If brunch if you're jam, get it:) - then check out my twisted sheet pan bacon and my Brioche French Toast Casserole.
❤️ Why You'll Love Make Ahead Breakfast Strata
🍲 Ingredients
Eggs - I use eight large eggs. That's about 1 ½ cups of eggs if you're going to be using small or medium-sized eggs.
Milk & Half and Half - You can use any type of milk you have on hand.
Greens- They add freshness and nutrition. If you use arugula, it adds a bit of pepper flavor.
Bread: A good time to use up any leftover bread you have on hand: leftover bread torn into 1-inch pieces, such as English muffins, white or sourdough bread.
Cheese: Use a good melting cheese: shredded mild melting cheese such as Gruyere, provolone, goat cheese, or Gouda.
Veggies and Meats: chopped cooked vegetables, cooked bacon ham or sausage.
👩🍳 How to Make Make Ahead Breakfast Strata
It's so easy to make, combine the ingredients, let sit overnight if you have time, and bake.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Pro tip on the difference in egg labeling. Organic eggs come from hens that eat a natural diet and aren’t given unnecessary extras. Free-range eggs mean the hens get outdoor time, but how much varies. Cage-free eggs sound nice, but the birds are still indoors—just not in small spaces. Pasture-raised is the gold standard, with plenty of outdoor space to roam and snack. Bottom line? More outdoor time usually means happier birds and richer yolks!
- This strata can be baked immediately or assembled the night before and refrigerated until baking the following morning.
- If using hearty veggies like broccoli, microwave them first to be sure they will be completely cooed in the Strata.
- Ovens vary. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until the strata is puffed, golden brown at the edges and set in the center, about 15 minutes more.
🗒 Variations
Strata recipes for breakfast vary depending on the ingredients you use. A breakfast strata is the ultimate mix-and-match dish—you can swap ingredients based on what you have on hand or are craving. The key is a good balance of bread, eggs, and mix-ins, so every bite is flavorful! Here are three classic combos:
- Ham, cheddar, and green onions – A timeless favorite with melty cheese and savory bites.
- Spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes – A Mediterranean twist with a little tang.
- Sausage, peppers, and pepper jack – A bold, slightly spicy option with tons of flavor.
🗒 Substitutions
The most common bread in breakfast Strats recipes is a day-old artisan loaf or French bread. The day-old bread gives the Strata the classic texture. Similar to a bread pudding. But they are equally as great made with the following.
- Croissants – Day-old, buttery and rich, perfect for a more indulgent texture.
- Sourdough – Adds a little tang and holds up well to the egg mixture.
- Bagels – Chewy and hearty, great for a denser bite.
- Brioche – Slightly sweet and soft, ideal for a more delicate strata.
- English muffins – Soaks up the egg mixture while keeping some texture.
- Cornbread – Adds a bit of sweetness and a crumbly texture.
- Gluten-free bread – To make a gluten free Strata, use gluten free bread.
- Leftover Crostini- Yes, I've even made it with leftover crostini, and it was delicious! See below.
🗒 Best served with:
🤔 Common Questions
Yes! A breakfast strata is a perfect overnight egg bake casserole. Strata is better when made the night before so the bread can soak up the egg mixture. Just bake it in the morning!
It should be puffed up, golden on top, and set in the middle. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. It often looks done when it isn't so best to test the middle. But it should be a soft bread pudding type consistency.
Too much liquid or not enough baking time could be the culprit. Make sure the bread-to-liquid ratio is balanced, and let it bake fully.
Cheese Strata Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup half-and-half
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 green onions sliced. White and green parts.
- 3 handfuls dark leafy greens such as spinach, arugula or baby kale, chopped (about 1 cup packed)
- 1 cup diced salty deli meat such as Canadian bacon, ham, cooked bacon or sausage. (see note for vegetarian version)
- 8 ounces about 2 ½ packed cups of leftover bread torn into 1-inch pieces, such as English muffins, bagels, or sourdough bread
- ¾ cup shredded mild melting cheese such as Gruyere provolone, goat cheese, or Gouda.
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 1 ½ quart baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, half-and-half, nutmeg, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Fold the greens, onion, meat, bread and ½ cup of the shredded cheese into the mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until the strata is puffed, golden brown at the edges and set in the center, about 15 minutes more. If you have an instant-read thermometer, you will know it's done when it reaches 160 degrees F. If you do not have an instant-read thermometer, insert a fork into the center of the dish and remove a small piece—if it is fully cooked, Note: Stratas can vary from oven to oven and dish to dish. If the center looks a little runny or unset, that’s normal—just give it another 10–15 minutes and test again. When the center is set, it’s ready. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
This strata can be baked immediately or assembled the night before and refrigerated until baking the following morning. The baking time will be longer
Lauren Lane says
The only make-ahead egg recipe you will need! Everyone loves this one.