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With buttery layers of bread, ham, cheese, and egg, this strata recipe is great for brunches, holidays, or a yummy family breakfast!!
This strata recipe is a favorite breakfast casserole – perfect for weekends, brunches, and holiday mornings!! Other favorites include our Biscuits and Gravy Casserole and Breakfast Casserole.
We Love Strata!
But what is it? This strata recipe comes from a family friend. It’s an easy breakfast recipe. The dish gets the name “strata” because it is made up of layers that oftentimes consist of bread, eggs, and cheese. Meats and even vegetables are sometimes included.
Why we love it!
- Easy. It’s prepped in only 10 minutes!
- Overnight casserole. Just layer the casserole and let it sit (usually overnight) for an easy morning.
- Feeds a crowd. Casseroles are all great for feeding the masses.
It’s right up there with our Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole.
Ingredients
- white bread – 12 slices of white bread equal about 12 ounces. You can use a similar amount of challah, brioche, french bread, or sourdough bread.
- cooked ham – or use cooked crumbled bacon, cooked sausage pieces, or make it meatless.
- cheese – I like Monterrey Jack cheese and cheddar cheese but use your favorite cheese such as Swiss cheese, Monterrey jack, Colby jack cheese. Prepackaged cheese doesn’t melt quite as well as shredding it yourself.
- eggs
- butter
- milk
Pro Tip!
The milk should be at room temperature before adding the melted butter. Otherwise, the butter will harden up into little flakes or droplets instead of mixing with the other two ingredients – we definitely don’t want that!
A Quick Prep!
- PREP. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- ASSEMBLE. Layer half the bread, half the cheese, and then the ham into your pan. Repeat layers.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and melted butter in a bowl. Pour the egg mixture over layers.
- CHILL. Refrigerate, covered, overnight, or at least for 2 hours.
- BAKE. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes. No need to cover, but if the top is browning too quickly tent it with a piece of foil.
Recipe Tips
The breakfast strata is pretty easy to customize using some of your favorite flavors and foods.
- Veggies. Add flavor, texture, and color with some chopped bell peppers, asparagus, broccoli florets, tomatoes, mushrooms, scallions, baby spinach, or onions.
- Flavor. Sprinkle on some spices and season it to taste using garlic salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, or paprika.
- Serving suggestions. Try serving this with a Yogurt Parfait Board or Fruit Salad.
Storing Info
- Make ahead of time. Make this recipe up to 24 hours in advance.
- STORE. Cover the leftover breakfast casserole with ham or divide it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- FREEZE. To freeze the whole pan, cool then cover it tightly with plastic and again with foil. Divide leftovers into individual containers. Freeze the strata for 2-3 months.
- To reheat, let it thaw. Small portions can be heated in the microwave while larger portions should be heated in the oven. Watch the cook time and bake until warm.
For More Breakfast Casseroles:
Strata Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 slices white bread broken up – I cut mine into 12 squares each
- 1 pound ham cooked and cubed
- 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup butter melted
- 3 cups milk
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Layer half the bread, half the cheese, and then the ham into your pan. Repeat layers.
- In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, and melted butter in a bowl. Pour over layers.
- Refrigerate, covered, overnight, or at least for 2 hours.
- Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you cook it covered?
This is part of our monthly rotation and I have witnessed fights over the last few crumbs! Delicious as is…and fun to play with the cheese combinations. Definitely a keeper 🙂
So happy to hear it is a favorite!
This is my go to breakfast when my kids have sleepovers. It’s always a crowd favorite!
Great recipe and easy to make. The flavor is very tasty and moist. No worries about overcooking this one. Just add a little herbs before putting the second layer and but less butter since it has a lot of cheese. A+++
Sounds and looks great! Can’t wait to try it this weekend!!!!!
THANKS