Easy Sausage and Cheese Strata
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I love a dish that I can prepare a day ahead and bake it off just before I serve it, like this easy sausage and cheese strata. Sausage, parmesan and fontina bring a savory Italian twist to the eggs in this recipe. This is my go to breakfast or brunch entrée when I am hosting guests, but it is so flavorful and hearty that you could even serve it for dinner.
This is a wonderful way to start the day! I love the smell of the sausage, cheese and herbs wafting through the house while this bakes. It lures everyone into the kitchen nose first! I picture cartoon figures of my family floating down the stairs and into the kitchen. What can I say that is just how my mind works!
What is strata
Strata was originally made by layering bread, eggs and cheese. But it has evolved to include a variety of ingredients such as vegetables and meats. Many recipes, like this one, just mix all of the ingredients together, which results in kind of a bread pudding consistency. Strata also tastes better if you allow it to sit a while before you bake it. You can easily combine all of the ingredients a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. The ingredients meld together into a deliciously savory, fluffy baked egg casserole.
Tips for making Sausage and Cheese Strata
- I would suggest making this up to one day ahead and allowing the flavors to mature overnight. This produces optimal flavor because the seasonings in the sausage and the herbs and spices you add to the strata have time to really flavor the eggs and bread.
- You can use any type of bread you like, but simple white sandwich bread works great in this recipe.
- I use sweet Italian sausage when I make this to accommodate anyone that might not like too much spice, but this is delicious with hot Italian sausage and a little extra cayenne pepper!
- If you are using sausage links, remove the casings before you cook the sausage so that you can break it up into small bite size chunks.
- Make sure to completely drain the sausage after you cook it, so that you are not adding any of the grease to eggs.
- Cut the bread into small cubes, or break it up with your hands. If you are using a crusty bread, remove the crust and use the remainder of the bread in the recipe. You want the bread to fully absorb the egg and milk mixture.
- Grease a deep 8×8 inch casserole dish. If you double or triple the recipe, use an 9×13 inch, or larger, baking dish.
Need a side to go with this sausage and egg strata? Try one of these delicious potato dishes:
Simple Italian Scalloped Potatoes
Easy To Make Rosemary Sweet Potatoes
Another Breakfast idea:
Oven Baked Vegetable, Meat (Pancetta) and Cheese Frittata
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
Easy Sausage and Cheese Strata
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Ingredients
- 1/4 lb. Italian sausage sweet or hot,
- 4 Eggs
- 1 cup Whole milk
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper ground
- 1/4 tsp Thyme dried, ground
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne optional
- 1/4 cup Onion diced
- 5 slices White sandwich bread cubed
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1/2 cup Fontina Cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Grease an 8×8 oven safe casserole dish.
- Cook the sausage in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain it and set it aside.
- Beat the eggs and milk.
- Whisk the onion, salt, pepper, thyme and cayenne into the egg mixture.
- Stir in the bread, cheeses, sausage and bread.
- Pour strata the casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Now that I’m older, this is the thing I most look forward to Christmas morning.
This recipe was as easy as described. I made it the night before and baked it the next morning for a family brunch and it was delicious! Everyone loved it. This is definitely one of my new go-to recipes.
So glad you enjoyed it!