Sausage Breakfast Strata
Want a Christmas breakfast you can put together the night before and just bake in the morning? Sausage breakfast strata is cubed French bread layered with browned sausage, diced ham and sharp cheddar, then soaked in a garlicky egg custard. The bread drinks up the eggs as it sits, so the middle bakes up soft and custardy under a golden, cheesy top. One 9x13 pan, about an hour start to finish, and it serves 6!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the layers
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (pork or turkey)
- 1 cup diced ham
- 6 cups French or Italian bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the egg custard
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For topping
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Turn the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
- Brown the sausage in a big skillet on medium until no pink remains, breaking it into small crumbles as it browns, then pour off the grease.
- Scatter the bread cubes over the bottom of the greased dish in an even layer. Top with the sausage and diced ham, then sprinkle the 1½ cups of cheddar over the meat.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl and add the milk, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Whisk until no streaks of yolk remain, then pour it slowly over the whole dish.
- Use a spatula to push the bread down until every cube is wet. Scatter the remaining ½ cup of cheddar over the top. (To make it ahead, cover and refrigerate it now.)
- Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until a knife in the center comes out clean and the cheese on top has browned. Rest it for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into squares and top with parsley if you like.
Notes
Cover leftovers and keep them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, the window FoodSafety.gov gives for egg casseroles.
Reheat single squares in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, or set a bigger piece in a 350°F oven under a loose sheet of foil until hot all the way through.
To freeze, wrap baked squares individually and freeze for up to 2 months, inside the 2 to 3 months FoodSafety.gov lists for frozen egg casseroles. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.