This Ham and Cheese Strata contains layers of ham, cheese, and mushrooms, along with bread, eggs, and milk, for the perfect weekend or special occasion breakfast.
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Ingredients
8slicessandwich bread
2cupssharp cheddar cheese grated
8ouncesbaked hamchopped
4ouncescanned sliced mushroomsdrained
¼cupchopped fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons dried
2 ¼cupsmilk
4eggslightly beaten
1teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoondry mustard
⅛teaspoonpaprika
Dash of black pepper
Instructions
Trim the crusts from five slices of bread (reserve the crusts). Cut the slices in half diagonally and set them aside.
Generously butter a 9-inch square baking dish or small casserole dish. Tear the remaining three slices of bread into pieces and place the pieces in the baking dish along with the reserved crusts.
Over the bread, make one layer each of cheese, ham, mushrooms, and parsley.
Arrange the bread triangles in two rows over the layers.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Slowly pour the egg and milk mixture evenly over the bread. Try to make sure that each bread triangle gets nicely saturated with milk.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and chill for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes until golden brown on top and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply place individual portions in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
While you can freeze the unbaked strata, the texture will change upon thawing. It's best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated for a few days.