A savory strata is the perfect make ahead meal! Combine bread cubes with some add-ins and cheeses. Toss with a quick egg mixture and refrigerate overnight.
While the mixture sits overnight, it soaks up the egg mixture and is ready to be baked in the morning. A great meal for a lazy morning or when you have guests!
What is a Strata?
A strata is a super-easy-to-make breakfast almost like a savory bread pudding (and truly, it’s great any time of day!).
Bread is cubed and tossed with flavorful ingredients (in this case brie and mushrooms). It’s tossed with egg/milk mixture and sits overnight. As it sits, the bread soaks in the mixture and in the morning it is baked until puffy and set.
Best of all, you can use this base to use up any ingredients you have on hand from leftover taco meat to roasted asparagus.
Frittata vs. Strata
A frittata and a strata are both essentially breakfast casseroles. A strata has a more soufflé-like appearance while a frittata is more similar to a baked omelet.
A strata often includes bread cubes while fritattas can have potatoes or even pasta along with the add-ins.
How to Make a Strata
- Cook veggies or meats (such as mushrooms, sausage or bacon). Cool.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg mixture (per recipe below).
- Toss the egg mixture with bread cubes and let it soak in a few minutes.
- Stir in add ins, herbs and cheeses.
- Spread into a baking dish and cover. Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove from the fridge while the oven preheats. Bake until set in the middle.
PRO TIP: Letting the strata set overnight ensures the egg mixture is completely soaked into the bread cubes so it puffs up almost like a soufflé.
Best Breakfast Dishes
- Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Homemade Eggs Benedict – with homemade hollandaise sauce
- Fluffy Homemade Waffle Recipe
- Quick and Easy French Toast
- The Best Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
- Cranberry Breakfast Bread Pudding
- Our Favorite Shakshuka – breakfast or dinner
- Dutch Baby
- Cheesy Breakfast Pizza – with eggs & breakfast sausage
- Easter Breakfast Bake
Did you love this Mushroom Brie Strata? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
How to Make a Breakfast Strata
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms or 1 ½ cups vegetables of your choice, asparagus is another favorite
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 6 cups bread cubes slightly dried
- 1 cup shredded Havarti cheese or mozzarella
- 4 ounces brie cheese cubed
Egg Mixture
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- ½ cup half and half or light cream
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Cook mushrooms and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Set aside to cool.
- Whisk the egg mixture in a large bowl. Season with salt & pepper. Add bread and toss to combine. Let sit 5 minutes and toss again until the liquid is absorbed. Stir in mushrooms, brie and ½ of the Havarti cheese.
- Add the mixture to a greased 2 qt baking dish (or 9x9 pan). Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until set in the middle.
- Rest 10 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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This recipe was delicious. I made it exactly as written with the exception that I could not find Cremini mushrooms and just used the regular white mushrooms and a little extra cheese. Everyone had a second helping. I froze what was left over and it reheated very well. I cant wait to make it again and will experiment the next time and maybe try some different vegetables.
I am so happy to hear you loved this recipe Kelly!
This looks really good! Can’t wait to make it and portion it out for a quick daily breakfast during the week.
I can’t wait for you to try it Desiree!
Hello. This looks yummy. Having a girl’s brunch soon. Instead of bread cubes, could this be made with a phyllo crust, then pour all other ingredients on top? Thank you.
I haven’t tried this so I can’t say for sure if it would work, but it sure does sound delicious! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Cyndy!
What can I use instead of mushrooms? My husband won’t eat them? Would cubed cooked ham work? Or cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage?
Thanks Holly! Ally-O in NJ
Any veggie at all! Asparagus would be great with the brie in this recipe. Let us know how it goes!
Thanks!
This sounds wonderful. Thanks for making it a smaller size. 9×13 is just too large for this household but a 9×9 would work great!
You are very welcome Sue. Hope you and your family enjoy it!