Our Best Breakfast Casseroles

Weekend guests? Create a bagel bar for Saturday's breakfast, then grab a couple of bagels to make this strata for Sunday morning.

This versatile casserole starts with eggs, hash browns and milk. Add in whatever meats you have on hand—such as bacon or sausage—and cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese for an easy casserole that can be served at just about any meal.

This easy broccoli-bacon-Swiss cheese strata is called a breakfast casserole, but it would satisfy for any meal of the day.

South Dakota chef Doug Hanson shared this make-ahead recipe from his grandmother. "You can't go wrong with eggs, cheese and bacon," he says.

Egg bread, extra egg yolks and half-and-half take a trusty diner classic to new levels of splurge. (Trust us, you won't regret going along for the ride.) Both the French toast and berries need to rest overnight, so this is an ideal make-ahead brunch dish. The recipe comes from The Birchwood Cafe Cookbook (University of Minnesota Press, $29.95).

Former Midwest Living Creative Director Geri Boesen credits her mother-in-law, Patsy, for creating this easy sausage-and-cheese brunch recipe, a popular food at family holiday gatherings. "It's nice because you can make it the day ahead and put it in the fridge overnight," Geri says.

With just 180 calories per serving, this meal is lighter than many breakfast casserole options. But it combines favorite flavors including ham, eggs, cheese and potatoes.

Green chiles and shredded cheese lend Southwest flavor to this hearty breakfast casserole that you can prepare the night before and bake in the morning.

Swiss cheese, plump tomatoes, tender zucchini and herbs flavor this rich breakfast bake. Bonus: You can make it a day ahead and bake it in the morning.

Cumin, garlic and fresh cilantro season eggs and potatoes in this quick and easy casserole. Garnish with salsa and sour cream.

Asparagus, bacon and roasted red sweet peppers update a classic breakfast casserole mix of eggs, bread and cheese.

You couldn't ask for an easier (and more crowd-pleasing) brunch dish than our nutty make-ahead French toast. Thanks to the sugary, butterscotch-y topping, you don't even need syrup. Balance the sweetness with a dollop of yogurt.

The combination of croissants, bacon and cheese create an indulgent make-ahead treat for breakfast or brunch. Croissant pieces fit into the baking dish like a puzzle.

A crunchy, pralinelike layer tops this easy, make-ahead brunch dish layering raisin bread and pieces of sausage patties.

This brunch recipe comes from Carol Mortensen of Flossmoor, Illinois. "The best part is preparing it the night before to bake in the morning," she says.

This lighter version of a classic brunch dish uses ground turkey sausage, skim milk, light sour cream and reduced-fat cheese to cut down on fat and calories. You can make this up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate until baking.

Cream cheese is the secret ingredient in this casserole, which gets a generous topping of blueberry or maple syrup. The recipe comes from Turkey Run Inn at Turkey Run State Park in east-central Indiana.

This hearty brunch casserole features Italian sausage, purchased Alfredo sauce, hash browns, mozzarella cheese, oven-ready lasagna noodles and cottage cheese.

You can assemble the cheesy Herbed Egg-Potato Bake up to two days ahead and refrigerate it.

These veggie-filled rectangles are an easy way to fix eggs for a crowd. And with only 84 calories and 2 grams of fat each, they're a healthful way to start the day.

Crumbled prosciutto or bacon seasons this cheesy casserole.