This savory-and-sweet gourmet breakfast casserole brings together caramelized onions, dates and gruyere cheese to infuse a moist, soufflé-like texture into the bread base. The beauty of a breakfast strata casserole is that it can be made the evening before as the perfect covered dish to take to your next brunch potluck or family gathering. Special thanks to executive chef Aniceto Sousa of Mediterra Cafe for the recipe.
What is a Breakfast Strata?
A breakfast strata is the ultimate make-ahead dish for early family gatherings — like Christmas or a wedding. This savory casserole combines eggs, cheese, and seasonal ingredients like vegetables, sausage, or ham. Start your strata with hearty bakery bread! Find rustic sourdough loaves or brioche rolls at your favorite local bakery. Either provides structure and a chewy, golden bite once baked. Perfect for brunch, holidays, or weekend gatherings, a strata delivers the satisfaction of a warm, home-cooked meal without last-minute stress. Prep it the night before, let the custard soak into the bread, then bake until puffed and golden. With its versatile flavorings and impressive presentation, breakfast strata is a crowd-pleasing recipe you’ll return to again and again.
Print
Breakfast Casserole with Caramelized Onions, Dates and Gruyere
Description
Instead of an omelette, bake up a Breakfast Casserole made for champions.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups chopped onions
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 9 large eggs
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 ¾ cups milk
- ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 oz Parmesan
- 6 oz grated Gruyere
- 2 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 4 tbsp chopped parsley
- 8 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup chopped kale or spinach
- 8 cups day-old ciabatta, brioche, or challah, torn into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Cook onions in butter slowly on low heat, stirring occasionally until caramelized, brown, and sweet, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool.
- Butter a 9 x 13 pan.
- In bowl, whisk eggs, mustard, milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Add in cheeses, herbs, dates, and chopped kale.
- Toss bread and egg mixture into a bowl and lightly pack into buttered pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until puffed, golden, and set in the center. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe by Chef Aniceto Sousa
Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.
