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SAVORY

Lidey Heuck’s English Muffin Bake

My grandfather used to make a simple egg casserole with white bread soaked in milk, bacon, and Swiss cheese. His original recipe is still a family favorite and inspired me to come up with my own version when I first began writing recipes. Mine is inspired by the classic bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich, and I can promise, whether you’re hosting weekend brunch, making breakfast on Christmas morning, or just trying to use up some on- their-way-out English muffins, it will be a huge crowd-pleaser. It’s a “cook-pleaser,” too, because you can assemble the whole thing the night before and bake it off in the morning. This recipe is so consistently popular on my site—and such a staple at my own house—that I had to include it here.

Photo by Dane Tashima

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

6 standard-size English muffins (from a 13-ounce package)
12 ounces good-quality lean bacon, cut crosswise into ¾-inch pieces
1 tablespoon maple syrup
12 large eggs
2½ cups whole milk
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the baking dish
¼ cup minced fresh chives or scallions
8 ounces (2 cups) grated sharp cheddar cheese

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cut the English muffins into 1-inch cubes. (Do not halve them horizontally as you would normally for the toaster.) Spread the cubes on a sheet pan and bake until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes.

Line a plate with paper towels. Place the bacon in a 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook, tossing often, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the paper towels and drizzle with the maple syrup.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.

To assemble, grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking dish with the butter. Sprinkle half the bacon, half the chives, and half the cheese into the baking dish. Add the English muffin cubes on top in one even layer. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the pan, pressing down lightly to make sure all the muffin cubes are moistened. Top with the remaining bacon, cheese, and chives. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven again to 350°F. Let the assembled dish sit at room temperature while the oven heats.

Bake until puffed and cooked through and the cheese is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

From Cooking in Real Life: Delicious & Doable Recipes for Every Day by Lidey Heuck. Reprinted by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

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