This delicious breakfast strata combines crisp bacon, savory breakfast sausage, shallots, French bread cubes, a healthy helping of cheese, and a perfect blend of spices. Save time in the morning by prepping this casserole the evening before.
This flavorful egg casserole is ideal for breakfast or brunch. Serve it with stuffed French toast, strawberry mimosas, fruit salad, or garden salad.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Shallots: You can substitute a medium sweet yellow onion
- French bread: Use crusty day-old bread. You can substitute sourdough or Italian bread.
- Cheese: cheddar, Gouda, Gruyere, Parmesan, Asiago, or Swiss
- Milk: Whole milk is best, but I have used 2% in a pinch with good results.
- Mustard: Ground dry mustard, but you can substitute prepared mustard. For every 1 teaspoon of dry mustard, use 1 tablespoon of prepared mustard.
- Nutmeg: Optional but highly recommended.
How To Make Breakfast Strata
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. When it is about halfway browned, add the sausage and shallots. Cook until the sausage is browned and the shallots are soft. Then, layer half the mixture in the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Add half of the cubed bread, half the shredded cheese, the remaining bacon/sausage mixture, and the rest of the bread cubes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, dry mustard, ground nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and fresh thyme.
- Pour the custard over the casserole and sprinkle a little thyme over the dish. Using a spatula, press down on the top of the dish to push the bread cubes into the custard. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 1 hour up to overnight.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the casserole is set and lightly browned.
Tips for Success
- Use a nonstick baking spray or shortening to grease the baking dish for easier cleanup.
- Cook the bacon crispy. If you prefer, you can cook the bacon in the oven.
- Try different sautéed vegetables, such as spinach, bell peppers, zucchini, or asparagus.
Serving Suggestions
- Potatoes: ranch potatoes, potatoes O’Brien, and Greek lemon potatoes
- Biscuits: angel biscuits, drop biscuits, and 7-Up biscuits
- Salad: creamy pea salad, broccoli cauliflower salad, and strawberry spinach salad
Breakfast Strata
This delicious breakfast strata combines crisp bacon, savory breakfast sausage, shallots, French bread cubes, a healthy helping of cheese, and a perfect blend of spices and seasonings.
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Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 758kcal
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- ½ lb ground pork sausage
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 8 cups cubed French bread
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 cup shredded gouda
- 10 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- chopped fresh thyme garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch casserole diah.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. When it is about halfway browned, add the sausage and shallots. Cook until the bacon is crisp, the sausage is browned, and the shallots are soft. Layer half the mixture in the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Add half of the cubed bread, half the shredded cheese, the remaining bacon/sausage mixture, and the rest of the bread cubes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, dry mustard, ground nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and fresh thyme.
- Pour the custard over the casserole and sprinkle a little fresh thyme over the dish. Using a spatula, press down on the top of the dish to push the bread cubes into the custard. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 1 hour up to overnight.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the casserole is set and lightly browned. A knife or toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, remove the casserole from the refrigerator 40 minutes before reheating. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes, or until warm.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave at reduced power for short intervals.
Nutrition
Calories: 758kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 1667mg | Potassium: 458mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 550IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 390mg | Iron: 7mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Gust
I made this for brunch and it turned out amazing. The layers baked up fluffy and full of flavor.
Angela Campos
This breakfast strata turned out, so delicious! It was easy to prepare my entire family. Love it, looking forward to making it for Christmas morning!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Angela! I am so happy that you liked it.
Shannah
This is a perfect breakfast for a small crowd. The leftovers are delicious too. Great recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Shannah!
Catalina
I prepped it the night before for a family brunch and it was a lifesaver. Everyone thought I’d been cooking for hours!
Tammy
This breakfast strata was delicious! Great for meal prepping! It reheats so well.l
Amy
This is the perfect make-ahead brunch dish! I love a good strata—it’s so easy to customize and feeds a crowd. Looks cheesy and absolutely perfect!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Amy! Enjoy!
Janie
My breakfast strata came out so delicious! Had all my favorite goodies in one meal!
Ben
This looks amazing! I’ve never had strata before, but that is absolutely going to change after seeing this.
Terri
This is absolutely delicious. I made it for breakfast this morning, and we loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Terri!
Maria
This looks amazing. Can use Challah bread with this? It’s my bread of choice for bread pudding, and strata is basically bread pudding for breakfast.
Beth Pierce
Yes, you can!