Description
A cheesy, decadent breakfast casserole perfect for a weekend brunch. Make it ahead and bake in the morning!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped dry-packed sundried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 ounces (170 g) frozen spinach, thawed
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped roasted red peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups (1250 ml) cubed French or Italian bread, crusts removed
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) ricotta
- 1 cup (240 ml) gruyère, grated
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) parmesan, finely grated
Instructions
- Prepare Sundried Tomatoes and Spinach
- Cover sundried tomatoes with boiling water and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain off water.
- Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much water as possible, then chop.
- Sauté Vegetables
- Over medium-low heat, heat butter until no longer bubbling.
- Sauté onion until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and stir until golden, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in spinach, roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir until the mixture is dry, about 1 minute, then remove from heat.
- Assemble the Strata
- In a buttered square casserole, layer half of the bread cubes.
- Spread over half of the spinach mixture, then spoonfuls of half of the ricotta.
- Scatter half of the gruyère and parmesan over the mixture. Repeat layering with the remaining ingredients.
- Prepare the Egg Mixture
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the casserole.
- Refrigerate
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Bake
- In the morning, remove the casserole from the fridge and let it sit while preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the casserole until browned and cooked through, about 45-50 minutes.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use freshly grated Gruyère and Parmesan cheese.
- To make this ahead, assemble the strata the night before and refrigerate overnight. This allows the bread to absorb the egg mixture for a better texture.
- If you don’t have heavy cream, you can substitute with an equal amount of milk or half-and-half.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Refrigeration: Overnight
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven-Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 500
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 150