Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Printable)

French bread soaked in cinnamon-vanilla custard, layered with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, baked to golden perfection.

# Ingredient list:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 8 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
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

# Cooking steps:

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 the 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, pressing gently to help bread absorb the 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 absorb the custard.
07 - Bake covered for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 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 advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a fancy brunch but uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your fridge.
  • You can prep it the night before and just slide it in the oven when guests arrive, no morning chaos required.
  • The sweet and savory combo feels indulgent without being too heavy, and everyone always asks for the recipe.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 15-minute soak time, I rushed it once and ended up with dry patches and soggy spots instead of an even custard.
  • Press the bread down gently but don't mash it, you want it soaked but still holding its shape so the texture stays interesting.
  • If you make it the night before, add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the covered bake time since it'll be cold from the fridge.
03 -
  • Use day-old or lightly toasted bread cubes, they soak up the custard without falling apart and give you better texture in every bite.
  • Let the casserole rest after baking, it firms up just enough to slice cleanly and makes plating so much easier.
  • Taste your ham and turkey before adding them, if they're very salty, cut back on the salt in the custard to keep the balance right.
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