Best 5 Classic Cheese Strata Recipes

SPINACH & CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and drained spinach and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside.
• Butter a 3-quart or 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread one third of the bread cubes in the dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. (Try to break it up as much as possible so there are no huge clumps of spinach.) Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice, ending with cheeses.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the half-and-half, mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and whisk until well combined. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the strata. Cover the strata with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, until puffed, set and golden brown all over top, 70-80 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. It will settle a bit as it cools.
• Note: The cook time is based on the strata going immediately from the fridge to the oven. If it sits out at room temperature before baking, the cook time will be about 10 minutes less.

OVERNIGHT EGG & CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Butter a small 4-cup/960-ml ovenproof baking dish.
• Remove the crusts from the bread and cut into slices; you should have about 3 cups. Lay the slices across the baking dish, slightly overlapping and allowing some edges to hang over the sides.
• Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl. Stir in half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour three-fourths of the egg mixture over the bread cubes.
• Peel the bottom half of the asparagus and break off the stem ends where it snaps naturally. Discard any woody stems.
• Layer the mortadella over the bread and top with asparagus spears. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the top and finish with the remaining cheese. At this point, you can bake the strata immediately, or cover with plastic wrap/cling film and refrigerate overnight for a surprise breakfast in bed.
• Bake the strata until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly, sprinkle the top with chopped chives, and serve in the baking dish.

CLASSIC CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Trim crusts from 4 slices of bread.
• Cut slices into 2 triangles each (total of 8).
• Arrange trimmings and uncut bread slices to cover the bottom of a 9x9x2 pan.
• Place cheese slices over the bread.
• Arrange the bread triangles in 2 rows over the cheese - overlap the points slightly on the bases.
• Beat the eggs and blend with milk, onions, salt, mustard and pepper.
• Pour over bread and cheese layers.
• Let stand 1 hour at room temperature or for several hours in refridgerator.
• Bake uncovered at 325 for approximately 1 hour - until knife at center comes out clean.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

MOM'S FAVORITE CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Lightly grease casserole.
• Cut 3 slices of bread into 3 strips each. Fit into casserole. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1/3 of the onion.
• Add 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers two more times.
• Beat eggs, add milk, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Pour over bread mixture.
• Allow to set in the refrigerator overnight.
• Take out 2 hours before baking.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, then bake for 50 minutes.

CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Arrange half the bread in a buttered 2 1/2 quart baking dish or 8x8 pan.
• Drizzle half the melted butter over the bread.
• If adding veggies or meat layer those on next.
• Cover with the shredded cheese.
• Top with remaining bread and drizzle remaining butter over.
• In a small bowl, beat the milk, eggs and seasonings.
• Pour over the bread.
• Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes.
• Can be refrigerated unbaked up to 1 day.