Breakfast Strata

Our delicious Strata is a savory breakfast casserole that combines layers of bread, cheese, meat, and greens in an egg-based custard. It bakes up soft and fluffy with amazing flavors!

What is a Strata?

A Strata is a layered bread, egg, and cheese casserole – often with some kind of meat and vegetables added – that bakes in the oven until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.

It’s similar to a bread pudding, but with a much higher ratio of custard to bread, so the finished dish is softer and creamier.

Strata recipes are very flexible, and you can add a wide variety of meats, cheeses, greens, and any sturdy bread to the casserole. You can even make a sweet strata – adding fruits, nuts, and sugar instead of the savory ingredients.

In our Breakfast Strata, we included chopped salami, Gruyère Swiss, sharp white cheddar cheese, spinach, and chunks of hearty sourdough bread. After layering the various ingredients in a deep casserole dish, a creamy egg custard was poured over the top and given some time to soak into the bread before baking.

Why is this dish called a Strata?

The name of this dish was inspired by the geological formation ‘stratum’, or its plural ‘strata’.  It’s a word derived from the Latin word stratum which means layered or something spread or laid down.

Wikipedia notes that the first known strata recipe dates back to 1902, when a cheese strata recipe was published in a book called “Handbook of Household Science” by Juanita L. Sheppard, an Instructor in Cookery and Laundering at the University of Minnesota.

More recently, in 1984, the authors of the Silver Palate Good Times cookbook (one of our longtime favorite cookbooks) included a breakfast strata recipe in their book – and it’s been a popular dish amongst the brunch crowd ever since.

• It’s a great way to feed breakfast or brunch to a crowd – ideal for when you have a house full of guests for the weekend.
• As mentioned above, strata recipes are very flexible, so you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand in the refrigerator. (Leftover cooked holiday ham is another good option.)
• The flavors of our salami and cheese strata are really fantastic together! The salami lends a zesty, salty flavor that perfectly complements Gruyère and cheddar cheeses.

• Eggs
• Half & Half – Some supermarkets sell cartons of half & half which is 50% light cream and 50% whole milk. If you can’t find cartons in your area, use can use all light cream or mix up some ‘half & half’ yourself.
• Seasonings – Including salt, ground white pepper, dry mustard, ground nutmeg, and cayenne pepper.
• Salami – Buy regular sliced deli salami – hard or soft – such as margarita or Genoa. You can substitute other Italian-style cold cuts like Capocollo, or ham, or cooked sausages like kielbasa. Cooked, drained, and crumbled Italian sausage is another delicious option.
• Cheese – Gruyère Swiss and sharp white cheddar are a great flavor combination for a Breakfast Strata. If you want to change things up, choose other firm, flavorful cheeses that melt well.
• Bread – Buy a dense bread such as a country loaf, sourdough, or French baguettes. Avoid soft breads like supermarket Italian, brioche, etc.
• Baby Spinach – You could substitute baby kale or Swiss chard for the spinach.
• Sweet Onion – Vidalia or other sweet onions add a nice mellow flavor to this dish. Yellow or red onions could be substituted as well.
• Fresh Garlic
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Sauté onions, garlic, and spinach in large pan with olive oil.
2. Add salami, then remove from heat and cool.
3. Whisk eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add cream and seasonings and whisk again.
4. Layer cubed bread, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, and the cooled meat and onion mixture into buttered casserole dish and pour custard over the top.
5. Allow the casserole to sit out at room temperature so the custard soaks into the bread. Preheat the oven in the meantime.
6. Bake the strata for one hour.
7. Let sit for five minutes then cut and serve.

• Can I make this salami and Swiss cheese Breakfast Strata ahead of time?  Yes, this can be made up to a day ahead before baking.
• How do I store leftovers?   After cooling, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, then store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
• How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat individual portions (gently) in the microwave. Our strata is also delicious served cold right out of the refrigerator.
• Can I freeze?  No, we don’t recommend freezing this casserole.  

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