Cheese and Onion Bread Casserole

I’m a huge fan of cooking big ol’ casseroles during the work week. They’re easy to make and taste great as leftovers, especially packed in lunches or for busy nights when you only have time to reheat dinner.

This Cheese and Onion Bread Casserole is a vegetarian dish that combines French bread, onions, and cheddar cheese into one-dish to make a delicious, hearty meal. I used cheddar and a tiny bit of Gruyere, but you could easily substitute different cheeses in this dish.

Makes: 8 servings

Cook: 15 minutes 
Bake: 45 minutes 
Prep: 10 minutes 

Ingredients:

4 eggs
3 cups low-fat (1%) milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 loaf French bread (about 16 inches long), cubed (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions (about 1-1/2 pound) sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Whisk together eggs, milk and nutmeg in large bowl. Add bread cubes. Let mixture stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet. Add onion, sugar, salt and pepper; cook over medium-low heat until onion is very tender, 15 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 350°. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Spoon half of bread mixture into baking dish. Top with half of onion mixture. Repeat with the remaining bread and onion. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until puffed and golden. Let cool slightly before serving.