This hearty ham & Swiss cheese strata brings all the most effective breakfast flavors into one straightforward, make-ahead dish. With crispy bread, eggs, contemporary peppers, tomatoes, savory ham, and loads of melty Swiss cheese, it’s positive to fulfill. The most effective half is that meeting is a breeze (no pre-cooking) and you’ll put it collectively the evening earlier than and get up to a stress-free brunch.
Ham & Swiss strata, and actually any egg-based casserole, is a go-to savory breakfast when a vacation rolls round or anytime you’re entertaining firm. It’s low upkeep, takes about 5 minutes to prep, and everybody loves it—supplying you with extra time for household… and sleep!
What’s Strata?
Strata is a kind of egg breakfast casserole that’s layered with eggs, bread, and cheese. Breakfast casseroles may be made with out bread, however strata nearly at all times consists of it. In at this time’s recipe, we’ll add ham, peppers, tomatoes, inexperienced onion, and Swiss cheese. Strata dishes require a relaxation to let the eggs soak into the bread, normally an hour or in a single day.
This dish is so low upkeep, that it actually wants a nap!
Right here is my base breakfast strata recipe, the place I normally add spinach, bacon, and parmesan cheese. At present’s recipe is a neater variation; there’s no pre-cooking!
Strata is the Good Brunch for Entertaining
When you may have friends to feed and need one thing straightforward but spectacular and scrumptious, ham & Swiss cheese strata is your reply. It’s excellent for entertaining and right here’s why:
- Makes an enormous casserole. This brunch recipe simply serves 10-12 individuals. For those who’re on the lookout for a smaller however equally scrumptious breakfast choice, this hash brown breakfast skillet serves 4. You might even swap the bacon in that recipe for ham in case you’d like.
- Low upkeep & make-ahead. All you do is put the whole lot right into a casserole dish, throw it into the fridge in a single day, and bake within the morning—only some minutes of prep time! The power to organize it prematurely is without doubt one of the causes it’s a favourite in my assortment of really helpful Easter brunch recipes.
- No pre-cooking something. You should buy bread and pre-cooked ham from the shop. Or use leftover ham in case you’ve obtained it within the fridge.
- Completely customizable. Not a fan of tomatoes? Depart them out. Need extra peppers? Add extra in. Use any veggies of your alternative, so long as it totals about 1 cup.
- One dish meal. Serve with contemporary fruit or a aspect of bacon.
Low upkeep and LOW KEY.
Components in Ham & Cheese Strata:
This breakfast casserole has all of it occurring—it’s tacky, hearty, spiced, and brightened up with contemporary veggies. Let’s dive in:
- Bread: Use any sort of bread. I like to recommend a brilliant crispy baguette from the shop, a loaf of sourdough, or leftover home made artisan bread. Dice it and let it sit out in a single day. Stale bread is the most effective for breakfast casseroles and stratas.
- Colourful Veggies: Inexperienced peppers and tomatoes add beautiful coloration to the dish.
- Ham: You want cooked ham. For those who occur to have some leftover from dinner, use it! Dice/chop it similar to you’ll when making these ham & cheese scones and breakfast egg muffins.
- Cheese: Use any sort of cheese. I like to recommend Swiss cheese or smoked gouda.
- Eggs & Milk: It is a massive casserole to feed a crowd, so put aside 9 eggs and a pair of cups (480ml) of milk. It’s greatest to make use of complete milk right here. If utilizing a decrease fats milk, I like to recommend subbing in some half-and-half. See recipe Observe.
- Spices: Use 1 teaspoon every: salt, smoked paprika, and floor mustard. These flavors are unimaginable with ham and Swiss cheese. And don’t fear, your strata won’t style like mustard; floor mustard is a standard ingredient in strata.
- Extras: Inexperienced onion and freshly floor black pepper for taste! Are you a fan of spice? A touch of scorching sauce is dynamite, too!
Avoiding eggs? Attempt my ham & potato casserole.
What Is The Texture Like?
The bread and eggs bake right into a splendidly mushy, chewy base with irresistibly crisp edges (the most effective half—make sure you snag one for your self!). This dish isn’t spongy or flimsy, and that’s since you’ll begin with stale bread. It’s loaded with heat, melty cheese, a burst of savory freshness from tomatoes and peppers, and loads of flavorful, salty ham. In different phrases, there’s one thing for everybody to like!
Ham & Swiss Strata Facet Dish Concepts:
For extra breakfast inspiration on busy mornings, see my full record of 30+ make-ahead Thanksgiving breakfast concepts.
Description
This hearty and flavorful ham & Swiss cheese strata brings all the most effective breakfast flavors into one straightforward, make-ahead dish. Meeting is a breeze (no pre-cooking) and make sure you evaluate the recipe Notes beneath concerning the bread, milk, a vegetarian choice, and learn how to freeze the strata earlier than or after baking.
- Grease a 9×13-inch or any 3–4-quart oven-safe casserole dish.
- Organize bread cubes in an excellent layer in backside of pan. Sprinkle the peppers, tomatoes, and ham evenly on high. Prime with the cheese. Put aside.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, smoked paprika, floor mustard, and pepper collectively. Pour evenly over the bread/ham. Prime with inexperienced onion.
- Cowl casserole with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for not less than 1 hour and as much as 24 hours.
- When able to bake, permit to sit down at room temperature for 10–quarter-hour as oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Bake uncovered for half-hour. Loosely cowl with aluminum foil and bake for one more 15-25 minutes. The strata is completed when it has browned on the edges and the middle is puffy. Mine normally takes round 50 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes, high with extra inexperienced onion and/or pepper, and/or add a sprinkle of chopped parsley or flaky sea salt. Slice and serve.
- Leftovers maintain effectively within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Reheat within the microwave to your liking.
Notes
- Freezing Directions: Put together by means of step 3, then cowl the casserole with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for as much as 3 months. Permit to thaw in a single day within the fridge. Carry to room temperature, then proceed with step 6. You may as well freeze the baked strata for as much as 3 months and when doing that, I recommend baking it in a disposable aluminum pan. Cool fully, cowl with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. When able to eat, thaw it for about 24 hours (lined) within the fridge, take away the plastic wrap, cowl with simply aluminum foil, and bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 25–half-hour.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 9×13-inch Baking Dish or any 3–4-quart Oven-Secure Dish | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Bread: Crusty sourdough or artisan bread is unbelievable on this recipe, or use any crusty, hearty bread. The crustier or extra stale, the higher. In case your bread is contemporary and/or flimsy, lower into cubes and let it sit out uncovered for a number of hours, or bake on a baking sheet in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes. It’ll be barely crisp and able to use on this recipe. No want to attend for the bread to chill earlier than layering into the baking dish.
- Vegetarian Choice: You’ll be able to omit the ham and exchange with one other 1 cup of peppers or tomatoes.
- Milk: For the richest, heartiest texture, I like to recommend complete milk. If utilizing a decrease fats milk, exchange as much as half of it with half-and-half.
