole on plate with fork

    What to serve with it

    This Italian sausage egg bake makes an excellent brunch dish or breakfast-for-dinner recipe. For breakfast or brunch, serve it with Oven-Roasted Potatoes and Italian Strawberries.

    For dinner, it's perfect with The Best Italian Green Salad and a side of Homemade Italian Bread, if carbs aren't an issue.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can you make this sausage and egg casserole in an 8x8 pan?

    Sure! Just halve the ingredients and bake as directed.

    Can you make this ahead of time?

    You can assemble this low-carb breakfast casserole up to 24 hours in advance before baking it. Store the unbaked casserole covered in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.

    Can you freeze it?

    I haven't tried freezing this sausage and egg bake. I suspect it would turn out soggy when thawed, since there is no bread in it to absorb the liquid.

    More recipes like this

    • Italian Peppers in Oil
    • Asparagus Frittata
    • Baked Arugula Frittata
    • Basted Eggs
    • Italian Zucchini Bake

    Enjoy!

    If you try this Italian Sausage and Egg Casserole recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!

    portion of sausage and egg bake on plate with fork

    Italian Sausage and Egg Casserole

    You'll love this Italian Sausage and Egg Casserole featuring bell peppers, red onion, Fontina and Parmesan! It's low-carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly.
    4.50 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Go to Collections
    Course: Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner
    Cuisine: Italian-American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 371kcal
    Author: Mamma C

    Ingredients

    • 2 medium red, yellow or orange bell peppers
    • 1 cup chopped red onion
    • 8 ounces Fontina cheese
    • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (divided use)
    • 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage (see notes)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/16 teaspoon salt
    • 1/16 teaspoon pepper
    • 1/16 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 8 extra-large eggs
    • 1 ½ cups milk (2% is fine.)
    US Customary - Metric
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    Instructions

    • Lightly grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
    • Rinse and dry the peppers and cut the stems out. Cut each pepper in half, then in half again. Remove the seeds and membranes. Then slice the peppers and chop them into pieces about ½ inch long. Set them aside.
    • Peel and chop the onion (start with 1 medium one) and measure out 1 cup of chopped onion.
    • Shred the Fontina on a box grater (or you can partially freeze the cheese and then throw it in your blender to grate it).
    • Place the crumbled sausage in a 12-inch skillet and break it up with a wooden or plastic spoon. (If you are starting with sausage links instead of crumbled sausage, cut the links in half and use a small, sharp knife to remove the casings. It will be easier to break the meat up with your hands than trying to do it with a spoon.)
    • Turn the heat on medium high to brown the sausage. Stir the sausage often until it is no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage to your baking pan.
    • In the same skillet, and keeping the small amount of sausage fat that there, add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat it on medium high. Add the onions and peppers and give them a stir. Lightly sprinkle on the salt, moving from the top to the bottom of the pan in rows. Sprinkle on the black pepper and garlic powder, again covering all of the veggies.
    • Sauté the peppers and onions, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, or until they are tender. Transfer the veggies to a colander in the sink to drain. Use paper towels to carefully pat them and absorb excess liquid. Then transfer the drained peppers and onions to your baking pan and stir them into the sausage.
    • Stir the Fontina and 1 cup of Parmesan into the sausage and peppers.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs well. Then, whisk in the milk. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage and peppers. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Bake, uncovered for 40 minutes, or until the top is set and browned a bit, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    • Let the casserole rest for five minutes before cutting into it and serving. Store leftovers in the fridge, covered with foil (not plastic, because that will create too much moisture). Use within four days.

    Notes

    • If you don't see ground Italian sausage in the meat department, try asking your grocer's butcher for it. Otherwise, you'll have to buy the links and remove the casing to crumble the meat.
    • You can assemble this up to 24 hours in advance before baking it. Store the unbaked breakfast casserole covered in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
    • This recipe can be halved for an 8x8 pan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 869mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1166IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 355mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!

    (Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C. Originally published on June 1, 2016 and updated now with new photos and additional information. Photos by Kanyi Muraguri for Cooking with Mamma C. )

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    Baked Sausage, Peppers and Onions »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Merry

      June 03, 2019 at 11:06 am

      It is! I have tried several egg casserole recipes and this is one of the best hands down!!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 04, 2019 at 9:41 am

        I always love hearing compliments like that! I hope you'll check out my other recipes too.

        Reply
    2. Merry

      June 02, 2019 at 9:01 pm

      Love this recipe! I ketoized it by using green peppers, added spinach and substituted heavy cream instead of milk! It is awesome!

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 03, 2019 at 9:38 am

        Hi Merry - I'm so glad you loved this breakfast casserole! It's a great keto option.

        Reply
    3. Melanie

      February 13, 2019 at 8:39 pm

      Hi! How much do we use of the garlic powder, salt & pepper? Thank you, I'm excited to cook this tonight as soon as I hear back!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        February 13, 2019 at 8:57 pm

        Hi Melanie - I never measure. I just use a regular salt shaker and lightly sprinkle it on. I use more garlic powder and pepper -- just sprinkle it on. You almost can't go wrong! Enjoy.

        Reply
    4. [email protected]

      June 01, 2016 at 3:35 pm

      5 stars
      Happy Birthday, Mamma C! Only 2 but so grown up!! You know how I feel about your blog...like I'm back at (my) Mema's! I am certain my maternal gram's kitchen smelled as delicious as I imagine yours does! Thanks for this wonderful recipe.... There's nothing like a good breakfast casserole! 🙂

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 01, 2016 at 3:44 pm

        What an honor, Annie! I love hearing that. xoxo

        Reply
    5. Meeta

      June 01, 2016 at 2:56 pm

      I am having a brunch this weekend so this is a great idea!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 01, 2016 at 2:58 pm

        I hope you enjoy it, Meeta!

        Reply
    6. Georgina Ingham | Culinary Travels

      June 01, 2016 at 2:42 pm

      5 stars
      This looks like a great weekend brunch dish. So many great flavours going on.

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 01, 2016 at 2:53 pm

        I will tell you a secret, Georgina. It's not only great for breakfast/brunch. I've even served it to my family for dinner! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Megan Marlowe

      June 01, 2016 at 1:59 pm

      Happy 2nd birthday! It's my blog's 1st birthday so we're birthday buddies! ? This sausage and pepper casserole looks delicious! Can't wait to try it for breakfast!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 01, 2016 at 2:09 pm

        Happy Birthday, Megan! Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    8. Brandon

      June 01, 2016 at 1:57 pm

      YUM! I've made something similar with bacon, but I love the idea of using Italian sausage. Perfect for a crowd!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 01, 2016 at 2:08 pm

        Bacon would be delicious too! This is definitely a crowd pleaser.

        Reply
        • Michele

          November 10, 2017 at 1:06 am

          A Christmas morning tradition in our house! I have made it several ways... breakfast sausage, bacon, both together, toss in some shredded hash browns, , 9x13 pan and pampered chef brownie pan (for the picky people who want certain things in it... brownie pan is nice to customize for each individual)!

          Reply
          • Mamma C

            November 10, 2017 at 9:27 am

            I have one of those brownie pans with the dividers. I love the idea of being able to customize the servings! Thanks for sharing your variations, Michele!

    9. Cookilicious

      June 01, 2016 at 1:34 pm

      I would love to try the vegetarian version of this recipe..the casserole looks inviting!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 01, 2016 at 1:38 pm

        You might try using one each of yellow, red, and orange peppers for a nice combination here.

        Reply
    10. Cindy Gordon (@VegetarianMamma)

      June 01, 2016 at 1:23 pm

      I am always looking for new breakfast casseroles to make. This sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        June 01, 2016 at 1:28 pm

        Thanks, Cindy. I bet it would still be delicious if you made a vegetarian version without the sausage. 🙂

        Reply
        • Cindy Gordon (@VegetarianMamma)

          June 01, 2016 at 1:33 pm

          Yes, I bet it would! I seriously LOVE breakfast casseroles! YUMMMM

          Reply
        • Jessica

          January 17, 2018 at 12:56 pm

          5 stars
          What are the nutrient values? Cal carb et

          Reply
          • Mamma C

            January 17, 2018 at 3:32 pm

            Jessica, I currently don't provide nutrition information for my recipes, because it's difficult to be accurate. I'm on the lookout for ways to do that going forward. In the meantime, you can try a free online source like Cronometer.

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    I'm Andrea, also known as Mamma C. I share family-tested recipes from my Italian-American kitchen. I hope you'll visit often! Read More…

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