This savory egg strata -- a layered breakfast casserole -- features bread, sweet Italian sausage, caramelized onions, earthy mushrooms and nutty gruyere baked in a rich custard. A perennial crowd-pleaser, prepare it in advance and simply pop it in the oven an hour before serving.
I don't know exactly how long I've been making egg strata, but it definitely goes back to the last century. And I certainly don't know that many people who don't like it. It's a standard that everyone should have in their recipe file -- and, what a great way to use up a forgotten loaf of bread! And, oftentimes can be put together with pantry staples. (I've highlighted some variations below.)
Serving Ideas
Easter guests were top of mind when I created this Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Gruyere Strata. Easter, or anytime breakfast or brunch is the plan, this is perfect for a casual brunch served alongside a fresh green salad or fruit, and muffins, scones and candied bacon on the side -- these are some of my favorites:
- Brown Butter Toffee Apple Muffins
- Ham Cheddar and Chive Scones
- Candied Bacon with Maple, Mustard and Orange Zest
Ingredients
- French bread
- Italian or breakfast sausage
- unsalted butter
- extra-virgin olive oil
- Spanish onion
- cremini mushrooms
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- fresh thyme
- large eggs
- whole milk
- heavy cream
- Dijon mustard
- ground nutmeg
- Gruyere cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast until toasted golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and reserve.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, cook the sausage over medium- high heat, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon.
Cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove sausage to drain on a paper towel. Drain fat from skillet.
To the same skillet, over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. Add the onions, and cook stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the sliced mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue sauteing, stirring occasionally until onions are lightly browned and caramelized and mushrooms are starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
Add thyme and sauté for two more minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and nutmeg.
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Arrange half of the toasted bread cubes over the bottom of the baking dish. Top evenly with half the browned sausage.
Then top with half the onion/mushroom mixture and ¾ cup cheese.
Repeat with remaining bread cubes.
Top evenly with remaining sausage and onion/muffin mixture and ¾ cup cheese.
Pour egg mixture over contents of baking dish and press down lightly to make sure it is submerged. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, until it is golden brown on top, puffed and custard is firm when the baking dish is shaken, about 50 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese during the last 10 minutes of baking. Let cool before serving.
Hint:
If you prefer a less uniform appearance, rather than cutting the bread into cubes, simple tear it into bite size pieces. And when baking, If the top of the strata appears to be browning too quickly, simply cover with a sheet of tin foil for 10 minutes before sprinkling with the cheese.
For a more rustic presentation, I've also prepared this in a 12" cast iron skillet.
Substitutions
- French Bread - Consider using Italian bread or sour dough. Or for a luxurious option, use challah bread or brioche.
- Gruyere - Substitute Emmental, Comté, Jarlsberg, Swiss, Fontina or even a sharp cheddar -- all offer a slight nutty and sweet flavor.
- Italian Sausage - I used sweet Italian sausage, but breakfast sausage, mild Italian sausage -- even crumbled bratwurst are good substitutes.
- Vegetarian - There are quite a few vegetarian and plant based sausage alternatives, such as Morningstar Farms and Impossible.
Variations
- Make it spicy - use spicy Italian sausage instead of mild
- Ham, Cheddar and Red Bell Pepper - Use 8 oz. diced ham, 2 cups shredded cheddar and add diced sautéed red bell pepper to the onion -- instead of the sausage, gruyere and mushrooms.
- Italian - Use 4 oz. prosciutto cut in strips, ¾ cup diced roasted red peppers, ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes and 1-½ cups shredded fontina cheese. Top with ½ cup grated Parmesan.
- Ham, Swiss and Spinach -- Use 8 oz. diced deli ham, 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese and a 10 oz package frozen spinach, cooked and drained -- instead of the sausage, gruyere and mushrooms.
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
- large saute pan or skillet
- 9" x 13" baking dish
Storage
After baking the strata can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, cover in foil and reheat at 250°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and reheat for an additional 10 minutes.
Unbaked: To freeze, prepare the strata and refrigerate overnight. Wrap in plastic wrap, followed by foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely before baking.
Baked: Allow the baked strata to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw completely, cover in foil and reheat at 250°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and reheat for an additional 10 minutes.
🍽️ Recipe
Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Gruyere Strata
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
- large saute pan or skillet
- 9" x 13" baking dish
Ingredients
- 8 cups (16 oz.) day old French bread, cut in 1” cubes
- 1 pound Italian or breakfast sausage
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for the baking dish
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large Spanish onion diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms trimmed and sliced (dice if large)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 10 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast until toasted golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and reserve.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, cook the sausage over medium- high heat, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned and crumbled, about 8-10 minutes. Remove sausage to drain on a paper towel. Drain fat from skillet.
- To the same skillet, over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. Add the onions, and cook stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until onions are lightly browned and caramelized and mushrooms are starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Add thyme and sauté for two more minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and nutmeg. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Arrange half of the toasted bread cubes over the bottom of the baking dish. Top evenly with half the browned sausage, followed by half the onion/mushroom mixture and ¾ cup cheese. Repeat with remaining bread cubes, sausage, onion/muffin mixture and ¾ cup cheese.
- Pour egg mixture over contents of baking dish and press down lightly to make sure it is submerged. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, until it is golden brown on top, puffed and custard is firm when the baking dish is shaken, about 50 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese during the last 10 minutes of baking. Let cool before serving.
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