Overnight Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Cheese

Kristen's Keys for The Best Breakfast Strata

Savory, cheesy, and loaded with carbs, a strata is like a savory bread pudding that was just made for brunch! With simple prep, endless variations, and delicious results, you will find yourself turning to making the overnight strata again and again. Just be sure to follow my tips for the best results. 😉

• Stale bread is best. Just like classic French toast and savory bread stuffing, opt for bread that is slightly dried out, as it will better absorb the egg mixture and be fluffy, not soggy.
• Add cooked veggies and/or meat. Regardless of the vegetables or meat you opt to add to your strata, it is best to add sauteed vegetables and fully cooked meat, for the best texture and flavor.
• Make at least 8 hours (or up to 24 hours) in advance. It is crucial to give time for the bread to absorb the egg mixture and the flavors to marry together.

Notes on Ingredients

• Bread: Stale/dried-out sourdough, French bread, or Italian bread all work well. I would avoid seeded breads or sweet breads.
• Spinach: Use frozen, defrosted spinach OR sauteed spinach, squeezed dry of excess moisture.
• Roasted Red Peppers: Roasted red peppers add a nice pop of color, along with a nice sweet, slightly smokey flavor. Look for them in jars packed with water or oil near the pickles and olives at your local grocery store.
• 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.

1. Cube 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.
2. Saute onion. Saute the onions in a bit of melted butter until softened and translucent, then fold in the diced roasted red pepper and drained and chopped spinach.

4. 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.

5. Chill Overnight. Cover and refrigerate the casserole between 8-24 hours before baking.
6. 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 it!