Fluffy Strata Recipe (Overnight Breakfast Casserole)
Fluffy Strata Recipe (Overnight Breakfast Casserole) – This easy make-ahead holiday breakfast is super quick to prep, then pop in the oven the next morning! It’s sure to become your go-to “special occasion” breakfast.
Overnight Breakfast Casserole
No one wants to wake up an hour early on a holiday weekend to chop and prepare breakfast.
However, most of us would agree, a rich comforting breakfast makes every occasion seem special!
That’s why I love overnight breakfast casseroles. These easy breakfast bakes are meant to be assembled the night before a holiday or event.
I always make an overnight casserole for special occasions like:
- Christmas
- Valentine’s Day
- Easter
- Kid’s slumber parties
- When friends or family comes in town
That way, I can sleep a little longer, pop the casserole dish in the oven, and casually sip my coffee as it bakes.
Strata Recipe… The Ultimate Breakfast Bake
There are all sorts and sweet and savory breakfast casseroles you can make-ahead and bake in the morning. (We’ve listed links to our favorites below!)
Yet a classic Strata Recipe is my personal favorite breakfast bake. Why?
- I generally prefer savory over sweet breakfasts.
- Stratas are SO quick to put together.
- They look extremely appealing with their crisp golden craggy top.
- You can put almost anything you like in a Strata.
- And best of all, the pillowy texture of each bite is ridiculously divine!
The crusty top and tender airy interior are created by adding one single ingredient… Bread.
Bread is used as a spongy base to absorb the eggs and dairy. When the Strata bakes, the bread stabilizes the eggs so they can rise into a souffle-like casserole that toasts brilliantly on the top.
A strata is truly a thing of beauty!
Overnight Strata
You’re wondering… Does a Strata Recipe have to set overnight? If you want to make one for dinner, do you have to start it in the morning?
HOW LONG DOES A STRATA NEED TO SOAK?
You do need to allow some time for the bread to soak up the eggs.
The bread should be fully saturated with liquid. This is faster when the bread is fresh. However, if you are repurposing a day-old (stale) loaf of bread, that is perfectly fine, but the Strata will need longer to soak.
As a general rule, you should allow the Strata to rest at least one hour before baking.
But, of course, it can rest for up to 18 hours, so it’s the perfect overnight breakfast casserole to make the night before a big family event!
What Is Strata Made Of?
The basic must-have ingredients for a strata include: Eggs, milk, bread, and salt.
However, to make an ultra-luxurious and flavor-packed Strata Breakfast Bake we’ve included a few more things in our recipe:
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Smoked Gouda Cheese
- Deli Ham
- Scallions
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Ground Mustard
- Garlic Powder
- French Bread
The blend of these two cheeses creates an intriguing richness that is balanced by the zesty notes of the scallions and roasted red peppers.
The ham can be swapped for cooked bacon or sausage. Or omitted for a vegetarian strata recipe.
How To Make Breakfast Strata (Overnight Breakfast Casserole)
It’s so easy, guys. You simply mix, fold, chill, and bake!
- Mix – Mix everything, except the bread, in a large mixing bowl.
- Fold – Fold the egg mixture into torn-up chunks of bread.
- Chill – Cover and chill until ready to bake.
- Bake – Bake for 50+ minutes, until puffy and golden.
Get the Full (Printable) Strata Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe Below!
Breakfast Strata Swaps & Add-Ins
Of course, I’m sharing my favorite Strata variation. I feel these ingredients together produce a lovely balance of savory richness and perky notes.
However, feel free to experiment with your favorite add-ins. Here are some ideas…
- Meat: Ham, cooked bacon, turkey bacon, italian sausage, cooked breakfast sausage, prosciutto, pancetta, or chorizo.
- Cheese: Cheddar, gouda, muenster, swiss, fontina, pecorino, pepper jack, feta, chevre, or even cream cheese.
- Veggies: Scallions, roasted red peppers, sauteed mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, roast garlic, asparagus tips, spinach, or kale. (Just make sure whatever you add isn’t going to release too much extra moisture into the Strata.)
- Herbs & Spices: Ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, cracked black pepper, ground cumin, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, rosemary, or basil.
What is the Difference Between a Frittata and a Strata?
These two egg recipes are actually quite different.
A Frittata is an Italian-style omelet that is started on the stovetop and usually finished in the oven. The eggs are vigorously swirled around the pan to form an eggy crust on the bottom, before the fillings are added in.
A Strata is a slow-baked egg casserole that always includes bread to stabilize the eggs as they bake.
Frittatas are usually thin and dense, while a Strata is tall and fluffy.
What Do You Serve with Overnight Breakfast Casserole?
For brunch, a Strata can be served with…
For breakfast, a side of fresh-cut fruit and a fun beverage will do! We love…
Other Frequently Asked Questions
How well does this recipe last?
This Strata Recipe makes a marvelous leftover meal! Once baked, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also wrap and freeze this overnight breakfast casserole for up to 3 months. Then thaw and reheat.
Can I use any other bread besides french bread?
Yes, any bread type will work with this recipe. You could even use a gluten free loaf if that is what your dietary restrictions allow!
More Breakfast Recipes You Can Make-Ahead
- Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
- Tiramisu French Toast Bake
- Spinach Artichoke Egg Casserole
- Greek Omelette Casserole
- Arnold Palmer Sweet Rolls
- Raspberry Sticky Buns
- 5-Ingredient Baked Omelet
Fluffy Strata Recipe (Overnight Breakfast Casserole)
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk (or half & half)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (off the block)
- 1 1/2 cup shredded smoked gouda cheese (off the block)
- 1 cup chopped deli ham
- 1 cup chopped scallions
- 3/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 12 ounce loaf french bread
Instructions
- Set out a large mixing bowl and a 9X13 inch (3 quart) baking dish. Grease the baking dish. Chop all necessary ingredients.
- In the mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, salt, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Whisk well to break up all the yolks. Then stir in the cheeses, ham, scallions, and roasted red pepper.
- Tear the bread loaf into 1-2 inch chunks and place them in the baking dish.
- Pour the egg mixture over the top of the bread. Use a spatula to fold the bread over, gently, to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover and chill until ready to bake.
- Let the strata recipe rest for at least one hour, so the bread soaks up all the eggs. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (This is a fabulous make-ahead overnight recipe, so you can also preheat the oven in the morning.)
- Bake, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden-brown and puffy in the center. Insert a sharp knife into the center to check that the eggs are set. If not, bake another 5-10 minutes. Then cool for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This is one of my favorite things to make! Our family loves this receipe
I do a bit different, smoked pork chops diced, red pepper, scallions, cheddar cheese. And a side of hollandaise sauce! Knorr mix is easy to make, but not necessary because this stratta definitely stands on it’s own. Fresh fruit bowl and your family will be happy!! Happy Mother’s Day Weekend!! PS my husband did all the chopping and prep!
I made mine with green onions, mushrooms, mini pepperoni, mozzarella and Parmesan. I left out the red pepper and the salt because of the saltiness of the Parmesan. For the bread, I used a loaf of brownberry brioche. Did everything else according to the recipe. It was delicious, but the bread made it a little heavy.
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My partner and I loved this recipe. With the price of food today, this recipe didn’t need many ingredients and cost pennies to make. I chose sausage links which added a lot of flavor. I made i5 the night before and then baked it in the morning. It was so very fluffy, I couldn’t believe what a beautiful presentation it made.
Best strata I ever made and everyone at the table felt the same. Substituted sautéed leek for scallions because I did not have scallions.
What’s the thinking about how many ounces make up a cup of cheese? I seen a lot of different answers elsewhere.
OMG… Loved it, and so easy. What’s the best way to re heat the left overs?
Thanks again :)
I’ve made this for probably 6 different events and it’s always a huge hit. People always ask for the recipe and for leftovers. This also freezes well. It’s versatile – I’ve swapped the ham for breakfast sausages, used different cheeses, made GF versions, it’s always a hit.
Can I make this without bread. We try not to eat bread. Very hard on the gut. Thank you.
Hi Ginny!
We have several other egg casseroles on our site, that do not have bread in them. However, stratas are specifically made with bread to give them a light fluffy texture.
Try these recipes as low carb options:
https://www.aspicyperspective.com/spinach-artichoke-egg-casserole/
https://www.aspicyperspective.com/egg-white-frittata-with-spinach-and-peppers/
Perfect balance of all the things! I left out the meat and went all veg substituting with chopped spinach. The best strata recipe I’ve tried and I’ve made a ton.
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This was delicious!! I’ve had similar recipes before, but loved your ratio of ingredients. The smoked Gouda just brings it to another level! Because I made it for Easter, and we had the ham pies already coming, I made it plain – just cheese. Gosh I wish there was leftovers because I could go for a piece of it now!!!
This has become my go to breakfast recipe for visiting family and friends. Everyone loves it!
A mixed fruit bowl and some mimosa’s and everyone thinks I have worked a lot harder making this dish than I have.
Made last night using some homemade croutons (unseasoned) that I keep on hand from the day old loaves of french/italian bread I pick up at the store. Normally these are handy for both stuffing and bread pudding and it was pretty convenient. I mixed the egg mixture with the bread in a separate bowl then poured the result into the pan rather than make my usual mess trying to mix this in the pan. For my fillings I went with ham, mushroom, fresh spinach, cheddar, gouda. For the seasonings I cut back on the recommended a bit. 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground mustard, 1/4 garlic powder then added 1/2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp of onion powder, 1/2 tsp of tarragon. Because of the spinach I covered this while it baked so it wasn’t picturesque but it was delicious. I added another 30 minutes for the center to be fully cooked but that could have been the result of the extra water from the fresh spinach. Thank you for the recipe.
Absolutely fabulous! This is my new go to breakfast casserole.
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Can this recipe be made with Oat milk?
I made this and it was delicious, but to get the middle cooked, I had to let the sides burn a little. I used the correct size dish, so I’m thinking maybe next time, I should use less eggs and milk?
Hi Amanda,
Interesting… I actually think there’s something going on with your oven. The sides should be golden-brown, but if they are dark and the center is still loose, I would cover it with foil while baking to preserve the edges and leave it in the oven for around 70 minutes. You can check the accuracy of your oven by hanging a new (cheap) oven thermometer off the center rack to see how far off it has strayed. Then use the calibration setting on your oven to adjust the temperature.
Same here, I cooked covered because of my toppings which should have held even more heat in but at an hour I was still 143F in the center of the strata. It was about 1:20 to be fully done for me. Next time plan for the extra time and cook covered for 1/2 the time to prevent the edges from being overdone instead of reducing the egg/milk.
I made this last Christmas for a night before/ready to bake Christmas morning breakfast and everyone loved it so much, I made another that day. It was so well liked that I decided to wait all year to make again as a traditional Christmas breakfast. Easy, loved the roasted peppers in there, filling and absolutely delicious!! Thank you for sharing!
Hi there, I would give this a 6 out of 5 if I could – it is incredibly delicious! I halved all of the ingredients because the full recipe would have been too much as we are retired and pandemicly isolated. I used a Challah bread instead of French which lent a subtle sweetness to the mixture and substituted a spicy pork chorizo for the ham. The roasted red pepper was a jar of Krinos red pepper which is ever so slightly marinated. The combination of the smokiness (cheese) , the spice from the chorizo, the sweetness from the bread and red pepper. the egg and dairy was just amazing. It rose to double its uncooked depth then sank a bit as it cooled down. Couldn’t stop eating it.
Do not use anything smaller than 9×13, or if you do you MUST cook longer.
8 eggs and 2 cups of milk would have been better, as the amount in the recipe took so long to bake through that the cheese layer was overbaked and just a chewy mass instead of melt-goodness.
I made this recipe exactly as written and it was scrumptious! Very easy to do but so impressive. When it came out of the oven, it was puffed up and golden, it was beautiful. Thank you for such a great recipe, everyone loved it and leftovers were equally yummy.
The best Christmas breakfast item ever. Altered slightly using 6 strips of bacon and 3 sausage patties in place of ham.
This looks delicious! Question – could it be made a couple of days in advance (if kept in the fridge until time to pop in the oven)?
Hi Lindsay,
Yes, you can make this 2 days in advance if needed.
Can this recipe be successful with Oat milk?
I’ll still use the cheese but a family member can’t tolerate milk/cream or soft cheeses.
It should work fine to use oat milk.
I made it with cheese, turkey sausage, mushrooms and spinach and it was sooo good!
This turned out fabulous! I added bacon and maple sausage instead of ham. Everyone loved it and wanted the recipe.
Made this today for Father’s Day brunch. It was really good. I made it with sausage, roasted red peppers, and asparagus. Will be making again in a couple weeks when the family gets together for the Fourth of July weekend!
So delicious! Made this so we could have an easy breakfast to reheat and eat this weekend!
The perfect answer to serving my big family. It was delicious!
This is delicious and love that I can make it ahead of time!
This recipe makes the perfect breakfast for a group- it’s so delicious!
Now that my crowd is home for awhile this was perfect for feeding them! So tasty and easy to make!
WOW! What a breakfast! This was such a stunner in our brunch table last week. Being able to make it beforehand made it so much easier the next day. Thanks for all the detailed information.
If I don’t have French bread, will regular sandwich bread work?
Hi Diane,
Sure, you can use sandwich bread! Happy Holidays!
This is such a great day starter! Everyone at my house loved it!
I love make ahead breakfast dishes. The Gouda in this makes it so delicious!!
YUM! This is going to be my next go to breakfast casserole!