Best Breakfast Strata Recipes

EASY BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage with pepper and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, place sausage mixture over bread. Sprinkle with cheese., In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard and milk; pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats., Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

THE ULTIMATE BREAKFAST FOR DINNER: SAUSAGE AND SPINACH EGG STRATA

Steps:

• Defrost the spinach in the microwave, and then wring out any excess liquid.
• Heat the EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown and crumble the spicy breakfast sausage, and then remove the crumbles to a plate. Return the skillet to the heat. Reduce the heat a little and melt the butter. To the skillet, add the onions and garlic and cook to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Then add the spinach and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Turn off the heat and combine with the sausage bits.
• Arrange half of the bread in a casserole dish.
• Whisk the eggs with the milk, Dijon and some salt and pepper.
• Scatter half of the sausage-spinach mixture over the bread, top with half the cheese, pour over half the eggs, repeat. Cover and store in the fridge.
• Bring the strata to room temperature for about 30 minutes before you bake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the center of the oven.
• Set the casserole on a baking sheet and bake uncovered 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in sausage. Cook and stir until sausage is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease.
• Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Spread butter on the inside of each English muffin half. Arrange buttered English muffins in the prepared baking dish; top with half the sausage, half the Cheddar cheese, and half the mozzarella cheese.
• Whisk eggs, sour cream, and green chilies together in a large bowl; pour evenly over sausage and cheese layer. Top with remaining sausage, Cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Cover and chill for 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake strata in the preheated oven until lightly browned and set in the middle, about 35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Generously grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir sausage until crumbly and completely browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked sausage to the prepared casserole dish.
• Cook and stir mushrooms in the same skillet over medium heat until liquid has been released and mushrooms are lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes; drain.
• Mix mushrooms, eggs, bread, milk, Cheddar cheese, ham, spinach, flour, mustard powder, salt, butter, and basil together in a large bowl; pour over sausage. Cover casserole dish and refrigerate, 2 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center of the strata comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.

BROCCOLI, MUSHROOM, AND CHEESE BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a medium bowl and allow to cool. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the skillet and saute the mushrooms until they release all of their water, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Spray an oval baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread cubes in the dish. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, egg whites, milk and mustard until incorporated. Add mushrooms, onion-garlic mixture, broccoli, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, and salt and pepper and stir to incorporate. Pour mixture over bread, making sure liquid saturates bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap from strata and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until top forms a light brown crust.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND BREAKFAST SAUSAGE STRATA

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon, until brown, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often until golden brown, about 6 minutes more. Set aside.
• Whisk the half-and-half, Parmesan, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
• Layer half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the Muenster cheese, followed by the sausage-onion mixture. Cover with the remaining bread cubes and pour the half-and-half mixture evenly over top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (This can also be assembled the day of; just let soak at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.)
• On the day of baking, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Remove the plastic and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Muenster cheese. Bake until slightly puffed and just no longer jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

GREEN CHILI AND CHORIZO BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Butter 8-cup soufflé or baking dish. Sauté chorizo in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to plate lined with paper towels; drain well.
• Whisk next 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Place 2 bread slices in bottom of prepared dish. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese and half each of chilies, cilantro and chorizo. Pour 1/3 of egg mixture over. Repeat layering with 2 bread slices, 3/4 cup cheese and remaining chilies, cilantro and chorizo. Pour half of remaining egg mixture over. Top with 2 bread slices. Pour remaining egg mixture over and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cover; chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake strata uncovered until puffed and golden, about 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

FRENCH ONION BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Rub a small splash of olive oil across an 8-inch baking dish, or equivalent.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, onion dip mix, and milk. Add the eggs and whisk well again. Arrange the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Very slowly, drizzle the liquid mixture over the bread and sprinkle with the cheese. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.
• When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center. Bake the strata, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes, until the egg is set and puffy and the edges are golden brown. (Cut into it to be sure it is well cooked.)
• Serve the strata warm, drizzled with a bit of olive oil and sprinkled with chives.

MAKE-AHEAD SPINACH AND MOZZARELLA BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper; continue to cook for 1 minute more. Stir in spinach, remove from heat, and set aside.
• Spray the inside of a 3-quart (9x13-inch) baking dish with cooking spray. Layer the bottom of the dish with 1/3 of the bread cubes. Top with 1/3 of the spinach mixture and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat these layers twice more with remaining bread, spinach mixture, and cheese.
• Combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk together until blended. Pour evenly over the bread and spinach layered in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours, up to 1 day.
• Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to allow pan to get to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving.

MOM'S BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the torn bread in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the mushrooms and green bell pepper evenly over the bread layer. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with remaining bread pieces, then layer with the onion and ham. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Whisk together eggs and milk; pour over the entire pan. Cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake covered for 35 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until top is evenly brown.

BREAKFAST STRATA WITH COUNTRY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Brush a large gratin dish with some of the oil.
• To cook the sausage, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until it begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and red and yellow bell peppers and saute until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.
• To assemble the strata, place half of the bread cubes in the prepared gratin dish and top with half of the sausage mixture. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the grated cheese over the sausage mixture and top with the remaining bread cubes and sausage.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, sage, and parsley in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the custard over the strata. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Let the chilled strata stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Bake the strata for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese; continue baking until the strata is puffed and golden brown, an additional 20 to 25 minutes. (If the top of the strata starts to get too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.) Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve hot or warm.

BASIL BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• The day before, mix milk and wine in a shallow bowl and dip slices of bread and gently squeeze out most of the liquid. Place layer of bread in a 12" round corning ware dish or whatever your favorite casserole dish Cover bread layer with ham slices (if using), then arugula leaves dipped in the olive oil, then cover with some of the cheese, tomato slices, drizzle with pesto Repeat layers until dish is full. Beat eggs with Salt and Pepper and pour over layers. Cover and refrigerate overnight In the morning, pull out of the refrigerator and let container warm to room temperature (to prevent your dish from breaking in the oven when exposed to the heat) Drizzle with half and half and bake until browned for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. The sides should start to bubble. Pesto: 2 cups fresh basil leaves ½ cup fresh mozzarella ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup pine nuts 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced Salt and fresh ground black pepper Combine basil and pine nuts in food processor a few times, slowly add olive oil in a constant stream. Stop and scrape down the sides of food processor with rubber spatula. Add grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 1 cup.

PROSCIUTTO-PESTO BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine milk and wine. Dip both sides of bread in milk mixture; squeeze gently to remove excess liquid. Layer bread slices in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Sprinkle with basil and parsley; drizzle with oil. Layer with half of the cheese, half of the prosciutto and all of the tomatoes; drizzle with half of the pesto. Top with remaining cheese, prosciutto and pesto., In a small bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper until blended; pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove strata from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

OVERNIGHT MEXICAN BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Cook and stir chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan. Add onions to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in poblano peppers and bell pepper; cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and return chorizo to the skillet.
• Lightly grease a 3-quart rectangle or oval casserole dish. Spread 1/2 of the bread into the prepared dish and top with 1/2 of the chorizo mixture. Repeat with remaining bread and chorizo.
• Whisk eggs, milk, oregano, and paprika together in a large bowl. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and sausage. Cover and chill, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until an instant-read thermometer pressed into the center reads 170 degrees F (degrees C), 30 to 45 minutes more. Sprinkle with queso fresco during the last 5 minutes of baking. Let stand for 10 minutes and sprinkle with cilantro.

SMOKED SALMON BREAKFAST CASSEROLE (STRATA)

Steps:

• Butter 13x9 baking dish.
• Arrange broccoli and half of green onions evenly over bottom of dish. Sprinkle with smoked salmon, Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese pieces and remaining half of green onions. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.).
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Mix eggs, milk, baking mix, salt and pepper in blender until smooth (or in bowl using beaters).
• Pour batter over salmon mixture.
• Bake casserole until just set in center, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

JAN'S HAM AND EGG BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Grease a 9x12-inch baking pan with butter. Combine Cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese in a bowl.
• Remove and discard bread crusts. Arrange 1/2 the bread on the bottom of the pan. Top evenly with 1/2 the ham and then 1/2 the cheese mixture. Repeat layers of bread, ham, and cheese mixture.
• Combine eggs, milk, onion salt, and dry mustard in a bowl. Pour over layers in the baking pan, cover, and refrigerate strata 8 hours to overnight.
• The next morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove strata from the refrigerator and uncover.
• Combine corn flakes and melted butter in a bowl and pour evenly over strata.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let strata sit for 10 minutes before serving.

BREAKFAST STRATA WITH SPINACH AND MUSHROOM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on 2 large baking sheets and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through drying time. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side using 4 tablespoons of butter; set aside. (Note: I used Smart Balance® with just a thin coating on each slice).
• Heat 3 1/2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots and mushrooms until shallots become fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add spinach to skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach and shallots are combined, about 3 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside.
• Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, 3 to 4 minutes; set aside.
• Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter.
• Arrange half the buttered bread slices, buttered-side up, in single layer in dish. Spread half of spinach mixture, then lay half of the cheese evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; spread remaining spinach mixture and the remaining cheese evenly over bread.
• Whisk eggs in medium bowl until combined; whisk in reduced wine, half-and-half, 2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers; cover surface flush with plastic wrap, weigh down (see note, below), and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 60 to 65 minutes (or about 50 to 55 minutes for halved recipe). Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; serve.
• NOTE: By weighing down the strata, all of the bread is able to soak in the custard. To weigh down the assembled strata, two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic-covered surface, make ideal weights. A gallon-sized zipper-lock bag filled with about 2 pounds of sugar or rice also works. This recipe halves easily; use one 8x8-inch baking dish greased with only 1 tablespoon butter and reduce the baking time as directed in step 8.
• A word about substituting fat-free half-and-half: The second time I made this recipe, I used fat-free half-and-half. The strata was soggy, not like the original recipe, even though I baked it longer. I think the custard needed more fat from the half-and-half in order to set properly.
• If you try this with fresh spinach, cook it first, squeeze it dry, then use it in place of frozen.

BASIL BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk until foamy. Beat in milk until blended; beat in salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Place bread cubes in baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Pour egg mixture over top, pressing lightly to moisten bread. Using spoon, swirl pesto through mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap; bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until strata is puffed and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Cut into squares.

PAULA DEEN'S BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
• In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender; set aside. Spread English muffins with cream cheese. Layer English muffins, Canadian bacon, tomatoes, red peppers, 2 cups cheese, and onion into prepared baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, chives, salt and pepper. Pour over layers. Cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 cups cheese. Bake uncovered for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Garnish with fresh tomato slices and fresh parsley, if desired.

BREAKFAST STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Fold in the croutons and semihard and semisoft cheeses and set aside.
• In a small skillet, sauté the prosciutto until golden and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the prosciutto from the skillet and let it cool on a plate lined with paper towels. Pour the drippings that remain in the skillet into a 9 × 13-inch baking dish, using a spatula to spread the oil until the dish is lightly coated.
• Add the cooled prosciutto and the green onions and sun-dried tomatoes to the crouton mixture. Gently fold the ingredients until they are evenly distributed. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish and pat it down. (The croutons should form a bumpy surface.) Top with the Parmesan.
• Bake for 35 minutes, rotating the pan after 20 minutes. Bake until the top of the dish is very brown and the middle is springy. Let the strata cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• The strata tastes best the day it is prepared; otherwise, the croutons become soggy.