Easy Ham and Cheese Strata Breakfast Casserole

This easy ham and cheese strata breakfast casserole is a layered savory casserole that can be made ahead of time or the morning of for a delicious, filling casserole the whole family will love.

With the weather cooling down, it’s time to turn those ovens back on, and what a way to start than with a delicious savory casserole? We’ve been making casseroles for the last couple of weeks. First, they are filling and second, they are more than one meal for us.

It’s always nice to have something ready to go in the fridge, isn’t it? I find myself loving the idea of creating a second meal out of one cooking session. This goes for doubling up recipes and taking advantage of casseroles. What a lifesaver these are and this one you’ll love in particular as it is an easy make-ahead breakfast casserole. Just in time for the holiday season.

I love to serve this ham and cheese strata with a side of country gravy but that is certainly not needed.

Ham and Cheese Strata Is…

• A hearty strata 
• Perfect for Christmas morning or holiday mornings
• A simple to put together brunch dish
• A perfect dish for whole family
• The perfect way to use up leftover bread 
• A great way to use up leftover holiday ham or any leftover ham for that matter
• A delicious, savory layered breakfast casserole you can bake the next morning or the same day.

Ingredients

Ham- Use a precooked ham whether that is leftover ham or a precooked ham steak from the deli section. 

Bread- I love to use stale bread for this, especially my uneaten loaves of sourdough. The bread stands up to the bread batter and holds its shape. But any sort of bread you like will work for this. That is the beauty of a strata, it gives new life to leftover bread.

Eggs- I use our hen eggs in our kitchen, which are large, organic brown eggs. Use the best quality eggs you can find and be sure they are large. If using smaller eggs, you will likely need to add an extra egg or two to make up the difference.

Cheese- I like to use white cheddar cheese which pairs nicely with ham. You can use yellow cheddar if you prefer or Monterey Jack works nicely too.

Green Onion- Green onions compliment ham and cheese so well, if you don’t have green onions you can also use fresh chives.

Milk- I suggest using whole milk for this although 2% would work. Using a higher fat milk creates a nice creamy batter that absorbs into the bread. For the best results, stick to a higher fat milk. Not a fat-free one.

Dijon Mustard- Added for a little extra flavor. I like to Grey Poupon Dijon.

Salt & Pepper- I use sea salt and freshly cracked pepper but regular table salt and ground pepper are fine for this casserole.

What You Will Need To Make It

8 cups of cubed bread

8 large eggs

1 lb of chopped precooked ham

2 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese

3 bundles of green onions (about 1 cup)

2 cups whole milk

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

3 tbsp of butter

Tools

Casserole Dish

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Directions

Begin by cubing the bread into bite-sized pieces. Dice the ham and chop the green onions. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray. Begin layering the strata. Place half of the bread cubes, then half the ham and green onions. Sprinkle over a cup of the shredded cheese.

Then repeat the layer once more with the remaining bread cubes, ham, and green onion. Save the remaining cheese for topping.

To create the egg mixture, combine eggs, milk, Dijon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until blended well. Pour over the egg batter. Top with the remaining cheese and allow the strata to sit for at least an hour before baking or cover with aluminum foil and place in the fridge overnight (see notes below).

Just before baking cube the butter and place it evenly over the top of the strata. Bake at 350℉.
Cover with tin foil for 30 minutes, then uncover the casserole and bake for another 25 minutes or until the casserole is golden brown.  

Cooking Notes

• If making the strata the night before, the next day, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature then bake as instructed.
• Be sure to use precooked or leftover ham for this ham and cheese strata.
• I find crusty bread or sourdough bread works best for strata as it holds it structure well without becoming mushy.

How To Store

Store leftover strata in an airtight container or cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge. Casserole is good for up to 4 days in the fridge.

To Reheat Strata

If reheating in the oven, cover the casserole with tin foil to keep it from drying out. Reheat at 350F for 10-15 minutes or until the center is warm. Or place in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish. To learn more about reheating casseroles, I found this great article to check out.

Other Recipes You Might Like

• Sourdough French Toast Bake
• Skillet Eggs Florentine
• Homemade Breakfast Casserole

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