Cheese Strata

Prepare this make-ahead cheese strata for an effortless morning meal and a soon to be favorite "special occasion" breakfast!

When it comes to the holidays, I'm a big fan of sharable breakfasts - from chocolate cinnamon rolls to a shrimp quiche to a butternut squash frittata.

But a strata is hard to top. With layers of bread, eggs, cheese and in this case, prosciutto, it is a rich and savory breakfast that everyone will love.

Why This Recipe Works

• Flavorful - This cheese strata is almost like a classic cheese fondue in breakfast form.
• Make-ahead - The wonderful thing about this dish is that you can prepare it the day before and simply pop it into the oven when you're ready to eat, whether it's morning or night.
• Holiday friendly - Because you do most of the work the night before, it really is perfect for the holidays as you just throw in the oven in the morning but is also perfect for a crow.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredient Notes
• Ingredient Swaps
• Step-by-Step Photos
• FAQs
• Equipment
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Similar Recipes
• Cheese Strata

Ingredient Notes

• French bread loaf - Opt for a sturdy French bread loaf with a crisp crust and soft interior. Slightly stale bread works well for absorbing the egg mixture.
• Unsalted butter - Using unsalted butter allows you to control the saltiness of the dish. You can adjust the seasoning to your taste preference.
• Sweet onion - Choose a sweet onion variety like Vidalia or Walla Walla for a mild and pleasant flavor.
• Garlic - Fresh garlic adds aromatic depth to the dish. Minced or finely chopped garlic cloves work best.
• Flour - All-purpose flour is typically used for thickening the sauce in the strata.
• Chicken stock - Opting for low-sodium chicken stock allows you to control the salt content of the dish.
• Dry white wine - Choose a dry white wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc for a subtle acidity and flavor enhancement in the sauce.
• Sea salt and black pepper - These seasonings add essential flavor to the dish. Adjust the amount based on your taste preferences.
• Ground nutmeg - Nutmeg adds a warm and aromatic flavor that complements the richness of the cheeses and eggs.
• Gruyère cheese - Gruyère cheese provides a nutty and slightly sweet flavor with excellent melting properties. It's a classic choice for cheese strata.
• Parmesan cheese - Parmesan cheese adds a savory and salty kick to the dish, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
• Sour cream - Sour cream adds richness and creaminess to the egg mixture, resulting in a luxurious texture.
• Eggs - Fresh eggs serve as the main binding agent in the strata, creating a custard-like consistency when combined with the other ingredients.

Ingredient Swaps

As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:

• Instead of a French bread loaf, you can use other types of bread such as Italian bread, ciabatta, or sourdough. Just ensure the bread is sturdy enough to hold up to the egg mixture.
• While the prosciutto is optional, if you want a different protein you can try ham, bacon or pancetta.
• If you don't want to use alcohol, you can replace wine with additional stock.
• If you don't have or want Gruyère cheese, you can substitute it with Swiss cheese, Emmental or another nutty and melty cheese of your choice.
• Instead of sour cream, you can use Greek yogurt.

Step-by-Step Photos

Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.

Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and evenly distribute them in a prepared pan with the prosciutto if using.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion turns translucent. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.

Cook for about 2 minutes before deglazing the pan with the chicken stock and white wine. Stir in the salt, pepper and nutmeg, then bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for 15 minutes or until it thickens. Add the cheeses and sour cream, stirring until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined. Temper the eggs by gradually adding some of the hot cheese mixture while whisking continuously until fully incorporated. Then, pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cheese mixture, whisking constantly until fully combined.

Once mixed, pour this combined mixture over the bread in the prepared pan. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the bread to absorb the egg mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cheese strata uncovered for 50-60 minutes or until it's golden brown on top and set in the center.

FAQs

Equipment

The equipment you use is important to how the cheese strata turns out. What is needed is the following:

• Glass baking dish - You want a 9x13 size for all of the ingredients.
• Large bowl - Used to whisk together the ingredients.
• Saucepan - Need to make the cheese sauce.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Make sure your bread is stale and a little crunchy or you will have a soggy strata.
• You can half this recipe in an 8 or 9-inch baking pan. However the bake time will be shorter, around 25-30 minutes.
• Don't use pre-shredded cheese. Buy blocks and shred yourself.
• Allow the strata to cool for a few minutes after baking before serving. This will help it set and make it easier to slice into neat portions.

Similar Recipes

If you’ve tried this cheese strata or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.