Quick & Cozy Ina Garten Breakfast Strata Recipe for Brunch Joy

Breakfast strata emerges as a culinary marvel that transforms ordinary morning ingredients into an extraordinary feast.

Hearty layers meld together, creating a symphony of textures and flavors that dance across your plate.

Savory elements intertwine, promising a satisfying start to any day with minimal morning effort.

Rich and comforting, this dish represents the pinnacle of breakfast innovation that goes beyond standard morning fare.

Professional and home cooks alike appreciate its versatile nature and crowd-pleasing potential.

Simple ingredients combine in a magical transformation that elevates breakfast from routine to remarkable.

Prepare to revolutionize your morning meal with a dish that delivers maximum flavor with minimal complexity:

Why Ina Garten Breakfast Strata Is a Morning Favorite

• Effortless Morning Meal Magic: This strata transforms simple ingredients into a stunning breakfast without complicated techniques, making it perfect for home cooks seeking delicious yet uncomplicated dishes.
• Flavor-Packed Layered Delight: Combining crispy bacon, soft spinach, melted parmesan, and custardy eggs creates a harmonious blend of savory tastes and contrasting textures that dance on your palate.
• Make-Ahead Breakfast Brilliance: Prepare the entire dish the night before, allowing the flavors to meld together overnight and simplifying morning meal preparation with minimal morning effort.
• Crowd-Pleasing Comfort Classic: Versatile enough for weekend brunches, holiday gatherings, or casual family breakfasts, this strata delivers restaurant-quality taste right from your home kitchen.

What Goes Into Ina Garten Breakfast Strata

• Bread: Sturdy white or sourdough bread that holds up well in casseroles, preferably day-old for better texture absorption.
• Nonstick Spray: Helps prevent sticking and ensures easy removal from the baking dish.

• Bacon, Eggs: High-protein ingredients that provide richness and depth to the breakfast strata.
• Onion, Garlic: Aromatic vegetables that add foundational flavor and complexity to the dish.
• Spinach: Fresh green vegetable that introduces nutrients and vibrant color to the casserole.

• Milk: Creamy liquid that helps bind ingredients and create a smooth custard-like texture.
• Parmesan Cheese: Sharp, salty cheese that adds depth and a savory finish to the strata.
• Salt, Black Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance and balance the overall flavor profile.
• Ground Mustard: Subtle spice that provides a gentle warmth and complexity to the egg mixture.
• Flaky Sea Salt: Optional finishing touch for added texture and intense salt burst.

How to Prepare Ina Garten Breakfast Strata Easily

Step 1: Prepare Baking Dish

Generously coat a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Create Bread Base

Evenly spread cubed bread across the bottom of the prepared dish, creating a solid foundation.

Step 3: Crisp Up Bacon

Cook bacon in a skillet until perfectly crispy and golden brown. Chop into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle over bread layer.

Step 4: Sauté Vegetable Medley

• Diced onions
• Minced garlic
• Fresh spinach

Cook until onions are translucent and spinach wilts completely. Distribute evenly over bacon layer.

Step 5: Cheese Blanket

Generously shower shredded parmesan cheese across the vegetable and bacon mixture.

Step 6: Blend Liquid Ingredients

• Eggs
• Whole milk
• Salt
• Ground mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper

Pour the silky mixture evenly over the cheese layer.

Step 7: Chill and Marinate

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour or overnight to allow flavors to meld.

Step 8: Prepare for Baking

Remove strata from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).

Step 9: Bake to Perfection

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Then cover with aluminum foil and continue baking for 30-35 minutes until golden and puffy.

Step 10: Serve and Garnish

• Fresh ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt
• Extra parmesan cheese (optional)

Tips for a Light Yet Filling Breakfast Strata

• Rescue Stale Bread: Transform day-old bread into a culinary treasure by using it as the perfect base for this breakfast strata, ensuring maximum flavor absorption and a delightful texture.
• Crisp Up Bacon Perfectly: Cook bacon until it reaches maximum crunchiness, guaranteeing a satisfying texture and preventing any unwanted sogginess in your final dish.
• Soak Bread Thoroughly: Gently press down on the bread after adding the egg mixture, allowing every piece to drink up the delicious custard and create a uniform, mouthwatering layer.
• Monitor Baking Closely: Watch for the telltale signs of a perfectly baked strata – a golden-brown top, puffy appearance, and a firm center that signals it's ready to devour.
• Prep Ahead for Ease: Assemble the strata the night before and refrigerate, letting the flavors meld overnight for an even more delicious morning meal that's ready to pop in the oven.

Storing Ina Garten Breakfast Strata Without Drying

• Overnight Chill: Prep the entire strata a day ahead and refrigerate before baking. Chilling allows bread cubes to fully absorb the egg mixture, creating a more luxurious texture and deeper flavor profile. This method ensures every bite is consistently moist and richly seasoned.
• Portion Freezing: Slice the strata into individual servings before freezing for quick, convenient meals. Wrap each portion separately in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn and maintain optimal taste. Perfect for busy mornings or unexpected breakfast guests.
• Smart Reheating: Revive refrigerated or frozen strata by warming in the oven at 350°F, covered with foil to prevent drying. Add a splash of milk or cream to restore moisture and freshness.

Ways to Customize Ina Garten Breakfast Strata

• Mediterranean Morning: Replace bacon with diced prosciutto, swap spinach for sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil, add crumbled feta cheese instead of parmesan for a Greek-inspired breakfast experience.
• Southwestern Wake-Up: Substitute bacon with chorizo, use pepper jack cheese, add diced green chiles and jalapeños, top with fresh cilantro and serve with salsa for a spicy morning meal.
• Vegetarian Harvest: Skip the bacon, incorporate roasted butternut squash, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized leeks, use gruyère cheese for rich flavor, and mix in fresh thyme leaves for an earthy vegetable-packed version.
• Smoked Salmon Sunrise: Layer thin slices of smoked salmon between bread cubes, use dill instead of ground mustard, sprinkle capers on top, and incorporate cream cheese into the egg mixture for an elegant brunch-style strata.

Last Look at Ina Garten Breakfast Strata

Breakfast strata emerges as culinary magic, transforming simple ingredients into extraordinary morning delicacies.

Ina Garten’s masterpiece celebrates layered textures and complex flavors that dance across palates.

Comfort meets sophistication in this remarkable breakfast casserole, where crispy bacon, tender spinach, and creamy eggs create harmonious bites.

Rich parmesan cheese adds luxurious depth, elevating humble ingredients into gourmet excellence.

Breakfast tables will never be the same after experiencing this remarkable dish that promises memorable morning moments.

Passionate chefs and hungry breakfast enthusiasts: share this incredible recipe, comment with your delicious variations, and spread breakfast joy across social media platforms!

Ina Garten Breakfast Strata Recipe

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4.5 from 22 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s breakfast strata offers a delightful morning feast with layers of crusty bread, savory ham, and melted cheese. Rich custard and carefully selected ingredients create a comforting casserole that will satisfy hungry breakfast crowds with minimal morning preparation.

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Ingredients

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Bread and Proteins:

• 8 cups (340 grams) cubed bread (big chunks of a crispy baguette or sourdough loaf)
• 8 slices uncooked bacon
• 9 large eggs
• 1 and ½ cups (150 grams) shredded parmesan cheese

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• ½ cup (75 grams) chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 3 packed cups (90 grams) fresh chopped spinach

Liquids and Seasonings:

• 2 cups (480 milliliters) whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Optional Garnish:

• Fresh ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt
• Extra parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. Prepare a 9 x 13 inches (23 x 33 centimeters) baking dish by generously coating the interior with non-stick cooking spray, ensuring comprehensive coverage to prevent sticking.
2. Evenly distribute cubed bread across the bottom of the prepared dish, creating a uniform base layer that will absorb the upcoming liquid ingredients.
3. In a large skillet, render bacon over medium heat until crisp and golden brown, transforming fatty strips into crunchy, flavor-packed morsels. Once cooked, chop the bacon into small pieces and scatter over the bread foundation.
4. Utilize the same skillet with residual bacon drippings to sauté diced onions until translucent and soft. Introduce minced garlic and fresh spinach, cooking until the greens wilt and release their moisture, creating a fragrant vegetable medley.
5. Distribute the onion, garlic, and spinach mixture atop the bacon-covered bread, ensuring even coverage and maximum flavor distribution.
6. Liberally sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese across the vegetable layer, creating a rich and tangy blanket.
7. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, whole milk, kosher salt, ground mustard, and freshly cracked black pepper until thoroughly combined and slightly frothy.
8. Gently pour the egg mixture over the cheese-topped casserole, allowing liquid to permeate through all layers and create a custard-like consistency.
9. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight, enabling ingredients to meld and flavors to intensify.
10. Remove casserole from refrigerator 20 minutes before baking, allowing it to approach room temperature and ensuring even cooking.
11. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C), positioning a rack in the center for optimal heat circulation.
12. Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 minutes, then loosely tent with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and continue baking for an additional 30-35 minutes until puffy and golden.
13. Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes, enabling it to set and stabilize. Garnish with additional freshly ground black pepper, flaky sea salt, and optional extra parmesan cheese before serving.

Notes

• Rescue Stale Bread Magic: Slightly old bread becomes a flavor sponge, soaking up every delicious egg mixture nuance and transforming into a creamy, rich strata base.
• Crisp Bacon Technique: Cook bacon until it crackles and turns golden brown, ensuring maximum crunch and preventing any soggy disappointment in your final dish.
• Strategic Bread Pressing: Gently but firmly press down bread layers after adding egg mixture, allowing each piece to become completely saturated with cheesy, savory goodness.
• Baking Perfection Signals: Watch for golden-brown top and firm, puffy texture – when the center stops wiggling, your strata has reached ultimate deliciousness.
• Temperature Timing: Let strata rest briefly after baking, allowing ingredients to settle and flavors to meld into a harmonious breakfast masterpiece.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 366 kcal
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 663 mg
• Fat: 23 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 19 g
• Cholesterol: 225 mg