With layers of prosciutto, provolone, and goat cheese, this is not your basic Overnight Egg Bake! Instead, this gorgeous breakfast casserole is special enough for occasions like Easter breakfast or a celebratory brunch with friends. Make it the night before, then pop it in the oven the next morning!
Maaaaaaaany years ago, a friend at work brought an egg bake into the office for a holiday brunch potluck. It didn’t take long for me to seek out this dish that made our small office smell so wonderful — it was a “fancy” ham and cheese egg bake! This Overnight Egg Bake is stuffed with prosciutto, goat cheese, and provolone, and scattered with little nuggets of crispy, buttery English muffin bread cubes. It’s wonderfully tasty, and so very pretty. The first time our oldest daughter ate it she said, “It’s like a savory baked French toast!”
Why This Overnight Egg Bake is a Family Tradition
Our family revisits this recipe again and again – we’re devoted fans of prosciutto, goat cheese, English muffins, and a really great breakfast dish in general, so it’s really no surprise. Dear friends of ours have also incorporated this egg bake into their Easter morning brunch tradition, which of course I love. It’s absolutely the perfect brunch dish, worthy of making into a family tradition!
- Breakfast casserole, all gussied up. This overnight egg bake makes for a special weekend or holiday brunch, and is the loveliest dish to serve guests at bridal and baby showers. It’s a bit “fancier” than a Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole, for example, although both get very high marks in the flavor department!
- Make-ahead. Prep-the-night-before dishes are such a great thing when hosting overnight guests, preparing for a holiday brunch or special event, or just plain enjoying a stress-free weekend morning. (That’s why I love this Overnight Baked Apple Oatmeal and Overnight Baked French Toast, too!)
- Flexible ingredients. While this recipe calls for prosciutto, goat cheese, and provolone, you can easily swap in other ingredients to suit your family’s tastes. I share some ideas for you later in this post, but feel free to make this recipe your own.
“This is the tastiest egg bake I have ever eaten!”
Barbara
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients needed for this tasty egg casserole. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- English muffin bread – This creates the base of the egg bake, plus it adds delicious crispy, buttery bites to the top. Make your own English Muffin Bread or pick up a loaf at the store.
- Prosciutto – Prosciutto is a favorite ingredient on our charcuterie boards. Some quality ham would also work well — just dice it up.
- Cheese – Equal amounts of crumbled goat cheese and shredded provolone. One’s creamy and sharp and tangy, the other’s rich and melty — they’re a fabulous combination with eggs!
- Green onions & basil – Add a pop of green and fresh flavor.
- Eggs – You can’t have an egg bake without eggs. They add protein and rich flavor, and bind the dish together.
- Milk – I use whole milk to create the custardy egg base. 2% would also work fine.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a sharp, earthy, tangy undertone that complements the other flavors.
- Salt & pepper – Simple seasonings are all this dish needs.
- Butter – Just a few tablespoons of melted butter, for drizzling over the top layer of bread cubes. This helps create an irresistibly crispy, buttery texture and flavor.
How to Make Overnight Egg Bake
Making an overnight breakfast casserole is as simple as layering the ingredients, topping them with an egg mixture, and refrigerating until it’s time to bake the next morning.
- Layer the ingredients. Add a layer of bread on the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish, followed by half of the prosciutto, half of the goat cheese, and half of the provolone. Sprinkle with half of the green onions and basil. Repeat with the second layer of bread and remaining halves of all ingredients. Slice more bread into cubes and sprinkle over the top.
- Add the egg mixture. Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper, and pour mixture evenly over the top of the dish. Then drizzle with melted butter.
- Refrigerate overnight. Cover and refrigerate the casserole overnight.
- Bake the next morning. Uncover and let the egg bake stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, while oven preheats to 350°F. Bake until the center is set. Place under the broiler if desired to crisp up the buttery bread cubes.
Tips for Success
You simply cannot go wrong with this overnight egg bake. Here are a few tips to guarantee perfection.
- Use a sturdy bread. I adore the texture and density provided by English muffin bread. However, you can use any sturdy bread you’d like in this recipe. Avoid soft breads, as they soak up the moisture from the egg mixture and turn soggy = a mushy textured egg bake.
- Don’t skip the overnight rest. Allowing the casserole to rest overnight in the refrigerator is crucial for the flavors to meld, the bread to fully absorb the egg mixture, and the cheeses to get creamy and melty. This is not the dish to make if you want to bake it right after assembly.
- Make sure it cooks fully. I can generally count on baking this for at least 1 hour, and allow for about 15 minutes more than that. Total bake time always depends on the actual temperature of the dish before putting it in the oven. Just allow time to achieve that perfect firm, baked-through texture and goodness.
- Pop it under the broiler. For a crispy top, I like to pop the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes before I pull it from the oven. I LOVE those buttery little bread nuggets on top!
Variations
The great thing about breakfast casseroles is the endless possibilities. If you’re not a fan of an ingredient, it’s generally very easy to leave it out or switch it up! Here are a few ideas of things to add to your overnight breakfast casserole, just ensure that the flavors you choose go well together:
- Breakfast sausage, crumbled and cooked
- Ham, diced
- Bacon, chopped
- Veggies like small-diced sweet peppers, jalapenos, broccoli, cauliflower, or spinach
- Another firm, sturdy bread, instead of English muffin bread
- Any type of cheese you desire
- Hot sauce or sriracha – add some to the egg mixture for a touch of heat and additional flavor
- Other herbs, such as thyme or parsley
Serving Suggestions
This tried-and-true overnight egg bake is the perfect main dish for brunch. Here are a few more make-ahead recipes that you can add to the morning table:
- Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
- Classic Deviled Eggs
- Rhubarb Coffee Cake
- Pineapple Fruit Salad with Honey Vanilla Bean Yogurt
- Fresh spring greens with Herby Lemon Vinaigrette
- Homemade Applesauce
- Breakfast Salad with Berry Yogurt Dressing
- Apple Bread
And how about a mimosa or Bloody Mary for an extra special weekend brunch?!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store any leftover egg casserole in the fridge for up to 4 days, either covered tightly in it’s original baking dish or placed in another airtight container.
- Freezer: To freeze the entire pan, cover with a tight lid or with a layer of plastic wrap followed by 2 layers of heavy duty foil. To freeze smaller portions, place in freezer-safe, airtight baggies or containers, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw fully in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Cover loosely with foil and reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through. Place under the broiler to crisp up the top if you like. Or use a microwave to heat gently in 20-30 second increments, although this will not crisp up the top.
Overnight Egg Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 to 18 slices (⅜" to ½" thick) English muffin bread (see Notes below)
- 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto or Italian speck, torn into bite-size pieces (or use some extra-good ham, small diced)
- 8 ounces crumbled goat cheese
- 8 ounces shredded provolone cheese
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 6 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Spray a 9'' x 13'' baking dish lightly with cooking spray. Then line the bottom of the dish with 1 layer of bread, cutting slices to fit if needed. Arrange half the prosciutto evenly over the bread, followed by half the goat cheese and half the provolone. Sprinkle with half of the green onions and basil.
- Top with a second layer of bread slices. Layer on the remaining prosciutto, goat cheese, provolone, green onions, and basil.
- Cut remaining bread slices into ½'' cubes to equal 2 cups of bread cubes. Sprinkle these over the top.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined. Slowly pour egg mixture evenly over the egg bake, letting it soak in. Drizzle melted butter evenly over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover egg bake and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Bake until center of egg bake is set, the edges are bubbling a bit, and the top is browned, about 60 to 70 minutes. If you want to crisp up the top even more, place under broiler for a minute or two. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut into large squares and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
This post was originally published in 2011, and updated in 2025.
Eggs Benedict for me. Love the hollandaise.
My son is raising 6 chickens and they have just began laying eggs. I have been learning many new recipes w eggs! Our fave is overnight egg bake.
Wonderful!! Eggs are so versatile, you’re going to have alot of fun with this! ;)
I love u on FB & Twitter.
Baked in a cake!
A cheddar omelette.
I shared this on FB ad twitter. I would love to have a new skillet and some eggs:)
Thanks for the chance!
My favorite way to eat eggs is with Greek seasoning…oregano, garlic, onion, mint, and feta. Yum!
Yum – the mint sounds like a great add that I don’t do – thank you, Joy!
I like to eat my eggs scrambled with caramelized grape tomatoes for breakfast!
Yum – LOVE caramelized tomatoes!! Thanks, Katie!
Luv them any way!
Scrambled with cheese or deviled! YUMM!
Scrambled with cheese is a classic favorite!
By the way – the egg bake looks great – I will have to give it a try.
Thank you!! :)
Every Christmas morning we have soft steamed eggs served with pork sausage rolled in lefse (which we make) with butter. It is incredibly decadent, but one of our most cherished food traditions of the holiday!
What an awesome tradition – sounds delicious!
I hope this is where you enter the give away.
My favorite way to eat eggs is in a Vegetable Frittata.
I saute garlic, onion, spinach, chard, and red or orange peppers in butter (land o’Lakes butter is great for that)
Mix my Land O’Lakes eggs mixed with shredded Parmesan & romano cheese, pour into the saute pan with vegs, heat until the sides are done & pop in the oven for 5 minutes.
I think this is my new favorite way to eat eggs- we had it this morning for breakfast- YUMMY!!!
So glad you liked it!! :)
i just shared your giveaway and blog on my facebook profile :)
I’ve neverbhad an egg bake before, butnthis looks absolutely delicious! I use land o lakes eggs too. I get the brown ones and they are such a pretty color. Egg shells fascinate me :)
i love eggs, but my favorite would be either a plain over easy egg with toast or in huevos rancheros.
how i like my eggs: poached on whole-grain toast–when the yolk just barely runs out on the bread, oooh yummy. also, i love a medium-soft boiled egg on a salad, with beans and rice, or again on toast!
and i like you on facebook :)