The Cozy Make-Ahead Breakfast Bake That Simplifies Any Morning

Anything that slows down the hectic nature of busy mornings is a win, especially when it involves dishing out a nutritious but tasty meal in record time. That's where an easy breakfast bake is a crusading savior, brandishing its heated-oven powers to deliver cozy meals that everyone loves. The particular "bake" we're discussing today has its own category that defines this glorious morning-saver even more narrowly. It's called a strata breakfast.

If you've never made or eaten a strata, it's essentially a savory, layered breakfast casserole made with eggs, bread, cheese, and any mix-ins you choose for a hearty one-dish breakfast or brunch. It's sometimes described as a savory or sweet bread pudding, depending on the ingredients used. Though simple to create once you get in the groove, there is an art and method to pulling it all together.

For a deep dive into the world of this breakfast dish, here's a look at our Tasting Table recipe for a brunch-perfect sausage strata, created by recipe developer Jessica Morone of Jess Loves Baking. It brings together morning meal staples, including hearty sausage, eggs, melty cheese, and crusty bread, and turns them into a rich, flavorful casserole that you assemble the night before.

When creating this easy breezy sausage strata from Jessica Morone's arsenal of breakfast simplifiers, it's best to jump right in. Following her recipe, you'll begin by browning the breakfast sausage and gently sautéing shallots in rendered fat. Then whisk together the eggs, whole milk, Dijon mustard, and seasonings before folding in Gruyère, cheddar, parsley, and the cooked sausage and shallots. Cubed Italian or French bread goes into the bowl last, so that each piece gets coated in the egg mixture. After transferring to a greased casserole pan and covering with foil, it heads to the fridge for an 8-hour rest, during which the flavors meld and the bread absorbs the custard.

When morning arrives, just pop the strata into a preheated oven and bake until the top turns golden and the center feels set. Morone reveals that this strata makes about 12 servings and stores well, so you'll likely have plenty left over for reheating or freezing. It's worth mentioning that you don't have to follow the exact recipe when it comes to add-in ingredients. It's perfectly adaptable for meats and veggies of your choosing. You can also replace the cheddar and Gruyère with similarly melty cheeses. Those could include mozzarella, Monterey jack, or even a processed version like American cheese.

After embracing the concept of make-ahead strata for breakfast, it's time to spread your wings. Start with this ham and cheese strata recipe and our cheesy tomato spinach breakfast strata recipe.