Overnight Ham and Cheese Strata
An awesome brunch or breakfast casserole, this overnight ham and cheese strata is easy to make and a great way to use up holiday leftovers.
Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed, stale bread, about 12-ounces, see note
- 2 cups cooked ham, cubed, see note
- ¾ cup jarred, roasted red pepper, diced, or 1 fresh
- 1-2 stalks green onion, about ½ cup chopped
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, see note
- 1 cup shredded smoked gouda cheese
- 8 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- ¼ cup butter, melted and cooled, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Put the Strata Together:
- Start by cutting about 12-ounces of bread into roughly 1-inch cubes and letting them get stale overnight or first thing in the morning. Set aside until ready to start layering.
- Dice ¾ cup roasted red pepper and ½ cup green onion, chop the ham into 2 cups worth of cubes, and shred about 1 – 1 ½ cups of Swiss cheese and smoked gouda and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk 88 large eggs until no streaks remain and it is lightly frothy. Add 2 ½ cups whole milk, ¼ cup melted and cooled butter (if using), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper to the eggs. Whisk everything together and set aside.
- In a 13x9 baking dish begin layering your ingredients starting with half the bread cubes. Now add half the ham and veggies and top with half the shredded cheese. Add the rest of the bread on top followed by the rest of the reserved fillings.
- Finally, pour the egg and milk mixture evenly over the entire strata. Gently press down to ensure all the bread is soaking in the liquid. Now cover the baking dish with foil and refrigerate overnight (at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours).
Bake the Strata:
- When you’re ready to bake the strata, remove it from the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so before baking and preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Place the baking dish on the center rack of your oven and bake for 45-60 minutes. I usually leave the foil on it and bake it covered for 20-25 minutes and then finish uncovered. When done the edges should be golden brown and slightly crisp with melted cheese on top and a slight jiggle in the center.
- Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool and finish setting in the baking dish for 10-15 minutes before serving. Top with some fresh chopped parsley or more green onion if you like.
Equipment Used
Notes
1) Bread – Almost anything but soft, white sandwich bread works here. I do suggest something a little heartier though, like sourdough, French or Italian bread or baguettes, challah, brioche, etc. You could even use leftover dinner rolls or crescent rolls if you have a bunch of extra ones that need to be used.
2) Ham – You’ll need to use a pre-cooked ham for this. I used some of my leftover maple bourbon ham here, so this recipe is a great way to use up post-holiday leftovers. You can make this any time though with a ham steak.
3) Cheese – Almost any melty cheese works here. I had some left over Swiss and smoked gouda, so I used that and they worked great. Feel free to use cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey jack, pepper jack, Colby, provolone, etc. Use one cheese or a mixture and keep it around 2-3 shredded cups worth.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 plateCalories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 18gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 876mgPotassium: 269mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gCalcium: 307mgIron: 1mg
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