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Breakfast Casserole for Two

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 12, 2011

Time

35 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Breakfast Casserole for Two

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch pieces6 tablespoons heavy cream 4 large eggs ⅛ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper 2 scallions, sliced thin½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Before You Begin

You can substitute an equal amount of shredded Swiss, Gouda, or pepper Jack cheese for the cheddar.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Cook bacon in 8-inch nonstick, ovensafe skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
  2. Add half of bread to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl and toss with untoasted bread.
  3. Whisk cream, eggs, salt, and pepper in another medium bowl until smooth. Stir in bacon, scallions, and cheddar. Add egg mixture to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat, using spatula to scrape bottom of pan, until eggs are just beginning to set, about 1 minute. Fold in bread and lightly pat mixture into even thickness. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Serve.
Breakfast Casserole for Two

Breakfast Casserole for Two

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

35 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 tablespoons heavy cream
4 large eggs
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 tablespoons heavy cream
4 large eggs
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, chopped
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 tablespoons heavy cream
4 large eggs
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

When we used fresh sandwich bread in our Breakfast Casserole for Two, it dissolved into nothingness in the oven. Toasted bread held up better, but tasters complained that it was too crunchy. We split the difference and used half fresh and half toasted sandwich bread. To speed up the cooking process, we started the casserole in a skillet and finished it in the oven. We also cranked up the heat in the oven to further speed things along. Because our casserole didn’t sit overnight, we were left with a bland breakfast: The flavors hadn’t had time to meld. To boost the flavor, we toasted our bread in some reserved bacon fat left over from frying our bacon.

Before You Begin

You can substitute an equal amount of shredded Swiss, Gouda, or pepper Jack cheese for the cheddar.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Cook bacon in 8-inch nonstick, ovensafe skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
  2. Add half of bread to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl and toss with untoasted bread.
  3. Whisk cream, eggs, salt, and pepper in another medium bowl until smooth. Stir in bacon, scallions, and cheddar. Add egg mixture to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat, using spatula to scrape bottom of pan, until eggs are just beginning to set, about 1 minute. Fold in bread and lightly pat mixture into even thickness. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Serve.

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