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Ham and Cheese Strata is a simple overnight casserole that’s so good for breakfast, brunch or even a weeknight meal! Made with eggs, bread, ham and two kinds of cheese, this make-ahead recipe lets you relax and enjoy time around the table with family and friends.
If I asked my family what their favorite meal is, I have no doubt they’d say breakfast. They absolutely love eggs and everything that goes with them. Since they have such a passion for all things “breakfast” I thought I’d try out a new recipe on them. My version of a classic strata recipe combines eggs, ham, bread with two kinds of cheese and just the right combination of seasoning to make a delicious breakfast dish that was an instant hit.
Ham and Cheese Stata is an overnight casserole that’s destined to be a lifesaver during the holidays. With all of the hustle and craziness of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, it’s so nice to have a few recipes in my back pocket that are easy to make and can do double or triple duty. This recipe fits the bill perfectly! As an added benefit, this recipe is ideal for using up leftover ham and rolls from a holiday meal.
What Goes In Ham And Cheese Strata
- Bread or Rolls
- Eggs
- Cheddar Cheese
- Monterrey Jack Cheese
- Milk
- Garlic Powder
- Dry Mustard
- Salt and Pepper
Making this recipe is so easy. It’s also a great dish for the beginner cook since it’s uncomplicated and straightforward. Maybe my favorite thing about Ham and Cheese Strata is that it uses leftover ingredients thus stretching my food budget. Who’s not up for that, right?
How To Make Ham and Cheese Strata
- First, make sure you’ve set aside time to make the strata the night before you want to bake it. The bread needs time to absorb the egg mixture so you don’t want to shortcut this step. At a minimum, let the casserole hang out in the fridge for 3 hours.
- To get things started, butter a 9 x 11 inch casserole dish. Next cube or tear sliced bread or rolls. You’ll need 10 cups. Layer the bread in the baking dish. Do not pack down the bread because you want little air pockets for the filling to seep into.
- Cube or slice up 3 cups of ham and sprinkle it over the bread.
- Next, grate the cheddar and Monterrey cheese. Like all the recipes I make, I do not use packaged shredded cheese. I don’t like the texture or the flavor and feel that taking a few extra minutes to grate your own is so much better. Once you’ve done that, layer the cheeses over the ham.
- Now it’s time to make the egg mix. Crack 9 eggs into a medium-size bowl. Add-in milk, sprinkle in dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until well blended. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, ham, and cheese. Cover and place in the fridge to hang out overnight.
- When it’s time to bake, take the strata out of the fridge and set the oven to 375. Bake the casserole covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 15.
- Last but not least, serve it up and dig in!
More Great Breakfast Recipes To Make
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 cups bread – cubed
- 3 cups cooked ham – cubed
- 1 ½ cup cheddar cheese – grated
- 1 ½ cup Monterrey cheese – grated
- 9 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1.4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Butter or coat with cooking spray a 9 x11 inch baking dish. Layer in bread, ham, and cheeses.
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, mustard, garlic powder, and pepper. Slowly pour over bread, ham, and cheese. Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Take strata out of the fridge. Heat oven to 375. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and puffy.
- Remove from oven, let cool for 5-8 minutes and serve. Can be stored, covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Dear Donya,
How lovely to find someone who knows what a strata is and how to layer and cook it! I’ve been making them for many years and it is one of our favorite foods.
This was wonderful! I made it exactly as printed and everuone loved it. It soaked up almost all of the egg overnight and I was worried it would be dry- i even googled to see what it should look like. But it was perfect (and so quick!) I will definitely make this again and again
can it be frozen and stored before thawing and cooking?
Toni,
I’ve found the best things is to bake it, wrap it in foil, freeze, thaw and heat.
Enjoy!
~Donya
What kind of bread do you use?
Hey Heather,
I used french or italian bread. Most often what’s on sale in the bakery at the grocery store.
Enjoy,
~Donya