Egg and Sausage Breakfast Strata
Hearty sausage strata with eggs, cheese, mushrooms, and bread. Can be assembled the night before for easy holiday mornings or baked right away. Golden and crispy on top, fluffy and tender inside.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 462kcal
Equipment
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- 9x13" baking pan -OR- 3-quart baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, stems removed and sliced (try baby bellas, cremini, oyster, white button, a combination, or other)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 large eggs
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 1 Cup whole milk
- 1 Cup packed baby spinach (large stems removed)
- 8 ounces cheese, shredded and divided (try gouda, gruyere, provolone, a blend, or other mild melting cheese)
- 8 Cups cubed bread (try sourdough sandwich bread, soft white sandwich bread, day-old baguettes. Dry / leftover bread is ideal)
Instructions
- Cook the sausage. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the pork sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through (about 6-8 minutes). Drain the fat and transfer to a medium mixing bowl to cool.1 pound ground pork sausage
- Cook the vegetables. Return the pan to the burner and add the olive oil, onion, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook until they start to soften (about 5 minutes).2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, stems removed and sliced, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Add garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.2 cloves garlic, minced
- Cool the mixture. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the sausage and allow everything to cool to room temperature.
- Prep the baking dish. While the meat and veggies cool, grease a 9x13-inch pan (or 3-quart baking dish) with butter or cooking spray.
- Make the egg mixture. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, and milk until well combined.6 large eggs, 1 Cup heavy cream, 1 Cup whole milk
- Combine everything. Whisk in the spinach and ⅔ of the shredded cheese. Gently fold in the cooled meat, cooked veggies, and bread cubes into the egg mixture. *If your bowl isn't big enough, you can spread half of the cubed bread pieces over the bottom of the prepared baking dish and pour the egg mixture over it (in the next step).1 Cup packed baby spinach, 8 ounces cheese, shredded and divided, 8 Cups cubed bread
- Transfer and top. Pour the strata mixture into the prepared baking dish, gently pressing into an even layer, and top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover and rest the strata. Cover the baking pan with tinfoil and it let rest for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight in the refrigerator). *This crucial step allows the bread to fully soak up the egg mixture, which gives the strata its fluffy texture. Don't skip it!
- Bake covered. If refrigerated overnight, let the strata stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F and then bake the strata covered with tinfoil for 35 minutes.
- Bake uncovered. Remove the tinfoil and continue baking 10-15 minutes until puffed, golden brown at the edges, and set in the center. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Rest before serving. Let the strata cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving warm. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Variation Ideas:
- Different meat. Try cubed ham (especially great if you have leftovers from a holiday meal!), Canadian bacon, or cooked bacon instead of sausage for varied flavors.
- Different greens. Replace the spinach with chopped arugula for a peppery kick or baby kale with stems removed if you prefer.
- Add more vegetables. Sauté some diced bell peppers alongside the mushrooms, add in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, or try some roasted red peppers.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the meat and load up on extra mushrooms and spinach (or some of the added veggie suggestions).
Nutrition
Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 202mg | Sodium: 754mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1066IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 3mg
