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This overnight eggs benedict casserole is the perfect make-ahead brunch! Don’t want to stand over the stove poaching eggs for a crowd? This is your easy solution. Prep the night before and bake the next morning.

A slice of Overnight Eggs Benedict Casserole on a plate topped with hollandaise sauce

Overview

  • Skill Level: Intermediate

Eggs benedict is a beloved breakfast menu item but making it at home can be a real pain – especially if you want to serve a crowd! I’d much rather spend time enjoying my guests than standing over a hot stove poaching eggs.

Enter my easy overnight eggs benedict casserole! The general idea is to combine the method of making a breakfast strata and using the ingredients that traditionally make up eggs benedict. English muffins, Canadian bacon, rich eggs, and hollandaise sauce? It doesn’t get any better than that!

Why I love this recipe

  • This casserole is easy to prepare in advance and bake the next day. This method makes a weekend breakfast or brunch very low stress.
  • Eggs benedict casserole is the perfect dish for springtime holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day.
  • English muffins are sturdy enough to hold up to being soaked in the egg mixture overnight. In fact, I prefer the delicious texture of this casserole after it sits in the refrigerator overnight.
  • All of the wonderful flavors of classic eggs benedict are put into an easy-to-make casserole.
  • This recipe includes the blender method of making hollandaise sauce making it easier than ever to make the ultra rich and extremely decadent eggs benedict staple.

What is Canadian Bacon?

Canadian bacon, also known as back bacon, is most likely not called “Canadian bacon” in Canada. It is different from what we call bacon in the US.

American bacon is made from pork belly and is a fattier cut of meat which allows for it to be cooked to a crispy texture. Canadian bacon is not crispy and is more similar to ham (which comes from even a different part of the pig – the legs or butt).

Either ham or Canadian-style bacon can be used in this recipe but it works best if you use a thicker cut rather than a thinly sliced meat.

A slice of Overnight Eggs Benedict Casserole on a plate topped with hollandaise sauce being poured on top

What is Hollandaise Sauce?

Hollandaise sauce is the one part of this recipe that requires a bit more effort. This sauce is what makes the casserole flavorful, rich, and reminiscent of a classic eggs benedict so please don’t skip it!

Hollandaise is one of the “mother sauces” in French cooking. It can seem intimidating at first because it requires making an emulsion. The traditional ingredients are egg yolks, butter, lemon juice, and typically a touch of cayenne pepper. It is silky and extremely rich with a slight tanginess.

Over the years, I have switched from making hollandaise the old-fashioned way (by whisking over a double boiler) to using Julia Child’s method of making it in a blender. If it’s good enough for Julia then it’s good enough for me! If you don’t have a blender, the traditional way is not all that difficult either. The key is to go slow as you add the melted butter and to whisk continuously.

Flavor Variation Ideas

Think of this casserole as a canvas to make all of your favorite eggs benedict flavors!

  • Florentine Benedict Casserole: Add 1- 10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach that has been thawed and drained to the egg mixture. Replace the hollandaise with mornay sauce.
  • Country Benedict Casserole: Replace the ham with cooked sage sausage. Serve with country gravy instead of hollandaise.
  • Vegetarian Benedict Casserole: Replace the Canadian bacon with your favorite cooked veggies like bell peppers, onions, spinach, and mushrooms. Sauté until lightly softened and then add to the egg mixture. Serve with hollandaise sauce.
Plate of eggs benedict casserole with a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice

FAQ

Can I bake this casserole right away?

You can skip the overnight refrigeration step and bake right away however, this dish only improves as it sits for even a few hours. The bread will absorb the egg mixture not only giving it a wonderful texture but the time allows the flavors to fully enhance. I highly suggest refrigerating it overnight!

What should I serve with this casserole?

Eggs benedict cassserole is the perfect brunch or breakfast meal. I like to serve it with crispy breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit salad, or a simple green salad.

Prep Ahead and Storage

How to Prepare In Advance: This casserole is best baked after it sits in the refrigerator overnight. The bread absorbs the egg mixture giving it the most delicious texture. However, it can be baked right after assembly if needed.

To prepare the casserole the night before, assemble as directed and place covered in the refrigerator overnight. Take out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Make the hollandaise sauce right before serving.

How to Freeze: If you would like to prepare this casserole farther than 24 hours in advance, you can freeze it raw. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and then a later of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. The day before you want to bake it, let it thaw in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Bake as directed.

Do not freeze hollandaise sauce. It should be made fresh right before serving.

How to Store: This casserole is best eaten the day it’s made however, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat the casserole in the microwave.

Hollandaise sauce is always best made fresh however, you can also store the leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Microwave slowly in 15 second increments or on low on the stovetop. You may need to add a bit more of melted butter to re-emulsify.

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you loved this delicious recipe, you might like to try another brunch recipe.

A slice of Overnight Eggs Benedict Casserole on a plate topped with hollandaise sauce
Yield: 9 Servings

Overnight Eggs Benedict Casserole

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

This overnight eggs benedict casserole is the perfect make-ahead brunch. Poaching eggs is not required! Top with a rich hollandaise sauce to serve.

Ingredients

For the Casserole

  • 6 whole English muffins
  • 450 grams (1 pound) thick cut Canadian bacon or ham *see note below
  • 10 large whole eggs
  • 227 grams (1 cup, 240 milliliters) milk, preferably whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • chives for garnish if desired

For the Hollandaise

  • 170 grams (1 ½ sticks, ¾ cup) unsalted butter
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 38 grams (2 ½ tablespoons) fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • splash of hot sauce or pinch of ground cayenne, if desired

Instructions

For the Casserole

  1. Spray a 9 x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Split the English muffins (6 whole) in half and then slice into ½ inch (1.25 cm) cubes. Pour the cubes into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  3. Cube the Canadian bacon or ham (450 grams/ 1 pound) and add half of it over top of the bread. With your hands lightly toss the bread and meat cubes to mix together and then spread evenly into the bottom of the pan.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole eggs (10 large), milk (227 grams/ 1 cup), salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (¾ teaspoon) until evenly combined.
  5. Pour the egg mixture into the casserole dish and top with the remaining meat cubes. Press down on the top of the meat to make sure that it is all submerged in the egg mixture.
  6. Cover the entire casserole dish with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. If desired, you can skip this step and bake immediately however, I feel that the texture is best if it sits for at least a few hours.
  7. About an hour and a half before serving, pull the casserole dish out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 175°C.
  9. Remove the foil or plastic wrap and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the eggs are set. Place a loose piece of foil over the top during the last 20 minutes of baking to avoid over-browning. Remove from the oven and keep covered until ready to serve and slice.
  10. While the casserole bakes, make the hollandaise sauce. Do not make the sauce in advance.

For the Hollandaise Sauce

  1. Melt the butter (170 grams/ 1 ½ sticks) and set it aside. It should still be warm when making the sauce.
  2. Place the egg yolks (6 large), lemon juice (38 grams/ 2 ½ tablespoons), salt (½ teaspoon), and a splash of hot sauce or pinch of cayenne (if desired) into a blender. Blend on high for just a few seconds.
  3. Remove the top of the blender and while blending on low, very slowly stream in the warm melted butter. The sauce will begin thickening up. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  4. Serve immediately by pouring over the individual slices of eggs benedict casserole and a sprinkle of chives. As it cools it will start to solidify. If you need to wait a bit before serving, keep it in a thermos or let it sit on the warm stove.
  5. Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

*Note about Canadian Bacon: The Canadian bacon traditionally sold in the US is fully cooked. If you live outside the US and your bacon is not already cooked, cook it before you add it to the casserole.

If you do not have a blender, you can make hollandaise the old-fashioned way by using a double boiler and whisk.

This hollandaise sauce recipe is a modified version of Julia Child's Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

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© Bettie
Cuisine: Breakfast / Category: All Recipes