This hearty ham & Swiss cheese strata brings all the perfect breakfast flavors into one simple, make-ahead dish. With crispy bread, eggs, contemporary peppers, tomatoes, savory ham, and loads of melty Swiss cheese, it’s positive to fulfill. The very best half is that meeting is a breeze (no pre-cooking) and you may put it collectively the night time 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 Is 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 virtually all the time contains it. In at present’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 the moment’s recipe is a better variation; there’s no pre-cooking!
Strata Is the Good Brunch for Entertaining
When you’ve gotten company to feed and wish one thing simple but spectacular and scrumptious, ham & Swiss cheese strata is your reply. It’s excellent for entertaining and right here’s why:
- Makes a giant casserole. This brunch recipe serves 10–12 folks. Should you’re searching for a smaller however equally scrumptious breakfast choice, this hash brown breakfast skillet serves 4. You may even swap the bacon in that recipe for ham if you happen to’d like.
- Low upkeep & make-ahead. All you do is put every part right into a casserole dish, let it sit within 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 purchase bread and pre-cooked ham from the shop. Or use leftover ham if you happen to’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 selection, so long as it totals about 1 cup.
- One-dish meal. Serve with contemporary fruit on the facet.
Low upkeep and LOW KEY.
Components in Ham & Cheese Strata:
This breakfast casserole has all of it happening—it’s tacky, hearty, spiced, and brightened up with contemporary veggies. Let’s dive in:
- Bread: Use any type of sturdy, crusty bread. (Not smooth sandwich bread.) I like to recommend a crispy baguette from the shop, a loaf of sourdough or French bread, or leftover do-it-yourself artisan bread. Lower it into cubes and let the bread cubes sit out in a single day. Stale bread is the perfect for breakfast casseroles and stratas.
- Colourful Veggies: Inexperienced peppers and tomatoes add beautiful colour to the dish.
- Ham: You want cooked ham. Should you occur to have some leftover from dinner, use it! Dice/chop it identical to you’d when making these ham & cheese scones and breakfast egg muffins.
- Cheese: Use any type 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 finest to make use of entire milk right here. If utilizing a lower-fat 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 splash of sizzling sauce is dynamite, too!
Avoiding eggs or bread? Attempt my ham & potato casserole.
What Is the Texture Like?
The bread and eggs bake right into a splendidly smooth, chewy base with irresistibly crisp edges (the perfect half—be 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 listing of 30+Â make-ahead Thanksgiving breakfast concepts.
Description
This hearty and flavorful ham & Swiss cheese strata brings all the perfect breakfast flavors into one simple, make-ahead dish. Meeting is a breeze—no pre-cooking! You’ll want to evaluate the recipe Notes under concerning the bread, milk, a vegetarian choice, and the right way 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 a good layer within the backside of the pan. Sprinkle the tomatoes, bell peppers, and ham evenly on prime. Prime with the cheese. Put aside.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, paprika, floor mustard, salt, and pepper collectively. Pour evenly over the bread/ham. Prime with inexperienced onions.
- Cowl casserole with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at the least 1 hour and as much as 24 hours.
- When able to bake, enable to sit down at room temperature for 10–quarter-hour because the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Bake uncovered for half-hour. Loosely cowl with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 15–25 minutes. The strata is completed when it has browned on the perimeters and the middle is puffy. Mine normally takes round 50 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes, prime with extra inexperienced onions and/or pepper, and/or add a sprinkle of chopped parsley or flaky sea salt. Slice and serve.
- Leftovers hold effectively within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Reheat within the microwave to your liking.
Notes
- Freezing Directions: Put together by step 3, then cowl the casserole with plastic wrap, adopted by 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 can even freeze the baked strata for as much as 3 months and when doing that, I counsel baking it in a disposable aluminum pan. Cool fully, cowl with plastic wrap, adopted by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. When able to eat, thaw it for about 24 hours (coated) 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 smooth, reduce it into cubes and let the cubes sit out uncovered for a number of hours or in a single day, 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 Possibility: You possibly can miss the ham and change with one other 1 cup of peppers or tomatoes.
- Milk: For the richest, heartiest texture, I like to recommend entire milk. If utilizing a lower-fat milk, change as much as half of it with half-and-half.
