Easy Baked Eggs Benedict Casserole – 50-Minute Brunch Win

I used to think eggs Benedict was a restaurant-only treat. Poaching eggs to order while hollandaise sits warm and fussy? Not on a Sunday morning with six hungry people staring at me. So I turned the whole thing into a casserole, and honestly, I may never go back.

Here's the idea: cubes of toasted English muffin soak up a creamy, mustardy custard overnight, layered with ham and eggs, then everything bakes until puffy and golden. You drizzle hollandaise over the top at the end, so you still get that tangy, buttery finish without standing over a double boiler while your coffee goes cold.

It feeds six generously, it can be assembled the night before, and it comes out of the oven looking like you tried much harder than you did. That's my kind of breakfast.

About the Ingredients

6 English muffins, split and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)

Day-old or lightly toasted muffins hold their shape best. Sourdough English muffins work beautifully if you want a tangier base.

8 oz (225g) cooked ham, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

Use thick-cut deli ham or leftover baked ham, not paper-thin slices. Canadian bacon or cooked crumbled sausage are both great swaps.

8 large eggs

Room-temperature eggs blend into a smoother custard. If you only have cold eggs, run them under warm water for a minute.

2 cups (480ml) whole milk

Whole milk gives the creamiest bake. Half-and-half makes it richer, and unsweetened oat milk works if you need it dairy-free.

1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream

This is what makes the custard silky instead of rubbery. You can sub full-fat coconut milk, but the texture will be slightly lighter.

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Dijon brings that signature Benedict tang. Yellow mustard is milder, and 1 tsp of dry mustard powder is a fine pantry substitute.

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Smoked paprika adds a warm, almost bacon-y depth. Sweet paprika works, but you will lose that smoky note.

1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper

This blend seasons the custard all the way through. Use fine sea salt if you do not have kosher, but reduce it to 3/4 tsp.

1 cup (100g) shredded Gruyere or sharp white cheddar

Gruyere melts into nutty pockets; sharp cheddar is sharper and more affordable. Either way, grate it yourself for better melting.

1/2 cup (120ml) prepared hollandaise sauce, for drizzling

Store-bought hollandaise in the refrigerated section saves time. A quick blender hollandaise (2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup melted butter) is even better.

2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or parsley, for garnish

Fresh herbs wake up the whole dish. Thin-sliced green onions are a sharp, crunchy alternative.

Tips & Tricks

• Do not skip the overnight soak. Dry muffin cubes will bake up tough and custard will pool at the bottom. Eight hours in the fridge lets every cube drink up the egg mixture so the casserole sets evenly.
• Toast the muffin cubes first if you are baking the same day. Ten minutes in a 350F (175C) oven dries them out enough to absorb custard without turning to mush.
• Pull the pan out when the center still has a tiny jiggle. It carries over and finishes setting as it rests. If you bake it until it looks fully firm in the oven, the eggs will be dry by the time you slice it.
• Warm your hollandaise gently and drizzle after baking. Hollandaise breaks over direct heat, so thin it with a teaspoon of warm water and spoon it over warm slices, not into the oven.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Toast the muffins

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C). Spread the English muffin cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes, until dry and lightly golden at the edges. This keeps them from turning to paste in the custard.

2. Whisk the custard

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, Dijon, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until completely smooth and pale yellow, about 1 minute. You should see no streaks of egg white.

3. Layer the casserole

Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread half the toasted muffin cubes in the bottom, scatter all the ham over them, then top with the remaining cubes. Pour the custard evenly over everything and press down gently with a spatula so the top layer soaks.

4. Chill overnight

Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 24. This is where the magic happens: the muffins absorb the custard and the whole pan firms up.

5. Bake until set

Let the dish sit on the counter for 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350F (175C). Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover, sprinkle the Gruyere over the top, and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until the cheese is bubbling at the edges and the center registers 160F (71C) on an instant-read thermometer.

6. Rest and slice

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. The center will look slightly puffed and barely jiggly, which is exactly right. Cut into 6 squares.

7. Finish with hollandaise

Warm the hollandaise in a small bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Spoon it over each serving, then shower with chives. Serve immediately while the cheese is still stretchy.

Delicious Variations

Smoked Salmon Benedict Bake

Swap the ham for 6 oz of flaked cold-smoked salmon and add 1 tbsp of capers to the custard. Add the salmon in the last 10 minutes of baking so it stays silky.

Spinach and Mushroom Version

Saute 8 oz sliced mushrooms and 5 oz baby spinach, squeeze out the liquid, and use them instead of ham for a meatless bake that still tastes rich.

Cheesy Hash Brown Benedict

Replace the English muffins with 5 cups of frozen shredded hash browns, thawed and squeezed dry, for a gluten-free, potato-forward casserole.

How to Store Easy Baked Eggs Benedict Casserole: A Simple Twist on a Classic Breakfast Delight

Frequently Asked Questions

Give this Easy Baked Eggs Benedict Casserole a try this weekend and let the oven do the fancy work for you. Assemble it tonight, bake it tomorrow, and watch everyone at the table assume you have been up since dawn whisking hollandaise. If you make it, tell me in the comments whether you went classic ham or smoked salmon. Small steps, big impact.

Easy Baked Eggs Benedict Casserole: A Simple Twist on a Classic Breakfast Delight

Easy Baked Eggs Benedict Casserole turns English muffins, ham, and eggs into one creamy, golden brunch bake with hollandaise on top. No poaching required.

★★★★½ 4.8 (213 ratings)

20 minPrep time45 minCook time6Servings412 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 6 English muffins, split and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
• 8 oz (225g) cooked ham, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup (100g) shredded Gruyere or sharp white cheddar
• 1/2 cup (120ml) prepared hollandaise sauce, for drizzling
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or parsley, for garnish

📋 Instructions

1. 1Toast the muffins — Preheat your oven to 350F (175C). Spread the English muffin cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes, until dry and lightly golden at the edges. This keeps them from turning to paste in the custard.
2. 2Whisk the custard — In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, Dijon, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until completely smooth and pale yellow, about 1 minute. You should see no streaks of egg white.
3. 3Layer the casserole — Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread half the toasted muffin cubes in the bottom, scatter all the ham over them, then top with the remaining cubes. Pour the custard evenly over everything and press down gently with a spatula so the top layer soaks.
4. 4Chill overnight — Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 24. This is where the magic happens: the muffins absorb the custard and the whole pan firms up.
5. 5Bake until set — Let the dish sit on the counter for 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350F (175C). Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover, sprinkle the Gruyere over the top, and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until the cheese is bubbling at the edges and the center registers 160F (71C) on an instant-read thermometer.
6. 6Rest and slice — Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. The center will look slightly puffed and barely jiggly, which is exactly right. Cut into 6 squares.
7. 7Finish with hollandaise — Warm the hollandaise in a small bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Spoon it over each serving, then shower with chives. Serve immediately while the cheese is still stretchy.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: A 9×13 glass dish gives you the most even bake here, and if your oven runs hot, tent the top with foil for the last 10 minutes so the cheese does not scorch before the center sets.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American

Course: Breakfast

Nutrition (per serving): 412 kcal · 24g protein · 28g carbs · 22g fat

Written by Maya Chen

Maya writes about sustainable living and zero-waste practices, focusing on small, actionable changes for everyday life. She shares practical tips from her own experiments in reducing plastic and food waste.