This Breakfast Strata is a broccoli, mushroom, and cheese egg bake that is a good-for-you breakfast and is the best way to start any day. If you love breakfast as much as we do you might also like my Homemade Apple Fritters, Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, Puff Pastry, or my perfect Banana Muffins!

Breakfast Strata

What is a Breakfast Strata?

Strata (or stratta) is a family of layered casserole dishes in American cuisine. The most common modern variant is a brunch dish, similar to a quiche or frittata, made from a mixture that mainly consists of bread, eggs, and cheese. Strata usually require resting anywhere between one hour and overnight before it is baked.

Breakfast Strata Recipe

Ingredients & Substitutions

Bread: Make sure your bread is hard or even stale and that the crusts are not removed. (Using fresh bread will result in soggy strata.) If you are in a time crunch you can “toast” the bread in the oven. You can also leave out the bread (exposed to air) overnight.

Eggs: Since this is an egg-based casserole, you will need a dozen eggs to use in the recipe.

Cheese: I used sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese in the strata. Try this with your favorite kinds of cheese, too!

Vegetables: Breakfast strata is the perfect recipe to add your favorite ingredients, like vegetables. I added onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes. Some other vegetables that would be delicious are diced tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, bell peppers, and zucchini, to name a few.

Variations: Substituting with your favorite ingredients and seasonings is totally acceptable here. In fact, it’s encouraged! Try it with salmon, taco meat, corn, or bacon. The sky is the limit!

EggBake - Breakfast Casserole

Can I Make This Ahead of Time?

Yes! In fact, this is an overnight recipe or one that needs to be prepared ahead of time. I love this option for the holidays; it is one less step for me to do in the morning! Get all of the ingredients ready to go and mix them in a baking dish. Make sure the bread has been saturated, cover the dish, and store it in the refrigerator overnight. The breakfast strata will be ready to pop in the oven the next morning!

How to Store Breakfast Strata

Leftover breakfast strata can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. First, let it cool to room temperature. Then, cover it and transfer it to the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze the strata for up to 2-3 months.

Breakfast Casserole

More Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast Strata- or EggBake for us midwestern folks!
5 from 1 vote

Breakfast Strata

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chilling 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours 10 minutes
This Breakfast Strata is a broccoli, mushroom, and cheese egg bake that is a good-for-you breakfast and is the best way to start any day.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole wheat baguette, cubed (about 5 cups)
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups (8 ounces) mushrooms, washed, sliced
  • 12 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 10 ounces broccoli, steamed, cooled, and chopped (or frozen, thawed)
  • 1 cup (113 g) sharp cheddar cheese
  • â…“ cup (33 g) parmesan cheese, grated
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons of the oil.
  • When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute until translucent and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a medium bowl and allow to cool.
  • Heat remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the skillet and saute the mushrooms for about 6 to 7 minutes. Make sure they are thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat and cool completely.
  • Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Arrange the bread cubes in the dish.
  • In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and mustard until incorporated.
  • To the eggs, add the mushrooms, onion-garlic mixture, broccoli, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir to incorporate.
  • Pour mixture over bread, making sure liquid saturates bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

When Ready To Bake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap from strata and bake, uncovered, for 55 to 60 minutes, or until top forms a light brown crust. Serve immediately.

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Meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion – With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.

Reader Comments

  1. wait! so do I frost it AFTER it comes out of the oven?!?! 😉 this is actually my favorite way to ‘cook’ because I am so horrid at it! I always say, “I’ll bring dessert!!”. thanks for sharing – it sounds delish!!

  2. I’m confused! The ingredient list says to use the bread with crust removed. At the end of the recipe, the Succcess Tips says not to remove the crust.. Which one is it?????

    1. You are right! I MEANT to say “ends” removed in the ingredients lists, but wrote it wrong. I do not use the ends typically, but DO keep the crust on the bread. That is my personal preference. Thanks for pointing that out!

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