A strata is a one-dish wonder! It’s similar to a bread pudding but with hearty (and savory) ingredients, in this case, sausage and cheddar!
This savory dish is best made ahead (or even left overnight) making it the perfect make ahead meal or even breakfast-for-dinner!
What Is a Strata?
A strata is a bread casserole often served for breakfast. Don’t confuse a strata with a frittata, which is basically a version of an omelet.
Stratas are primarily made with cubes or layers of bread, meat, & cheese. An egg/milk mixture is poured over top and soaks into the bread (a bit like french toast or bread pudding).
A strata, often served as a breakfast casserole, can be made with almost anything and it’s a great way to use leftover meats, veggies, and cheese that need to be eaten.
Stratas are a favorite casserole and are usually served for breakfast or brunch (but I love them ANY time of day). It makes for a simple light dinner when it’s paired with a tossed salad.
Ingredients
BREAD This is a great way to use up that stale or crusty bread! Sourdough, rye, focaccia, whole wheat, the list goes on. Save your bread by keeping it in the freezer and when you have enough, whip up a strata!
CHEESE I opted for cheddar cheese, but any sharp cheese will lend loads of flavor to this dish.
EGG MIXTURE Eggs, cream, and seasonings are mixed together to create the flavorful egg mixture for this dish.
MEAT I added crumbled breakfast sausage that’s been sautéed with festive red and green bell peppers, but bacon or ham would taste great too!
How to Make a Strata
A breakfast strata casserole is easy to layer up and serve in just a few easy steps.
- Cook and drain sausage (per recipe below).
- Whisk eggs, milk and seasonings.
- Toss bread cubes with the egg mixture and sausage until egg is absorbed.
- Place in a casserole and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 24 hours before baking.
Best Breakfast Casseroles
- Cheesy Potato Casserole – only 5 minutes prep
- Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole – perfect make-ahead meal
- Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole – a reader favorite
- Blueberry French Toast Bake – with a crunchy streusel topping
- CrockPot Breakfast Casserole – a 5 star recipe
Did you love this Sausage Cheddar Breakfast Strata? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!
Sausage Cheddar Breakfast Strata
Ingredients
- ½ pound sausage crumbled
- ½ cup red or green peppers diced
- 6 cups bread cubes slightly dried
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
Egg Mixture
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup light cream or half and half
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Cook sausage over medium heat until no pink remains, drain the fat and return the sausage to the pan. Add the peppers and cook until partially tender. Set aside to cool.
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Whisk the egg mixture in a bowl. Add bread, peppers, sausage, and half of the cheese. Toss to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes and toss again until the liquid is absorbed.
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Add the mixture to a greased 2 qt baking dish. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
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Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until set in the middle.
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Rest 10 minutes before cutting.
