Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Printable Version)

French bread layered with ham, turkey, Swiss cheese in sweet custard. Dusted with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

# Ingredient List:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 8 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 loaf)
02 - 8 large eggs
03 - 2 cups whole milk
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

→ Meats

08 - 1 cup cooked ham, chopped
09 - 1 cup cooked turkey, chopped

→ Toppings

10 - Powdered sugar for serving
11 - Maple syrup for serving

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with chopped ham and turkey. Spread evenly in prepared baking dish.
03 - In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
04 - Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and meat layer, pressing gently to help bread absorb liquid.
05 - Sprinkle shredded Swiss cheese evenly over the top.
06 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow bread to soak.
07 - Bake covered for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until casserole is set and top is golden brown.
09 - Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You assemble it the night before and just slide it into the oven when guests arrive, no morning panic required.
  • It tastes like a fancy diner sandwich but feeds eight people from one dish.
  • The cinnamon-vanilla custard soaks into every corner, so there are no dry bites.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Day-old bread is your friend, fresh bread turns to mush and doesn't hold its shape once baked.
  • Press the bread down after pouring the custard, otherwise the top layer stays dry and crunchy in a bad way.
  • If you refrigerate it overnight, add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time since it goes in cold.
  • Don't skip the resting step after baking, cutting too early makes it fall apart on the plate.
03 -
  • Use a serrated knife to cut the casserole into clean squares, it slices through the crusty top without squishing the custard.
  • If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil during the last few minutes of baking.
  • Let the eggs and milk come to room temperature before whisking, they combine more smoothly and bake more evenly.
  • Taste your ham before adding extra salt, some deli meats are already very salty and can throw off the balance.
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