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Copycat Bob Evans sausage gravy and biscuit casserole is a simple breakfast recipe that’ll have eaters coming back for seconds! Creamy, hearty sausage gravy is layered with biscuits and cheese to make an irresistible main course that’s ready to eat in just 1 hour. It’s the perfect little casserole for your family’s brunch, weekend breakfast, or breakfast for dinner.
Looking for more delicious breakfast recipes? Try these recipes for baked eggs or smoked salmon brunch frittata.
Quick Look: Bob Evans Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Casserole Recipe
- ⏲️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 50 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: 1 hour
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 8 servings
- 🌽 Cuisine & Heritage: American
- 🍽️Calories: 570 calories per serving (more nutritional info in recipe card)
- 🥦Dietary Info: can be made Gluten Free & Dairy Free
- 🟢 Difficulty: Easy
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Stovetop
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: flaky biscuits with creamy, hearty gravy and lots of cheese.
- 🔑Top Tip: Drain the sausage well and wipe the grease out of the skillet to prevent the casserole from being too greasy.
- 🍷 Drink Pairings: This casserole tastes best with orange juice and coffee for a hearty breakfast feast.
- ❄️ Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3-4 days. Don’t freeze, as it won’t thaw well.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tastes Better than Bob Evans’ Casserole: Do you know what I think? This recipe tastes BETTER than the original! There is no wrong way to enjoy a wonderful sausage gravy, so I feel sure this biscuit casserole would have passed muster with Bob Evans himself.
- Made with Refrigerated Biscuits: Use my copycat recipe and some simple ingredients to build a biscuit casserole. Rather than a biscuits recipe, use canned refrigerated biscuits for this easy casserole.
- Perfect for Feeding a Crowd: Bob Evans Sausage Gravy is mild in flavor which makes it great to prepare for a large group.
- Ready to Eat in 1 Hour: It’s sure to become one of your family’s favorites because it’s so quick and easy to prepare. It also re-heats well in the event you’re after leftovers!
“This casserole is an absolute delight! It’s incredibly easy to prepare, and the taste just speaks comfort! It has become a staple in our household, especially during family gatherings and brunches.”
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Bob Evans Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Casserole Recipe
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Variations & Substitutions
- How to Make Bob Evans Sausage Gravy & Biscuit Casserole
- Bob Evans Sausage Gravy & Biscuit Casserole FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
- Copycat Bob Evans Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- Pork Sausage: I highly recommned using Bob Evans brand pork breakfast sausage. We are making pork sausage gravy, but if you are unable to consume pork, feel like you may use any type or brand of roll sausages you like. (I recently found a new kind of sausage, a lean sausage, at my local farmers market. It’s quickly become among my family’s favorites, so use what resonates with YOUR eaters.)
- Canned Refrigerated Jumbo Biscuits: Refrigerated biscuits generally come 8 to a can. You’ll need to use a serrated knife to slice each raw biscuit in halve lengthwise. If you’re wondering, I do not use Bob Evans biscuits in this dish, rather a refrigerated brand that my family enjoys a little more.
- Cheddar Cheese: I highly recommend using a sharp cheddar cheese for a lot of flavor. You can switch this up if you are looking for a different flavor. Smoked Gouda or pepper jack would also be delicious options!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Want to skip assembling the casserole? Bake up the biscuits according to the package directions, then spoon the thick gravy over top and enjoy.
- Use homemade biscuits instead of refrigerated: If you have the time, homemade buttermilk biscuits or cornmeal biscuits make the casserole feel even more special.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne, a dash or two of hot sauce, diced jalapeños, or hot breakfast sausage for a little kick.
- Try a gluten-free version: Use your favorite gluten-free biscuit dough and substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (or cornstarch) in the gravy.
- Add sautéed onions or mushrooms: For extra flavor, add sweet caramelized onions with sherry or sautéed mushrooms.
How to Make Bob Evans Sausage Gravy & Biscuit Casserole
Scroll down for the full printable recipe or stick around for the step-by-step breakdown with photos to walk you through every delicious detail.
1
Brown the Sausage
Warm the canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown, breaking up large pieces into smaller pieces as you go. Cook the sausage until no pink remains. Drain the sausage onto paper toweling and wipe the skillet clean.
2
Making the Roux
Place the skillet back over the heat. Add the unsalted butter to the skillet and allow it to melt. Turn the heat to medium-high.
Next add in the flour and whisk constantly for a full minute to ‘cook out’ the raw flour taste and smell. Whisk in the milk, salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil whisking constantly for 2 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the well-drained sausage back into the pan and give everything a good stir.
3
Assembling the Casserole
Lay an even layer of 8 halves in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon half the homemade Bob Evans sausage gravy recipe over the layer of biscuits followed by handfuls of chopped green onions (at least ¼ cup).
Repeat the layers beginning with the remaining biscuit halves, the sausage gravy, remaining chopped green onions, and then finish with ¾ cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese.
4
Bake Until Golden
Pop the casserole into the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Due to the density of the sausage gravy, you need to give the biscuit halves on the bottom layer ample time to rise and bake thoroughly.
I go the full 40 minutes, or until the top is nicely golden and the gravy and cheese are bubbling. Use the 40 minutes to bake up home fries or scramble a mess of eggs. Place hot sauce on the table for those who will want to ‘heat up’ their breakfast.
5
Serve & Enjoy!
Serve hot alongside eggs, home fries or hash brown potatoes, or alone. Enjoy this delicious casserole when it’s fresh from the oven!
Bob Evans Sausage Gravy & Biscuit Casserole FAQs
Bob Evans (born Robert Lewis Evans, May 30, 1918 – June 21, 2007) was an American restaurateur who founded a restaurant chain bearing his name. Bob Evans restaurants opened across the United States beginning with their first in 1962. Both the man and his restaurants were marketers of his company’s brand of pork sausage products.
Mr. Evans made sausage on his southeastern Ohio farm initially only to serve at a small diner Mr. Evans owned in nearby Gallipolis, Ohio. Popularity mounted quickly however, and both the sausage brand as well as the Bob Evans name became synonymous with his family-style dining establishments.
Among the MANY popular items to choose from on the Bob Evans menu, the most popular breakfast item is a buttermilk biscuit topped with an egg any way and Bob Evans famous sausage, smothered in creamy country gravy, and heaps of melted cheddar cheese. It’s a literal farmhouse feast in every sense of the word.
The “secret” to Bob Evans-style sausage gravy is really its simplicity: seasoned breakfast sausage, plenty of black pepper, and a creamy milk gravy. The sausage drippings do much of the heavy lifting, creating a deeply savory, comforting flavor that you’ll love.
One of the most common sausage gravy mistakes is rushing the roux (not cooking the flour-butter mixture long enough) or adding the milk too quickly, which can make the gravy lumpy. Using very greasy sausage that hasn’t been drained, or adding too much salt, are also common mistakes.
Serving Suggestions
When I’m expecting a brunch crowd for a holiday, or having everybody to my place after church, I serve this with hash browns or oven baked home fries, and pick an easy egg style I know everybody will love.
Round out your breakfast spread with other favorites, like these creamy grits and goat cheese breakfast soufflés, smoky breakfast pizza with sunny egg, or snickerdoodle muffins with apples.
Expert Tips
- Drain the sausage onto paper toweling and wipe the skillet clean. Too much grease (as does too much salt) spoils easy recipes like this one in an instant, so be mindful to drain well and use unsalted butter in the next step.
- Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the prepared baking dish atop. There is every chance of bubble-over, so you want to preserve your oven and baking sheet by using the foil.
Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
Breakfast & Brunch
Cheddar Bay Biscuit Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Eggs
Breakfast & Brunch
Oven Baked Home Fries with Sausages and Sunny Eggs
Breakfast & Brunch
Best Southern Ham Gravy with Cheesy Biscuits and Eggs
Breakfast & Brunch
Cornmeal Biscuits with Country Sausage and Watermelon Rind Preserves
Copycat Bob Evans Sausage Gravy and Biscuit Casserole
Equipment
- 11×7-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound bulk pork sausage
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 can refrigerated jumbo biscuits, halved lenthwise, using a serrated knife to create 16 pieces
- ¾ cup green onion, rough chopped, white and green parts
- ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally spray an 11×7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line a large baking sheet with heavy gauge aluminum foil and place the prepared baking dish atop.
- Warm the canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown, breaking up large pieces into smaller pieces as you go. Cook the sausage until no pink remains. Drain the sausage onto paper toweling and wipe the skillet clean.
- Place the skillet back over heat and add the unsalted butter to melt. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the flour and whisk constantly for a full minute. Whisk in the milk, salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the well-drained sausage back into the pan and stir to combine.
- Cut the biscuits in half lengthwise to create 16 pieces (most refrigerated canned biscuits come 8 to a can). Lay 8 halves in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon half the sausage gravy over the layer of biscuits followed by ¼ cup of the chopped green onions. Repeat the layers beginning with the remaining biscuit halves, the sausage gravy, remaining chopped green onions, and then finish with ¾ cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is nicely golden and the gravy and cheese are bubbling.
- Serve hot alongside eggs, home fries, or hash brown potatoes, or alone.
Notes
- Substitutions for the pork sausage may be any type or brand of bulk or roll sausage you like.
- Drain the sausage onto paper toweling and wipe the skillet clean. Too much grease (as does too much salt) spoils easy recipes like this one in an instant, so be mindful to drain well and use unsalted butter in the next step.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Jenny,
I’m not here to critique but have a question, I see that you put raw biscuits halved on the bottom then filling and raw on top with the cheese. I’m trying to understand the reason for this. Since everything is made ahead of time, could you cut already baked biscuits in half, layer as normal add cheese then bake for a shorter length of time? Just curious if this could work? Thanks
Rick, thanks for your question! The answer is ‘yes, you can’ use fully baked biscuits in this casserole, layer everything as indicated, and refrigerate until ready to bake it. The caveat? Baked biscuits absorb moisture, while unbaked biscuits tend to absorb far less. What does this mean for your casserole if you use fully baked biscuits? Kind of a dry casserole – I know because I did it. I went this route not necessarily to test the method, but because I had a bunch of leftover scratch-made biscuits and wanted to use them. After it was said and done, it was not worth the wasted ingredients. It’s also why I specify jumbo refrigerated biscuits versus homemade. There’s no guesswork and they are reliably going to rise, and not absorb every bit of the gravy.
If, however you want to move forward with pre-baked biscuits, I will tell you the flavor will still be amazing. I would recommend doubling the gravy or at least thinning it.
Please write back if you make the casserole this way. Perhaps something you are able to share I will be able to add as a reader recommendation in the recipe card so others can have the same success as you or avoid a pitfall. Jenny 🙂
Can you make this the day before?
Cindy, yes, this casserole can be made ahead. I’ve tried two methods:
Preparing all the components in advance but waiting to assemble them until right before baking.
Preparing, assembling, covering, and refrigerating the entire casserole overnight or for several hours before baking.
I recommend the first method because, with the second method, the biscuits absorb too much moisture from the gravy, resulting in a less appealing texture when baked.
Oh, I think I found a new favorite! I loved how creamy and cheesy this turned out. I paired it with some hash browns and had the best meal in a while! I can’t wait to make it again.
Claire, what a nice comment – THANK YOU! Jenny
The biscuits soaked up the delicious gravy and it’s satisfying in every bite. The mild flavor is perfect and it paired well with hash brown on the side. Happy days!
Beth, happy days is right! So glad you liked this! 🙂 Jenny
My husband kept asking for casserole so I decided to try this recipe out. All I can say is that he absolutely loved it he almost ate it all by himself! Thanks a lot for this delicious recipe!
Tanya, way to go baking this up so good!!! Jenny
This casserole is an absolute delight! It’s incredibly easy to prepare, and the taste just speaks comfort! It has become a staple in our household, especially during family gatherings and brunches.
Kerstine, I purchased a super pretty casserole dish with fancy handles that I plan to bake this recipe in (doubled) for the Easter brunch I am hosting this year. I wasn’t going to make this, but because of the casserole dish, lol, now I am! So glad you liked this 🙂 Jenny
Best meal I’ve made so far! So happy with how it turned out because it was absolutely delicious. Good thing I doubled the recipe since everyone kept coming back for more!
Amanda, seconds??? That’s a good sign! lol x – Jenny