Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Strata

A make-ahead breakfast casserole made with broccoli, cheese, and ham. Also known as breakfast strata, this is a great weekend breakfast or brunch because you can prep and assemble it ahead.

A strata, which is just a fancy way to say “breakfast casserole,” is a great option for a holiday breakfast or brunch because you can easily size it up or down depending on how many you’re serving. You can also customize it to your taste, and all the stuff gets tossed into one dish the night before, so all you have to do the next morning is bake it. Sounds good, right?

I got the idea for this ham and broccoli strata after finding a recipe on Epicurious, and the possibilities are endless.

How to Make It

All you need is about 30 minutes the night before to get it ready – broccoli, some red onion, and ham are layered in a baking dish with cubed French bread and plenty of Gruyere and Asiago cheese. Then you pour eggs mixed with half and half all over the top of it. Let it sit in the fridge overnight – the bread needs time to absorb the egg mixture – and then the next day, just pop it in the oven. That’s it!

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Ham and Broccoli Strata

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A strata is a make-ahead breakfast casserole and this version has broccoli, ham, and lots of Gruyere and Asiago cheese. It’s perfect for a special occasion breakfast or brunch!

• Author: April Anderson
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/4 cup butter
• 8 ounces broccoli florets, chopped
• 1/2 a medium red onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 16 ounces diced ham
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Asiago Cheese
• 4 ounces French bread, cut or torn into small pieces (about 5 cups)

Instructions

1. In a large pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and broccoli and cook them together for about 5 minutes, or just until they soften. Season the vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, and half and half. Season the mixture with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
3. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/3 of the bread cubes on the bottom of the dish. Top the bread crumbs with 1/3 of the cheeses, broccoli and onions, and ham. Repeat this layering two more times, ending with the remaining cheese sprinkled over the top of the dish. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the top. Cover the dish and refrigerate it overnight.
4. Remove it from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake it uncovered for 50-60 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick comes out clean when you test the center. Let the strata stand for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 363
• Sugar: 3.3g
• Sodium: 497.9mg
• Fat: 21g
• Saturated Fat: 9.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9.6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12.2g
• Fiber: 1.3g
• Protein: 30.4g
• Cholesterol: 269.2g

The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

Variations

What makes a strata a strata is the bread. Day-old bread is cubed or torn into pieces and soaked in an egg mixture. It’s basically a savory bread pudding, and it’s a fantastic way to use up odds and ends in the refrigerator because once you get the main components (in this case, eggs, half and half, and bread), you can totally customize the other flavors and ingredients.

So, there are a lot of options with this breakfast strata, friends! Here are some ways to switch up the ingredients.

• Try using a baguette, a loaf of sourdough bread, or an Italian loaf.
• For the cheese, swap the Asiago and Gruyere for shredded cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, Swiss cheese, mozzarella, or Provolone cheese. Even pepper jack cheese would be great.
• Swap the ham for cooked bacon or breakfast sausage. Just make sure to cook them first and chop them up. Or you can omit the meat and make a veggie and cheese strata.
• For the veggies, you could use red peppers, cooked mushrooms, or chopped fresh spinach. You can also add fresh herbs like chopped chives, parsley, rosemary, or thyme.

Recipe Tips

I like to leave the casserole out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking it. If you put it in the oven straight from the fridge, the baking time will be longer.

This recipe makes a big strata, but you can halve the recipe to make a smaller one. Bake it in an 8×8″ pan if you want to size it down.

If you have leftovers, they will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. I reheat them in the microwave to warm them up.

This breakfast strata is great for Christmas morning or any other holiday or special weekend when you want a hearty, delicious breakfast. Enjoy!

Happy cooking,

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Post, photos, and recipe updated from the archives. First published in December 2015.