strata

The flavors of French onion soup get repackaged into a hearty, cheesy strata (a.k.a. savory bread pudding) in this filling breakfast casserole that's just as appropriate for lunch or dinner. The secret: more bread, less liquid.

French Onion Strata (Savory Bread Pudding) Recipe

For the Caramelized Onions:

(45 grams) unsalted butter,

Spanish onions (about 2 1/2 pounds; 1kg), thinly sliced

sugar

salt

garlic, minced

thyme leaves

(60 milliliters) dry sherry

(120 milliliters) dry white wine

For the Strata:

eggs

(830 milliliters) half and half or whole milk

(22 milliliters) smooth Dijon mustard

(15 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce

(5 milliliters) fish sauce (optional)

black pepper

(8 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese

For the Caramelized Onions: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat, then add onions, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring every few minutes, until onions have softened, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook, stirring frequently and keeping skillet uncovered, until onions are deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes; if onions threaten to burn at any point, stir in a tablespoon or two of water as needed, and/or lower heat. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute longer. Add sherry and wine and cook until liquid has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, for the Strata: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spread bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until bread is dry but not browned, about 8 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half or milk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Add dried bread and let soak in custard for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Butter a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and add half of bread. Scatter half of caramelized onions and half of cheese all over. Layer remaining bread on top and scatter remaining onions and cheese over. Drizzle any remaining custard all over, then bake until bread is crisp and custard is just set, about 35 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Delicious Overnight Breakfast Casserole with bacon, green onions, bell peppers, and cheese.

Overnight Breakfast Casserole

egg bread (or any type of bread will work, cubed)

crispy bacon (crumbled (or 1 cup diced ham))

green onions (sliced)

red bell pepper (finely diced)

grated cheese (cheddar works well)

milk

dry mustard (salt & black pepper)

Cube bread and leave out overnight or place in the oven at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes to dry slightly. (Do not brown or toast it).

Combine eggs, milk, &amp; seasonings.

Layer 1/2 of the cubes in a greased 9×13 pan. Top with 1/2 of the bacon, green onions, red peppers and cheese. Repeat layers one more time.

Pour egg mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 3 hours).

Remove from fridge and let sit on the counter while preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered with foil 45-55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (If you are baking 2 pans increase cooking time to 60-80 minutes).

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/uR5z592L.mp4

This easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole is quick to prep in the evening and then baked up fresh and delicious in the morning!  Cheese, bacon, bell peppers and green onions are layered with bread and soaked in a seasoned egg mixture.  This is the perfect meal to serve on a holiday morning or for guests.

Spinach And Pancetta Strata

olive oil

pancetta,

onion,

(10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

garlic cloves,

nutmeg

Parmesan

Spinach and Pancetta Strata

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a bowl. Add the onion to the pan drippings in the same skillet and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic. Saute over medium-low heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, nutmeg, and the cooked pancetta.

Place half of the bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread, then top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layering.

Whisk the milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over the strata. Chill the strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

Bake strata uncovered until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

OH yea baby!  people: keep it simple and FOLLOW the recipe!   I made this at 8 pm the night before and served it at 6 pm the next day.... beautiful!   I added some freshly shredded mozzerella and a sprinkling of freshly ground fennel and a smack of garlic salt and it was KAPOW!!!  amazing!!!  thank you Giada!  I also made your olive oil citrus cake today too... (made it before and it's amazing as well!)

I love this recipe and have made it a couple of times.  I especially love recipes that I can clean out the fridge with.  I have substituted one leek for the onions, added romano cheese instead of the Parmesan and bacon for the pancetta.  Other than those small changes I followed the recipe.  

As a 'strata virgin" I was a bit cautious after reading all the comments about being 'soggy', "bland", "bready." But I followed the recipe exactly (albeit did add a bit of swiss cheese to each layer, subbed 2 large shallots for the onions, used 10oz of bagged spinach instead of the frozen, and 1 pound of bacon in place of the pancetta and it was AMAZING!  I did soak the strata in the fridge overnight and the next day was worried it would be too bready/dry as the moisture was completely soaked into the bread.  However,the eggs baked up light and fluggy and the bread was perfect (couldn't even tell it was in there!.  And bland? No way.  I didn't add anything other than the ingredients called for and it was very flavorful.  (I did use an Italian Rustic loaf from a local bakery.  Now that I've made it once I may 'tweek' it with more herbs and maybe some mushrooms and/or asparagus.  But the "base" componets are great!  

Amazing recipe.  Totally knocked it out of the park.  Per the suggestions on the soggy spinach, I used fresh baby spinach instead and it was perfect.  Also used just 2 cups of skim milk with about 1/4 cup of half &amp; half and used shaved Parmesan. (doubled the parm. Let it sit in fridge for,an hour and half, baked for 55 and it was a Huge hit..  Will def be a standard in our house.

I've made this alot! I made this for a Christmas party my husband had at work and it was GONE! People asked me for the recipe. My son used to take it to work for lunch! Everyone who tastes this loves it! Absolutely to die for! (Do you get the impression I love. This?) Try it! You and everyone who tastes it will love it!

I did not read reviews before cooking, wish I would of. It would of saved me a lot of time and money because I ended up having to toss the entire thing. Went word for word by the recipe. I made it the day after I saw it on tv. It cooked for an hour, took it out, bread was still super soggy then cooked it another hour and still soggy. Really was looking forward to this but 3 cups of milk and 10 eggs is way TOO MUCH liquid for this I would reduce it to half And maybe that would help. The top looked perfect but the inside never cooked through. I left it in the fridge for an entire day before cooking. Too bad my and I were super excited about it. 

This is a huge hit every time I make it. My husband absolutely loves it and I now get requests from other family members. I follow the recipe exactly and let it sit overnight, except I bake it for a little bit longer, about 10 minutes. Eat it with a little tabasco and it's the perfect combination. This is my go-to recipe for brunches or for those extra special breakfasts/lunches. Love it!

Huge hit at brunch. I added chopped asparagus, 4 strips of bacon, some finely shredded swiss cheese, and had a combo of sourdough and ciabatta(mostly sourdough). Definitely let the strata soak overnight if you can, as is makes the consistency of the bread perfect. No problems with the tough crust on the sourdough.

I read every single review and did a test run this weekend.  I did take the advice of some of the other reviewers and I added more onion, used ciabatta bread, and added more cheese.  I also added a couple strips of bacon.  I brought it in to work and had people taste it.  they loved it.  so I will be making it again in two weeks.  This time, though, I will add more cheese. I did use the Italian five cheese blend.  I will take out a little bit of the bread, not much, and add more cheese to counteract the breadiness. But it is very tasty and I highly recommend it.  I also let it chill overnight, which I think helped keep it from being soggy.  

This is a delicious recipe!  The first time I did it, I followed the recipe exactly and it was a tad watery (I think I didn't get all of the water out of the spinach). So the next time I didn't put the spinach in (and added extra cheese and garlic... because, well, why not) and cooked it a little longer and it as amazing!  Huge hit! Thank you Giada!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/spinach-and-pancetta-strata-64374

Perfect for a Sunday brunch, bake a delicious spinach & pancetta strata.

Just a little work the night before, then bake for a delicious, flavorful breakfast/brunch.

Overnight breakfast bake

bread

pancetta (115 grams, can use ready-diced)

oz arugula (62 grams, 2 packed cups)

cherries

oz parmesan cheese (90 grams, 3/4 cup coarsely grated)

milk (180 milliliters)

Dice the bread into bite-sized pieces Lightly oil a medium oven dish (approx 8x6in/20x15cm) and spread half the bread over the bottom (it should be roughly half full, if anything a little less). 

Saute the pancetta in a small skillet/frying pan for a couple minutes so that it releases some fat and just starts to crisp. Add the arugula and stir so that it wilts down then remove from the heat.

Put half of the pancetta-arugula mixture over the bread in the dish, then top with half of the cherries, so all covers evenly.

Grate the cheese and put roughly half on top of the dish. Top with the remaining chunks of bread followed by the rest of the pancetta-arugula mix, cherries and cheese.&nbsp;

Beat the eggs and milk in a bowl or jug and carefully pour over the bake. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The night before

Preheat oven to 350F/190C. Remove the bake from the fridge to come to room temperature while the oven is coming to temperature.

Bake for approx 45min until lightly browned on the top and set inside. While it's best enjoyed at the time, you can eat leftover cold or gently reheated.

In the morning

Packed with cheese &amp; bacon, this breakfast strata is easy to prepare the night before for a delicious brunch/breakfast.

Breakfast strata with bacon and date

5 1/2 oz smoked bacon (150 grams (streaky))

onion

garlic (large)

spinach (115 grams)

tbsp date pieces ((I recommend chopped Medjool dates))

comte/gruyere cheese (75

Dice the bacon and onion relatively small. Cook the bacon in a small/medium skillet/frying pan over a medium heat until meat is cooked, some fat is rendered but not not crisping.

Add the onion then cook until the onion softens. Crush the garlic and add to pan, stir and cook another minute or two until the bacon is starting to crisp.

Roughly chop the spinach and add to the pan, a handful or two at a time, stirring in so it wilts down. Once it has all been added and has wilted, remove from the heat and set aside. This can be made ahead and refrigerated.

Put half of the bread in the bottom of an oven dish (approx 8x6in/20x15cm), spread over half the spinach-bacon mixture, then half the dates and half the cheese. Repeat with the rest of the bread, spinach-bacon mixture, dates and cheese.

Whisk together the eggs and milk (or milk/cream mix), add a little pepper if you like, and pour it evenly over the dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350F/190C and leave the dish out to warm up to room temperature as the oven heats up.

Bake uncovered for approx 50min until it puffs up a bit, browns on top and is cooked through.

My favorite Strata recipe! This delicious dish is made with hearty artisan style bread, fresh spinach and bell pepper, flavorful ham and bold cheddar cheese, and everything is soaked in a rich egg custard and oven baked.

Strata

heavy cream

Tbsp dijon mustard

tsp red pepper flakes ((optional))

(and black pepper)

Tbsp butter

red bell pepper

spinach ((6 cups packed))

Tbsp chopped parsley

sharp white cheddar

Spray a 13 by 9-inch dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, cream, dijon mustard, red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper). Set aside.

Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat.

Add onion and bell pepper and saute until slightly golden brown and tender (only toss occasionally), about 10 minutes.

Add in spinach and saute just until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Toss in ham and parsley.

Spread half of the bread evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish. Top evenly with half of the onion mixture. Sprinkle over half of the cheese.

Repeat this same layering process with bread, onion mixture and cheese again.

Whisk egg mixture again then evenly pour over top of the strata.

Press down with your hands evenly across top to submerge ingredients into the egg mixture.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Once preheated remove strata from the fridge and bake in preheated oven until center is set, about 50 to 60 minutes.

Let rest a few minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Sausage Kale Strata

white mushrooms,

Olive oil,

Salt and black pepper

half-and-half

oregano

breakfast sausage patties

kale,

Butter,

Monterey Jack cheese

Ree Drummondâs Sausage-Kale Strata for THANKSGIVING/BAKING/WEEKEND COOKING, as seen on The Pioneer Woman, Breakfast for Dinner.

Put the mushrooms on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

Mix together the milk, half-and-half, oregano, eggs and some salt and pepper in a large pitcher or bowl. Set aside.

Set a large skillet over medium heat and add the sausage patties. Cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Set aside to cool, then chop into cubes.

In the same skillet from the sausage, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat. Throw in the kale and cook until slightly wilted, 2 minutes.

Grease a lasagna pan with some butter. Layer half the bread, half the kale, half the mushrooms, half the sausage and half the cheese in the prepared pan. Repeat with the other half of the same ingredients, ending with the cheese. Slowly pour the egg mixture all over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Twenty to thirty minutes before baking, remove the lasagna pan from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Replace the plastic wrap on top of the strata with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is golden brown and slightly crisp, 10 to 15 minutes more (keep a close eye on it). 

I make this dish routinely for family brunches and it tastes great, however the cook time is off.  I use a 9 × 13 pan and is never done after the recommended time.  Watch closely to make sure this cooks evenly.  

This was very good. I cooked it for an hour in a deeper dish and it came out great.

It smells delish and when I tried the kale and sausage it was divine however I cooked it longer than it was supposed to and still have runny raw eggs throughout. I followed this recipe to a T and pit plenty of bread in to soak it up. Has anyone else had this problem? Now I feel like I'm over cooking part but still have runny raw eggs all throughout..esp on the bottom and some on the top. 

I loved the dish my family loved it and wants me to cook it again. Yummy

I really wish they would give us weight amount when referring to one loaf of crusty French bread or Ciabatta.  These loaves come in all different sizes.  Apparently, mine was too small because I ended up with a soupy mess on my hands.  While the flavor was good, I still ended up having to promise my husband I would never make it again.  Had I known a larger loaf was what was needed in this recipe, I'm sure it would have turned out better.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/rees-sausage-kale-strata-0239595

Ree's Sausage Kale Strata is perfect for a one-dish breakfast or dinner.

Ree's Sausage Kale Strata

An impressive brunch dish, strata casseroles are generally assembled the night before their baked, giving the bread time to soak up the dish's flavors.

Tomato-Cheddar Strata with Broccoli

c. bread cubes

butter

shredded Cheddar (about 1 1/2 cups)

c. halved grape tomatoes

c. frozen broccoli florets

Italian parsley

c. milk

ground pepper

ricotta cheese

herbes de Provence

Very good! Always gets lots of compliments on this dish and it is very easy!

Grandma knew how to make a hearty meal out of leftover bits of bread and cheese. This recipe is meant for riffing, so use any type of cheese, leafy greens, meat or bread you happen to have on hand.

Grandma's Anything Goes Strata

Butter spray,

cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

dark, leafy greens

salty deli meat,

(about 2 1/2 packed cups) leftover bread bread

cheese

Food Network Kitchen's Lessons from Grandma, Grandma's Anything Goes Strata for LESSONS FROM GRANDMA/MICROWAVE VEGGIES/CHICKEN SOUP, as seen on Food Network

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

Whisk the eggs, milk, half-and-half, nutmeg, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl. Fold the greens, meat, bread and 1/2 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. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

I love this. I made it in the middle of December cooled and freeze then heat it up Christmas morning. I added chicken sausage, sautéed onions and mushrooms, and Canadian bacon. I used chibatta  for the bread.

Yum!  Easy, delicious and convenient to use leftovers and odds/ends in fridge.

Easy and delicious!  I needed to use some aging kale, eggs and bread so this was perfect. I chopped up a stack of thinly sliced ham. After removing the foil and baking another 20 mins...I turned oven to 375 and bakes another 5 mins. My baking dish was likely smaller in diameter but deeper so took longer for it to set. 

I made this tonight with some leftover Easter ham, kale, homemade rye bread and Swiss cheese. It was very good,but I think next time I would add some sautéed onion and garlic, and perhaps som more salt and pepper. Cooking wise, I had left it covered 45 minutes and uncovered for about 20 before I got the top nice and brown.  Otherwise, a great simple recipe.

So easy ! I’ll make it more often to use up leftover bread s and breakfast meats. Got rave reviews. 

This is delicious. I didn’t follow recipe exactly, but it was fantastic!!!!!!!!! I used Italian sausage, asparagus, onion and stuffing mix. I didn’t add any seasoning because of stuffing mix was already seasoned. I received rave reviews.

I made this as part of our Easter Brunch. I added a few extra eggs. I used ham, spinach and a mixture of shredded Italian cheeses. Delicious and easy! 

This breakfast strata is super special because the base is built on pepperoni rolls! This make ahead casserole is perfect for holiday brunches or parties and tastes like a supreme pizza. It's so easy to throw together too!

Pepperoni Roll Breakfast Strata

pepperoni bread,

red bell pepper, (diced)

green bell pepper, (diced)

yellow bell pepper, (diced)

½ red onion, (diced)

½ cups milk, (I like whole or 2%)

Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

chives

provolone cheese

mozzarella cheese

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Place the pepperoni bread cubes in the dish. Stir in the peppers and onions and garlic until evenly dispersed. Stir in the chives and about three quarters of the grated cheeses, leaving a bit to sprinkle on top.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, mustard, salt, paprika, oregano and pepper together until combined. Pour the egg mixture over top of the mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Cover the dish and refrigerate it overnight.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. I like to take the dish out of the fridge about an hour before so it comes to room temperature.&nbsp;

Bake the strata for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tested inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with your choice of condiments, like hot sauce or extra fresh herbs!

Healthy Breakfast Strata is a make-ahead breakfast casserole packed with sausage and veggies and gluten free bread! A simple and delicious holiday brunch recipe. Gluten Free + Low Calorie

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Top 21 strata recipes from across the web

The most viewed strata recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

French Onion Strata (Savory Bread P...

Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Spinach And Pancetta Strata

Overnight breakfast bake

Breakfast strata with bacon and dat...

Strata

Sausage Kale Strata

Tomato-Cheddar Strata with Broccoli

Grandma's Anything Goes Strata

Pepperoni Roll Breakfast Strata

Healthy Breakfast Strata

Italian Sausage and Pepper Strata

Mediterranean Breakfast Strata

Cheddar and Bacon Strata Bread Cake

Christmas-Morning Italian Strata

Loaded Overnight Breakfast Casserol...

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The most viewed strata recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine