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This easy Overnight Breakfast Strata recipe is made with cheese and spinach to create a delicious, fluffy breakfast casserole that is perfect for a holiday breakfast or weekend brunch.
Whether you think of a Strata like a savory bread pudding or an impressive breakfast casserole, it is a dish that I love turning to when entertaining for breakfast or brunch.
While a Breakfast Strata will make your guests swoon and you look like a 5-star chef, they are easy to prepare. Not to mention, just like French Toast Casserole and Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole, strata must be prepared in advance, making entertaining in the early morning, easy-peasy!
Reasons to Love this Breakfast Strata
- Impressive Results Made with sharp cheese, a creamy rich egg custard, spinach, peppers, and onions, this hearty breakfast casserole is fluffy, savory, and satisfying.
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipe. Any time you can assemble breakfast ahead of time is an added bonus! Because this strata is best assembled at least 8 hours in advance, it is perfect for entertaining, a holiday breakfast, or a lazy weekend brunch.
- Customizable. While this breakfast strata is delicious when prepared as written, it is also highly customizable. You can add cooked meat, use different vegetables, or swap out the cheeses to make this strata the way you like it.
- Festive Holiday Brunch Recipe. Made with green spinach and red pepper, this strata is festive (and delicious enough) for Christmas breakfast or brunch, especially when paired with a Christmas Fruit Salad.
Notes on Ingredients
- Bread: Use sourdough, French, or Italian bread for this strata. This is a great recipe to use slightly stale bread.
- Spinach: Use frozen, defrosted spinach for best results.
- Roasted Red Peppers: Roasted red peppers add a nice pop of color, along with a nice sweet, slightly smokey flavor.
- Butter: Feel free to use olive oil in place of the butter if desired for sauteeing the onions, peppers, and spinach.
- Onions: Use a yellow onion, not a sweet onion or red onion, for the best results in this strata.
- Cheese: Using both parmesan and Swiss cheese (or gruyere cheese) adds a sharp, robust flavor to this strata and pairs well with the spinach and roasted pepper peppers.
- Nutmeg: A bit of grated nutmeg will add warmth to the egg casserole, yet you will not realize its presence.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard will add a nice tangy flavor to the strata that will help cut through the richness of the cheese and cream. You can use whole-grain mustard in place of Dijon mustard, but not yellow mustard.
- Milk + Heavy Cream: Using a combination of milk and cream make this strata rich and creamy without being overly heavy. Feel free to use all milk if desired, keeping in mind that the results won't be as creamy. Any fat percentage of milk works in this recipe.
Ways to Adapt this BreakfastStrata
- Add Meat. If desired, feel free to layer crumbled cooked bacon, cooked breakfast sausage, diced ham, or diced Canadian bacon to the strata along with the bread and cheese.
- Swap the Veggies. If desired, you can omit the spinach, onions, and roasted red peppers and use vegetables of your choice. Sliced mushrooms, fresh bell peppers, shallots, and fresh asparagus tips, are all great options. Keep in mind it is best to saute fresh vegetables before adding them to the strata.
- Use a Different Cheese. Feel free to experiment with changing the variety of cheese in this breakfast casserole. Sharp cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese works well in place of the Swiss cheese, as does crumbled feta cheese in place of the parmesan.
- Make it Gluten-Free. Use your favorite gluten-free bread to make this breakfast strata gluten-free.
How to Make a Breakfast Strata
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One. Cube the bread. No matter what type of bread you are using, it is best to cut or rip the bread into 1 to 2-inch cubes. This will make the breakfast casserole easier to eat and allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture.
Step Two: Cook veggies and/or meat of choice. This Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Strata is my favorite strata variation. But regardless of the vegetables or meat you opt to add to your strata, it is best to add sauteed vegetables and fully cooked meat, like crisp bacon or crumbled and cooked breakfast sausage for the best texture and flavor.
Step Three: Prepare eggs. The eggs are what hold this strata together and give it the texture of a savory bread pudding. Simply whisk the eggs with the cream, milk, and seasonings.
Step Four. Layer the Strata. The trick to ensuring that every bite is perfectly seasoned and the ingredients are distributed evenly throughout the strata is to layer the casserole in thirds. Layer a third of the bread cubes on the bottom of the pan and top with a third of the spinach mixture. Top with a third of the cheese and repeat the layers two more times. Pour the egg mixture all over the strata, distributing the mixture evenly.
Step Five: Refrigerate. After assembling the strata, it is crucial to give time for the bread to absorb the egg mixture and the flavors to marry together. Refrigerate the casserole between 8-24 hours before baking.
Step Six: Bake. After chilling, bake the strata until it is slightly golden and the eggs are set and fluffy.
Serving Suggestions
A Breakfast Strata is an obvious choice for brunch or a holiday breakfast, especially when paired with sour cream coffee cake, cheese danish, fruit salad, and homemade lattes. However, I also love serving this strata for dinner with spinach bacon salad or strawberry spinach salad. Any way you opt to serve it, your guests will love this strata!
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes to Love
- Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole
- Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Instant Pot Breakfast Casserole
- Easy Egg Casserole with Green Chiles
If you tried this Breakfast Strata, I would love for you to leave a comment and review.
Breakfast Strata
This easy Overnight Breakfast Strata Recipe is made with cheese and spinach to create a delicious, fluffy breakfast strata that is perfect for a holiday breakfast or weekend brunch.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes
Refrigerate: 8 hours hours
Total Time: 9 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 327kcal
Author: Kristen Chidsey
Ingredients
- 1 (10-ounce) package chopped frozen spinach, defrosted
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion minced
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 2 roasted red peppers diced
- 2 cups milk any fat percentage
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 9 large eggs
- cooking spray or butter for pan
- 8 cups cubed Sourdough, French, or Italian bread ~½ pound of bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups Gruyere or Swiss Cheese shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
Place defrosted spinach into a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out all the excess liquid over the sink. Set aside.
In a large skillet, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion, along with a pinch of salt and pepper to season, and sauté on medium heat until soft, about 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Once the onion has softened, remove the skillet from the heat, add in the drained spinach and chopped roasted red peppers,, and stir into the onion and butter mixture. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg together until well combined.
Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Layer a third of the bread cubes on the bottom of the pan and top with a third of the spinach mixture. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the Gruyere cheese and ⅓ of the parmesan cheese over the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers two more times in the same order.
Pour the egg mixture all over the strata, distributing the mixture evenly. Use your hands to gently push the bread into the egg mixture if needed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a 9x13 baking dish or 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
Remove plastic wrap from casserole, and bake uncovered, for 20 minutes. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or until browned on the sides and puffy in the center.
Let cool slightly and then slice and serve the strata.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Storage: Store leftover baked and cooled strata, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave in 30-second intervals on a heat-safe plate or reheat the entire casserole covered with foil in a 350-degree for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through.
Milk/Cream: Feel free to use half in half to replace both the milk and cream. Alternatively, omit the heavy cream and replace it with milk.
Flavor Variations:
- Add Meat. If desired, feel free to layer crumbled cooked bacon, cooked breakfast sausage, diced ham, or diced Canadian bacon to the strata along with the bread and cheese.
- Swap the Veggies. If desired, you can omit the spinach, onions, and roasted red peppers and use vegetables of your choice. Sliced mushrooms, fresh bell peppers, shallots, and fresh asparagus tips, are all great options. Keep in mind it is best to saute fresh vegetables prior to adding them to the strata.
- Use a Different Cheese. Feel free to experiment with changing the variety of cheese in this breakfast casserole. Sharp cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese works well in place of the Swiss cheese, as does crumbled feta cheese in place of the parmesan.
- Make it Gluten-Free. Use your favorite gluten-free bread to make this breakfast strata gluten-free.
Nutrition
Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 940IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 315mg | Iron: 2mg
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About Kristen Chidsey
Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Teresa F
So easy to make and delicious. The best part is this is such a time saver! Great recipe!Reply
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Teresa! Anything that can be made in advance for brunch is a bonus!
Reply
Sharon
This was so convenient and super easy and packed with flavors. New favorite.Reply
Kristen Chidsey
So happy to hear you enjoyed, Sharon! Thanks for sharing.
Reply
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