Overnight Italian Breakfast Strata (Edit recipe)

This easy Italian breakfast strata is the perfect make-ahead dish for breakfast or brunch. Make this savory breakfast casserole up to 24 hours ahead of time for an easy holiday or weekend breakfast.

25 minutes

1 hour

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	359
Fat:	18 g
Carbohydrates:	7 g
Protein:	25 g
Cholesterol:	70 g
Sodium:	754 mg
Fiber:	1 g
Sugars:	5 g
Calculated per serving.

by scarlatifamilykitchen

View original recipe

Serves: 8

Ingredients

.25 lb Pancetta, (thick cut and small), diced
.5 lb Mild Italian Sausage
.5 whole Red Onion, medium, diced
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
4 cups Baby Spinach, (loosely packed)
1 whole Italian Bread, stale and cut in 1-2 inch cubes (approximately 14-16 oz)
8 oz Fontina Cheese, shredded
3 cups Whole Milk
10 whole Eggs
1 Tbsp Homemade Italian Seasoning Blend (click for recipe)
.5 tsp Kosher Salt
.5 tsp Black Pepper

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Process

Cook Mode

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the pancetta, sausage, red onion, and garlic. Saute, while breaking up the sausage for 5-7 minutes until the meat is lightly browned and cooked through.
Take the skillet off of the heat and mix in the spinach until it has wilted.
Butter or grease a 9x13 casserole dish or 4 quart baking dish.
Distribute half of the bread cubes in an even layer in the dish and top with half of the meat mixture as well as half of the cheese.
Evenly distribute the remaining bread on top, followed by the rest of the meat mixture, and lastly the rest of the cheese.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk with the eggs, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk to completely break up the eggs and mix everything well.
Slowly pour the egg mixture over the layered ingredients and then use hands or a spatula to press the bread down so it's completely soaked by the egg mixture.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight but no more than 24 hours in advanced.
At baking time, remove the dish from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 350˚ while the strata sits at room temperature.
Bake the strata in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until it is puffed up, no longer jiggly in the middle, and evenly browned on top.
Let the strata rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Meat - Bacon can be substituted for the pancetta. Omit both meats for a vegetarian version. Vegetables - Add mushrooms or peppers; spinach can be substituted for kale or chard. Cheese - Substitute the fontina for mozzarella, provolone or gouda. Bread - Use Italian bread, French bread, white bread, sourdough or texas toast. Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free bread or substitute with 4 cups of frozen diced potatoes. Dairy-Free - Use unsweetened dairy-free milk and dairy-free cheese. Not Overnight - Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before baking. Muffins - Layer mixture in a muffin tin for individual servings. Cook time will be closer to 30 minutes. These can be frozen for quick breakfasts. Leftovers - Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Freeze - Freeze baked strata after cooling, wrapped in plastic wrap for 2-3 months. Thaw completely before reheating in the oven or microwave.