This substantial and savory ham and cheese strata is filled with ham, cheese, peppers, and spinach and can be made the night before so you can relax and enjoy breakfast with little to no effort in the morning. The ideal holiday meal to feed a lot, pair with Cranberry Mimosas for brunch!

My family is so dispersed that I haven’t experienced a jam-packed home of relatives around the holidays since I was a child.

In my mind, holiday mornings are a cross between Home Alone and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, with everyone either racing about like a crazy or frantically attempting to get their Christmas lights to work.

Then there are the elderly relatives who are dozing in the family room because they have been awake for hours, while you are trying your best to organize a breakfast that will suit everyone who has graciously come to join you to celebrate the holidays.

What is my solution? This ham and cheese breakfast strata may be prepared the night before so that all you have to do in the morning is throw it in the oven.

Does this sound like a plan? Therefore, let’s talk about how to make it the finest breakfast ever.

Tips for making the best ham and cheese strata

To begin with, use foods that you like! If you dislike red peppers, leave them out. Substitute kale for the spinach if you want. This recipe is simple to adapt to your specific tastes.

Make use of high-quality ingredients. Use the iffy onion at the back of the drawer, or the slimy spinach. All of your ingredients should be able to stand on their own, so be sure they’re all in good condition before you begin cooking.

Make use of plain country ham. If you use honey-baked ham or another flavor, you may get an odd-tasting strata. Two 6 ounce containers of Clifty Farm Country Ham Biscuit Slices work well for me. They are cured with a basic salt and sugar mixture then matured for 90 days to get the ideal country ham taste.

Oh, and the ham pieces should be thick! You want the ham to hold up properly throughout baking so that it doesn’t end up thin, limp, and flavorless on your platter.

Clifty Farm Country Ham Biscuit Slices are thick sliced, which is why they are my particular favorite. Just dice them into 1 squares while preparing the other ingredients.

Make use of stale bread. It may seem counterintuitive, but you want the bread to be stale so it can withstand being soaked in the egg mixture and baked. You’ll wind up with a soggy mess if you use fresh bread.

I prefer to use a 12 Italian or French bread loaf that has been unwrapped on the counter overnight. If the bread is still fresh and you want to speed up the procedure, cut it into cubes and place it in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.

Pick your cheese carefully. Gruyere has the nicest taste in my opinion, and it melts nicely in this recipe. If you don’t like it or can’t locate it, you may substitute freshly grated mozzarella or cheddar (on the biggest holes of your cheese grater).

To achieve the greatest melty results, grate the cheese yourself rather than buying pre-shredded boxed cheese. But, feel free to use packaged Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Can you freeze breakfast strata?

Yes! Make the casserole to step 7 in the recipe card below, then cover with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Let it to defrost overnight in the refrigerator before baking, then bring it to room temperature before continuing with step 8 to bake.

Steps for making ham and cheese strata

You may see the recipe card below, but if you want to see each step in detail, I’ve included images.

1. Make sure you have all of your ingredients ready to go since things come together fast.
2. In a large saut pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
3. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and transparent (about 4 minutes).
4. Cook for another minute after adding the garlic.
5. Lastly, add the spinach, toss to incorporate, then remove from heat and put aside. It should be about half the size it was before and wilted.

1. Place half of the bread in a single layer in a baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray.
2. 2 the spinach mixture. Continue with 1
3. 2 green and red peppers. And add 1 more.
4. 2 slices of ham. Now multiply by 1.
5. 2 gruyere and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Steps 1–5 should be repeated in the same sequence with the remaining components. 1 at the end

1. In a medium-sized mixing basin, combine the eggs.
2. Pour the milk into the basin with caution.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Mix everything together until smooth.
5. Spread over the ingredients in the casserole dish in a uniform layer. If desired, season with more freshly ground pepper.
6. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight, after wrapping in plastic wrap (up to 12 hours). When ready to bake, take the casserole from the refrigerator and set it aside to come to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 375°F and bake for 30 minutes. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes. The casserole is done when the edges are browned and the center is puffy. My typical time is 55 minutes.

Have a peek at it! The golden brown, crusty bread peeks through the ooey, gooey melted cheese and vibrantly colored ham and vegetables.

The aroma of this strata baking will most likely awaken everyone from a deep slumber. They’ll enter the kitchen smelling the air like cartoon creatures, anxious to be served.

To serve, cut the pieces using a big knife and a spatula. I cut mine into 12 pieces (3 wide, 4 long), but you may do whatever works best for you.

I find that one slice of 12 is the ideal serving size for feeling full but not overloaded. Of course, my mileage may vary depending on how filling my supper was the night before and how late it is in the morning.

Clifty Farm distributes its goods in a number of grocery shops, so don’t worry if they don’t sell near you! These items may be purchased online (with free delivery!) and delivered directly to your home.

Follow Clifty Farm on Facebook and Instagram for recipe ideas that will free up your brain for things like estimating how many pieces of this strata will be left after everyone else has gotten their fill. You know, the crucial stuff.