A ham and cheese breakfast strata is the perfect dish for a cozy brunch or a make-ahead breakfast. This savory casserole layers fluffy eggs, crusty bread, smoky ham, and gooey melted cheese, creating a rich and satisfying flavor in every bite. This hearty dish is easy to prepare, incredibly satisfying and serves a crowd.
Planning brunch? Don’t forget the cocktails! Try this Michelada, which is kind of like a Bloody Mary with beer instead of vodka, or one of our favorite brunch cocktails this Aperol Spritz!
why you’ll love this ham and cheese breakfast strata
This savory breakfast casserole combines simple ingredients into a flavor-packed dish. The bread soaks up the egg and milk mixture, creating a custard-like texture, while the ham adds a smoky, salty bite. We like adding spinach to our ham and cheese breakfast strata, but if that’s not for you, you can leave it out.
- Make-ahead convenience: Prepare it the night before and bake it fresh in the morning.
- Rich, cheesy goodness: Melty cheddar, Swiss, or Gruyère cheese pairs perfectly with the savory ham.
- Perfect for feeding a crowd: Ideal for holiday brunches, family gatherings, or weekend breakfasts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
A photo of the primary ingredients you’ll need, minus the basics like salt and pepper. For a complete list of ingredients with amounts needed, head to the recipe card below.
After the photo we’ll talk about the ingredients, why they work in this recipe and also substitutions if applicable.
- Brioche Bread: We like the buttery flavor of brioche, but you can also use sourdough, regular white bread or leftover hamburger buns or rolls.
- Ham: This is a wonderful recipe for leftover ham, but if you don’t have leftovers, grab a ham steak from the grocery store.
- Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese contrasts the rich flavors perfectly, but you can also use gruyere, Swiss or a combination of all.
- Frozen Spinach: We like using frozen spinach for this recipe to make it easy to blend into the casserole. You can also use fresh, just chop it up and throw it in or wilt it first in a pan.
- Eggs: Regular eggs or an egg substitute will work.
- Whole Milk: Whole milk is best for richness and flavor, you can also use 2% but not skim for best results.
- Butter: No need to soften ahead of time, this recipe calls for melted butter.
How To Make A Breakfast Strata
Step by step photos here with brief instructions for a visual aid. For complete, detailed instructions, head to the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Tear the toasted bread into cubes and add it to a large bowl with diced ham, shredded cheese, frozen spinach and salt and pepper.
- Beat the eggs together with the milk and butter in a separate bowl until frothy.
- Pour the milk and egg mixture into the bowl with the strata ingredients and toss gently together until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture into a buttered, 9″ x 13″ baking dish in an even layer. Top with another 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake the casserole at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, covered with foil. Uncover the casserole and bake another 8-10 minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes, then serve by slicing into squares or scooping out with a serving spoon.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your ham and cheese strata with a side of fresh fruit, or crispy bacon for a complete meal. If serving for brunch, we also love adding this Escarole Salad with bitter greens and salty bacon.
This ham casserole also pairs wonderfully with mimosas or a strong Irish Coffee. Of course it’s also filling and hearty all on it’s own for a quickly reheated breakfast.
Variations
There’s many more ingredients that you can add to this breakfast strata. Or if you don’t like spinach, for instance, you can just omit that from the recipe.
- Cooked, chopped bacon
- Cooked and crumbled sausage
- Sautéed mushrooms or other vegetables like diced bell peppers and onions
- Add any fresh herbs you like such as parsley, thyme or basil
- Keep it vegetarian by omitting the meat and loading up on cheese and veggies
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Ham and Cheese Breakfast Strata
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeA ham and cheese breakfast strata is the perfect dish for a cozy brunch or a make-ahead breakfast. This savory casserole layers fluffy eggs, crusty bread, smoky ham, and gooey melted cheese, creating a rich and satisfying flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread (16 ounces) sliced into thick pieces and lightly toasted (see note)
- 1 pound ham, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces and cubed
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
- 10 ounces frozen spinach, defrosted and liquid squeezed out
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
- Add the bread, ham, 2 cups of the cheese, spinach, salt and pepper to a large bowl.
- Beat the eggs together with the milk and butter then pour over the bread mixture. Toss together gently to coat all the ingredients then transfer into the buttered baking dish in an even layer. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover the casserole and bake another 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve by slicing into squares or scooping out with a serving spoon.
Recipe Notes
If you have day or two old bread that’s slightly stale you can use that instead of toasting the bread first. You can also use regular white bread, sourdough bread or leftover hamburger buns or rolls.
You can make this ahead of time and bake it when ready or bake the casserole right away.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
