Strata is a casserole dish from American cuisine. It is made with bread, eggs, cheese, bacon, and vegetables. It is a fairly simple dish to make is delicious.
To make Strata, melt butter in a pan and cook onions and garlic in it. Then, add spinach to it and cook. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, half-and-half, cayenne, pepper, nutmeg, and salt.
In a greased baking dish, layer bread, cooked spinach, bacon, and cheese. Pour the custard over the strata. Bake it for 70 minutes.
You can also use Oaxaca cheese in your strata. If you don’t have Oaxaca cheese, here is a list of Oaxaca cheese substitutes.
This was just a snippet of the recipe. Find the complete recipe below. Also, there are a variety of breakfast recipes that you can try as well. Do check them as well.
1. Wagyu Zabuton Steak Sandwich– Wagyu beef is a kind of luxury beef and goes high in the food hierarchy. It is quite expensive and rare. If you lay hands on some, try to make a steak sandwich out of it.
2. Pork Casserole– Pork casserole is something that anyone can make at their home using leftover pork. Thi recipe is very easy to prepare and anyone can make it in just 30 minutes.
3. Pot Congee– Pot congee promotes good health and also helps in better digestion. According to the doctors, pot congee is a very simple and digestive food and it also supplements blood into the body.
4. Stovetop Frittata– Frittata is easy to make and is healthy as well. It is your choice whether you want to have it for breakfast or dinner. It is delicious and I highly recommend it.
What Equipment Will You Need To Make Strata?
- Oven – Bake the strata for an hour and 10 minutes in the oven until golden, puffed, and set in the center.
- Baking Dish – Layer the baking dish with bread, spinach, bacon, and egg custard for the recipe.
- Pan – Cook the veggies and bacon in a pan until translucent and lightly pink.
- Bowl – Prepare the egg custard in a bowl for the recipe.
- Aluminum Foil – Cover the dish with aluminum foil before baking.
- Spatula – Prepare the egg custard with a spatula by stirring it continuously.
How Much Time Will You Need To Make Strata?
| Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Minutes | 1 Hour 10 Minutes | 1 Hour 30 Minutes |
What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Strata?
- Unsalted Butter – Sauté the veggies in an unsalted butter until they caramelize.
- Eggs – Eggs will provide structure, leavening, richness, color, and flavor to the strata.
- Milk – The custard will become thicker and richer if milk is added.
- Half-And-Half – Half-and-half is used in custard to add a light richness and creaminess.
- Mild Cheese – Shred fresh mozzarella over the bacon to add a mild and milky flavor and soft texture.
- Canadian Bacon – Cooked bacon will add sweet, buttery, and salty flavor to the strata.
- Yellow Onions – Yellow onion will lend a bit of sweetness, as they caramelize nicely when cooked.
- Cloves Garlic – Sauté garlic in a pan to add a soft, sweet, and buttery flavor.
- Spinach Leaves – Cook spinach in a pan to add more acidic and robust flavor.
- Ground Nutmeg – A pinch of nutmeg is added to the custard for a warm and slightly sweet taste.
- Cayenne Pepper – A pinch of cayenne pepper is added to custard for an extra kick of hot and little fruity flavor.
- Kosher Salt – Salt will enhance the flavor of the custard.
- Ground Pepper – Black pepper changes the flavor of custard, adding depth and some spice.
- Bread – Bread is used as a spongy base to absorb the eggs and dairy. When the Strata bakes, the bread stabilizes the eggs so they can rise into a souffle-like casserole that toasts brilliantly on the top.
Steps To Make Strata
1. Cook The Staples
Preheat the oven to 350oF. Chop onion and mince garlic, meanwhile. Separate the tougher stems from the leaves of the spinach. Slice bacon and keep it aside.
Take a pan and melt butter in it. Once melted, add chopped onions and minced garlic. Cook until the onions become translucent.
Then, add the spinach and cook till it reduces in volume. Also, add sliced bacon and cook until pink.
2. Egg Custard Is The Must
In a large bowl, whisk eggs and pour milk and half-and-half. Sprinkle a pinch of cayenne, pepper, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk them.
Grease a baking dish with melted butter. Then, layer 1/3rd bread, cooked spinach, cooked bacon, and cheese. Repeat this for 3 layers. Pour the custard over the strata. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
Cover it with foil and bake for an hour and 10 minutes until golden, puffed, and set in the center. After baking it, let it cool for 15 minutes. The Strata is ready!
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 401 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| Protein | 24 g |
| Cholesterol | 206 mg |
| Sodium | 1195 mg |
How Will Strata Look And Taste Like?
Layered with spinach, cheese, and bread, and soaked in a savory custard, this make-ahead strata is ideal for entertaining. As it bakes, it puffs up like a soufflé, making it a real showstopper.
Bits of crunchy melted cheese speckled the surface, while the inside was creamy, savory cubes of bread strewn with onions. It reminded me a little of Thanksgiving stuffing, but cheesier — and better with coffee.
Recipe Card
Strata Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Dish
- Pan
- Large Bowl
- Aluminum Foil
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter
- 6 Eggs
- 1 ½ cups Milk
- ½ cup Half-And-Half
- ¾ cup Shredded Mild Cheese
- 1 cup Canadian Bacon
- 2 cups Chopped Yellow Onions
- 3 tablespoon Chopped Spinach Leaves
- 1 pinch Ground Nutmeg
- 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Pepper
- 3 Minced Cloves Garlic
- 12 ounces Bread
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350oF.
- Chop onion and mince garlic, meanwhile. Separate the tougher stems from the leaves of the spinach. Slice bacon and keep it aside.
- Melt butter in a pan and add onions and garlic. Cook until the onions become translucent.
- Then, add the spinach and cook till it reduces in volume. Also, cook the bacon until it turns pink.
- In a large bowl, add eggs, milk, half-and-half, cayenne, pepper, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk them.
- Grease a baking dish with butter. Then, layer 1/3rd bread, cooked spinach, cooked bacon, and cheese.
- Repeat this for 3 layers. Pour the custard over the strata. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Cover it with foil and bake for an hour and 10 minutes until golden, puffed, and set in the center.
- After baking it, let it cool for 15 minutes. The Strata is ready!
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does strata mean in cooking?
A strata is usually a savory egg-bread casserole that is baked in the oven or microwaved. Strata can be made with a variety of taste fillings including meats, cheese, vegetables, or fruits. Usually the bread and fillings are layered in a casserole dish with the egg mixture poured over top.
What is the difference between a strata and frittata?
An egg custard prepared without this crust is also known as a frittata. A strata, on the other hand, is an egg custard that’s baked with layers of bread inside.
How are strata made?
The most common modern variant is a brunch dish, made from a mixture which mainly consists of bread, eggs and cheese. It may also include meat or vegetables. The usual preparation requires the bread to be layered with the filling in order to produce layers (strata).
Can I freeze strata?
Serve with salsa. Or before refrigerating, cover and freeze strata for up to 3 months. To use frozen strata: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve liked the recipe of strata. I recommend you all try this recipe at home and share your experience or any of your recipes with us in the comments below.
