Strata Recipe
Strata, the make-ahead bread and egg bake — green chili bacon, everything bagel, squash and bleu cheese — for busy mornings or breakfast-for-dinner nights.
★ breakfast
breakfastGREEN CHILI, BACON, AND PEPPER STRATA
Hatch Green Chiles, Bacon, Bell Peppers, and Jack Cheese make for a wonderful savory meal with a light kick.
Caroline CunninghamIngredients
- 1 cup, chopped Hatch Green Chiles
- 8 slices, cooked and crumbled Bacon
- 1 cup, chopped Bell Peppers
- 1 cup, shredded Jack Cheese
- 6 slices, day-old or toasted Bread
- 4 large Eggs
- to taste Black Pepper
- 1 cup Milk
- to taste Salt
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 2Layer half the bread slices in a 9 x 9 greased baking dish.
- 3Sprinkle half the chopped green chiles, crumbled bacon, chopped bell peppers, and shredded Jack cheese over the bread. Repeat with second layer.
- 4In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper.
- 5Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the dish. Push the bread down to make sure it is fully submerged in the egg mixture.
- 6Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- 7Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until puffed and golden.
- 8Serve warm. Optional: top with salsa, avocado, sour cream, and chopped cilantro.
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Open in Pepper →Day-Old Bread Turns Into Dinner
Strata is what happens when you stop throwing away the heel of the loaf. Stale bread, eggs, milk, cheese, whatever is in the crisper drawer — it soaks overnight and bakes into something that feeds a crowd without you standing at the stove.
Cooks on Pepper reach for these when company is coming for breakfast, when the kids have an early game, or when it's Tuesday and nobody wants another skillet of chicken.
Every recipe here leans on that same trick: Green Chili, Bacon, and Pepper Strata with Hatch chiles, an Everything Bagel Strata with shallots and baby spinach, a Squash, bacon, bleu cheese strata with diced butternut, and a plain Strata built on leftover bread, onion, and garlic.
Quick Tips
- 1
Use stale bread only
Dry bread drinks up the custard instead of turning to mush. Cube fresh bread and leave it out overnight, or dry it in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes.
- 2
Soak it overnight
Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally 8 to 12, so the center sets evenly instead of staying wet.
- 3
Cook the add-ins first
Bacon, onions, shallots, and squash all release water. Brown them in a skillet 5 to 8 minutes and drain before layering.
- 4
Rest before slicing
Bake until the middle puffs and reads 160°F, then let it sit 10 to 15 minutes so squares hold their shape.
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