This easy sausage gravy breakfast casserole takes everything you love about classic biscuits and gravy and bakes it into one comforting dish. With savory sausage, creamy homemade gravy, and golden biscuits on top, it's simple, hearty, and guaranteed to please a crowd.
What makes this version special? You get all the down-home flavor of traditional sawmill gravy, but without standing over the stove at the last minute. The biscuits bake right on top, soaking up all that rich gravy flavor, which means you can pull the whole casserole out of the oven piping hot and ready to serve.
It's the kind of dish that feels old-fashioned and cozy but is surprisingly easy to make with just a handful of pantry staples. Like my brioche french toast breakfast casserole, it’s perfect for a holiday brunch, lazy weekend breakfast, or feeding overnight guests.
If you love this, you might also enjoy my make-ahead sausage and grits casserole or my Southern sausage bread; two more crowd-pleasing breakfast favorites.
A quick look at the recipe
- Cuisine Inspiration: originally called sawmill gravy, it originated in the mountains of southern Appalachia
- Number of Ingredients: 5 not counting salt and pepper
- Feeds: 8
- Total Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Primary Cooking Method: stove top and baking
- Key Flavor: hearty, savory spicy sausage flavor with a mild milk-based gravy, and biscuits
- Skill Level: Beginner
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
Let's talk ingredients: what you need, what you can swap, and how to make it work with what's in your pantry. These are the main ingredients; the full list is waiting down in the recipe card.
- Breakfast sausage can generally be purchased next to bacon at the grocery store. It comes in a roll wrapped in plastic. I prefer regular, but you can also use hot or sage flavors.
- Butter, flour, salt, pepper, and milk are used to make the gravy base. There is nothing fancy here.
- Refrigerated biscuits – choose your favorite brand that has eight biscuits per can.
How to make this recipe for Sausage Gravy Breakfast Casserole
This is a summary of the steps; the complete directions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 oven-proof casserole dish with butter, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the sausage to a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces with a fork or potato masher. Cook and stir until it is cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and transfer it to the casserole dish. Leave any grease in the skillet.
- To make the roux, add the butter to the skillet; when it is melted, add the flour, salt, and pepper. Use a whisk to stir and let this mixture cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the milk slowly while whisking. Continue whisking until the gravy bubbles and is smooth with no lumps. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the gravy begins to thicken.
- Remove the pan from the heat and pour over the sausage; stir until all of the sausage is coated with the gravy.
- Place the biscuits on top of the sausage gravy. Bake for 25 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked through and golden brown on top.
- Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately with your favorite breakfast side dishes.
Menu suggestions
Because this sausage gravy casserole is so filling, I like to serve it with light sides such as my ambrosia or frozen fruit salad. You can also pair this hearty casserole with a light and refreshing fruit salad cocktail for balance.
Recipe FAQs
Cook the flour long enough to remove the raw taste, and whisk constantly for smooth, lump-free gravy.
If you use regular breakfast sausage and don’t season it properly, sausage gravy can be pretty bland. Be sure to taste it before serving, and add additional salt and pepper if needed. You can also use a flavored breakfast sausage, such as sage or hot.
Use whole milk and let the gravy simmer until it naturally thickens; if needed, cook it a few extra minutes.
– This dish is best served immediately after it is made. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
– To reheat the leftovers, add them to a baking dish, cover them, and warm them in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes or until they are warmed through.
– If you want to freeze the leftovers, remove and discard the biscuits. Freeze the leftovers for up to three months. Before serving, let them thaw, add fresh biscuits, and bake as directed.
Pro tips for the best results
- This dish is best served while hot right out of the oven.
- A whisk is your best friend when making gravy. Whisk, whisk, and keep on whisking until your gravy is smooth and lump-free.
More breakfast casserole recipes you will love
Here is a link to all of my breakfast recipes if you need more menu ideas.
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Best Sausage Gravy Breakfast Casserole (Easy)
Equipment
- 9×13 oven-safe casserole dish
- Whisk
- Large non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 refrigerated canned biscuits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 oven-proof casserole dish with butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the sausage to a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces with a fork or potato masher. Cook and stir until it is cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and transfer it to the casserole dish. Leave any grease in the pan.
- To make the roux, add the butter to the skillet; when it is melted, add the flour, salt, and pepper. Use a whisk to stir and let this mixture cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the milk slowly while whisking. Continue whisking until the gravy bubbles and is smooth with no lumps. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the gravy begins to thicken.
- Remove the pan from the heat and pour over the sausage; stir until all of the sausage is coated with the gravy.
- Place the biscuits on top of the sausage gravy. Bake for 25 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked through and golden brown on top.
- Serve immediately with your favorite breakfast side dishes.
Sharon Rigsby
This is my go-to breakfast when we have company, and I want to give them a proper Southern breakfast.
Laura
Looks delicious. When you say it can be assembled the day before does that mean I can place the biscuits on and store overnight?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Laura, I’m sorry for the confusion. You can make the gravy the day before, but I would wait to assemble it until right before you bake it. I do hope you enjoy it.
All the best,
Sharon