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    Home > Blog > Breakfast & Brunch > Sausage Strata

    Sausage Strata

    by Teri Lyn Fisher · Published: Dec 22, 2021

    Jump to Recipe
    A rich and delicious Sausage Strata that everyone will love! This easy recipe is perfect makes enough to feed a crowd and can be made the night before, for a simple wake and bake breakfast or brunch the next day!
    Sausage strata in a baking dish up close.
    Sausage strata recipe in a baking dish with a scoop taken out.
    Sausage strata in a baking dish.
    Sausage Strata recipe in a casserole dish with a scoop taken out.
    Sausage strata recipe in a dish with a scoop out.

    Breakfast foods are some of our favorite foods and our Sausage Strata is hard to beat! This super simple strata is so comforting, delicious and can feed between 8 and 10 people! Our strata is also a favorite because you can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven before you’re ready to serve it!

    We make this recipe whenever we have overnight guests over, but especially when during the holidays. It’s one of the best Christmas morning breakfasts you could ask for!

    What is a Strata?

    A strata is a layered egg casserole, usually involving layers of bread with some sort of filling between the layers. It’s most popular as a brunch dish and is similar to a bread pudding, but more often made savory (like our recipe today!).

    How to Make Our Sausage Strata Recipe

    Ingredients to make our Sausage  Strata recipe.

    Process

    1. Place a large skillet over heat. Add oil and brown sausage, breaking it up as it cooks.
    2. Transfer sausage to bowl and set aside.
    3. Add more oil to skillet and sauté onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
    Cooking breakfast sausage in a skillet.
    Onions and garlic cooking in a skillet.
    1. Add spinach and continue to sauté until spinach wilts.
    2. Pour onion mixture into bowl with sausage and set aside.
    Spinach, onions and garlic in a skillet.
    Sausage and spinach and other ingredients for the filling of a strata.
    1. Grease baking dish with butter.
    2. In a liquid measuring cup whisk together eggs and cream until completely combined. Generously season with salt and pepper.
    A greased baking dish.
    Eggs and cream whisked together in a bowl.
    1. Add half bread pieces into the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer. Top with half the sausage, spinach and onion mixture. Pour half the egg and cream mixture over strata and sprinkle with half shredded cheese.

    Torn bread in a baking dish for the base layer of a strata.
    Process of layering the sausage strata recipe in a baking dish.
    Process of layering the sausage strata recipe in a baking dish.
    1. Repeat previous step until everything has been used and baking dish is full.
    2. Top dish with half green onions.
    3. Tightly cover strata with foil and refrigerate overnight (or at least one hour).
    A completed sausage strata recipe in a baking dish ready to be baked.
    Sausage strata wrapped in foil to be baked.
    1. Preheat oven. Bake covered strata in oven. Uncover and continue to bake until the top has browned and slightly crisped at the edges and the center has just set.
    2. Cool strata for several minutes, top with remaining green onion and serve.
    Baked sausage strata  in a dish.

    Tools You Will Need

    • cutting board
    • knife
    • large skillet/sauté pan
    • wooden spoon
    • mixing bowl
    • liquid measuring cup
    • cheese grater
    • 9″x 13″ baking dish

    Variations

    We love recipes like this Sausage Strata because there are endless flavor possibilities! Below we have some different ingredients that would taste delicious in our strata!

    • Different cheeses to use: fontina, gruyere, comte, havarti, gouda
    • Protein alternatives: crumbled bacon, diced ham, turkey breakfast sausage, diced and sautéed tofu
    • Vegetables to add: sautéed mushrooms, kale, bell peppers, asparagus
    Sausage strate recipe in a baking dish with green onions on the side.

    Tips and Tricks for Sausage Strata Success

    • We recommend using a hardier bread like sour dough or a crusty Italian loaf. Since the strata sits overnight, you want to use a hearty bread so the casserole maintains some body and bite to it. If using a softer bread like brioche, only allow the strata to sit for up to 3 hours in the refrigerator to avoid a soggy final product.
    • Whole milk can be used instead of cream, but it should be whole milk. Anything less than will produce too much water while baking and may cause the strata to be soggy with excess liquid pooled at the bottom.
    • Stick to great melting cheeses to help meld everything together. The options we listed above all melt very well.

    Make Ahead and Freezing Our Sausage Strata Recipe

    Make Ahead

    Our recipe can be (and is encouraged) to be made the night before, tightly covered with foil and refrigerated. This allows the egg and cream mixture to soak into the bread, so when it bakes you end up with soft, custard-like pieces of bread loaded with flavor. This also makes this dish perfect for holidays, overnight guests and busy brunches.

    Freezing

    A whole strata can be frozen, after it’s baked. Just allow the strata to cool completely. Tightly cover with 2 layers of foil, completely wrapping the dish and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, remove one layer of foil and bake (covered and frozen) for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the strata has heated through.

    Leftovers can be frozen in individual portions, wrapped in foil and then stored in an airtight container for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, leftover portions can be unwrapped, placed onto a microwave safe plate, covered with a damp paper towel and heated for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave).

    More Tasty Breakfast Recipes You Will Love

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    • Croque Madame Toast
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    Sausage strata recipe being served onto plates.

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    Sausage strata recipe in a baking dish with a scoop out.

    Sausage Strata

    5 from 27 votes
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    A rich and delicious Sausage Strata that everyone will love! This easy recipe is perfect makes enough to feed a crowd and can be made the night before, for a simple wake and bake breakfast or brunch the next day!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 30 mins
    Cook Time: 50 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
    Servings: 10

      INGREDIENTS  

    • 4 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
    • 16 ounces breakfast sausage
    • ½ diced yellow onion
    • 2 minced garlic cloves
    • 4 ounces baby spinach
    • 8 large eggs
    • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided
    • 22 ounces Italian loaf, torn into pieces
    • 8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese
    • 2 sliced green onions, divided
    • salt and pepper to taste

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    • Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and brown sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer sausage to bowl and set aside.
    • Add remaining oil to skillet and sauté onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Add spinach and continue to sauté until spinach wilts, 2 minutes.
    • Pour onion mixture into bowl with sausage and set aside.
    • Grease 9"x13" baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter.
    • In a liquid measuring cup whisk together eggs and cream until completely combined. Generously season with salt and pepper.
    • Add half bread pieces into the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer. Top with half the sausage, spinach and onion mixture. Pour half the egg and cream mixture over strata and sprinkle with half shredded cheese.
    • Repeat previous step until everything has been used and baking dish is full. Top dish with half green onions.
    • Tightly cover strata with foil and refrigerate overnight (or at least one hour).
    • Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bake covered strata in oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the top has browned and slightly crisped at the edges and the center has just set.
    • Cool strata for 10 to 15 minutes, top with remaining green onion and serve.

      NOTES  

    Tips and Tricks for Strata Success

    • We recommend using a hardier bread like sour dough or a crusty Italian loaf. Since the strata sits overnight, you want to use a hearty bread so the casserole maintains some body and bite to it. If using a softer bread like brioche, only allow the strata to sit for up to 3 hours in the refrigerator to avoid a soggy final product.
    • Whole milk can be used instead of cream, but it should be whole milk. Anything less than will produce too much water while baking and may cause the strata to be soggy with excess liquid pooled at the bottom.
    • Stick to great melting cheeses to help meld everything together. The options we listed above all melt very well.

    Make Ahead and Freezing Our Strata Recipe

    Make Ahead

    Our recipe can be (and is encouraged) to be made the night before, tightly covered with foil and refrigerated. This allows the egg and cream mixture to soak into the bread, so when it bakes you end up with soft, custard-like pieces of bread loaded with flavor. This also makes this dish perfect for holidays, overnight guests and busy brunches.

    Freezing

    A whole strata can be frozen, after it’s baked. Just allow the strata to cool completely. Tightly cover with 2 layers of foil, completely wrapping the dish and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, remove one layer of foil and bake (covered and frozen) for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the strata has heated through.
    Leftovers can be frozen in individual portions, wrapped in foil and then stored in an airtight container for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, leftover portions can be unwrapped, placed onto a microwave safe plate, covered with a damp paper towel and heated for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave).
    Calories: 846kcal Carbohydrates: 35g Protein: 23g Fat: 68g Saturated Fat: 38g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 248mg Sodium: 735mg Potassium: 427mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 20g Vitamin A: 2204IU Vitamin C: 5mg Calcium: 227mg Iron: 3mg
    CUISINE: American
    KEYWORD: breakfast casserole, sausage strata, strata
    COURSE: Breakfast, brunch

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    December 22, 2021 / 12 Comments

    About Teri Lyn Fisher

    Teri Lyn Fisher is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food and cosmetics photographer. She is a big fan of hot dogs. #sfbTERI

    Previous Post: < Previous Post The Best New Year’s Eve Food
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    December 22, 2021 / 12 Comments

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    1. Leticia

      December 22, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe. Perfect for our work breakfast potluck. Substituted Italian sausage for breakfast sausage. I ended up with 2 extra TB of butter. I used 2 TB for pan. Did I miss a step?

      Reply
    2. D

      December 13, 2022 at 5:33 pm

      What happens to the other 2 tbsp butter?

      Reply
    3. Rebecca

      November 12, 2022 at 10:52 am

      5 stars
      I just made this for my son’s 2nd birthday brunch and it was such a hit! Everyone loved it, and it looked beautiful in the pan, and served up wonderfully. Savoury and filling – and a real treat. It cooked in the stated amount of time (which I find never happens with casserole recipes). The only tweak I made to cooking was I broiled it at the end for 3 minutes to really brown up the top so it looks like the photos above.

      Reply
    4. Gillian

      January 12, 2022 at 9:52 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect group breakfast meal! Super easy and delicious – we all enjoyed this yummy morning delight!

      Reply
    5. Deanna

      April 07, 2021 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      Made it last night and baked/enjoying it this morning!! Sooooo delicious!!!

      Reply
    6. Marni

      April 08, 2020 at 6:26 am

      I’m making this for Easter brunch and wondering if I could assemble it the day before and bake Easter morning? I’ve seen other overnight breakfast casserole recipes and would like your thoughts. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        April 08, 2020 at 10:33 am

        Yes! This is great for that!

        Reply
    7. Heather Jane

      July 19, 2015 at 3:16 pm

      This looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try it. Would it work if I just put it in the oven at 375 instead of the grill? Would baking time be the same?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        July 19, 2015 at 3:48 pm

        Totally! You might need to bake it in the oven for just a few minutes more, but should work just fine

        Reply
    8. Millie | Add A Little

      June 08, 2015 at 10:18 pm

      This is such a great brunch option and love serving it in the cast iron – super cute!

      Reply
    9. Nancie (Painted Palate)

      June 08, 2015 at 7:19 am

      This looks good – I like the idea of “baking” it on the grill. What’s your best guess as to how much bread you used if measured in cups? I keep a huge bag of frozen, cubed breads to use when I find recipes like this. Whenever I have the “butts” of homemade bread, leftover hamburger buns, Kings Hawaiian rolls, etc. they get cubed and added to the bag. Would love to apply them to this recipe. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        June 13, 2015 at 5:04 pm

        hm, I’d say I used anywhere from 7 to 9 cups, loosely packed

        Reply

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