This vegetarian Breakfast Strata is made with artichokes, leeks, and gruyère for a savory and hearty breakfast! Made with crusty bread soaked in an egg custard, it’s perfect for holiday mornings, brunch with friends, or an easy make-ahead breakfast!
My husband, our dog Ivy, and I went up to Cape Cod for a little getaway before our lives go into chaos mode in January (when our baby is due!). While we were up there, we had the most lovely lunch at Pain d’Avignon in Chatham. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and they even sent us home with a free loaf of their French bread. Score!! I stored the bread in the freezer to use for strata when we got home.
Strata is a type of casserole / bread pudding that entails baking stale or leftover bread in a custard mixture. They can be savory or sweet, but I almost always opt for savory when I can! The combination of umami leeks, marinated artichokes, and nutty gruyère cheese here is just fabulous. Of course, if you can’t find gruyère, a high-quality Swiss cheese will be delicious as well! Enjoy!
For more delicious vegetarian breakfasts, try this Blueberry Croissant Bread Pudding or these savory Breakfast Migas!
Breakfast Strata with Artichokes + Leeks
Equipment
- 9×13" Casserole Dish
Ingredients
Sautéed Veg
- 1 Shallot diced
- 1 Large Leek just the white and light green parts
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
The Strata
- 8 Cups Cubed French Bread or Sourdough see notes
- 8 Eggs
- 2 Cups Whole Milk
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 Tsp Fresh Thyme
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Fresh-Cracked Black Pepper
- 2 Cups Shredded Gruyère
- 1 1/2 Cups Jarred Artichoke Hearts drained and chopped
For Garnishing
- Fresh Chives chopped
Instructions
Preparing the Strata
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- To begin, cube your French bread or sourdough into cubes that are about 3/4-1 inch wide (though they don't need to be exact). Spread them out on a large sheet pan, and bake at 400 for 10 minutes, or until the bread is dry and lightly toasted. When done, remove from the oven and set aside.
- Cut off the bulb end and the dark green parts of your leek. Compost or set aside to make veggie broth. Then, cut the leek in quarters, lengthwise, then cut the quarters again into small semicircles about 1/4" wide. Wash the cut leeks well, then drain and dry completely with a clean towel or paper towels.
- Bring the olive oil to medium-low heat in a sauté pan. Add the washed and dried cut leek and shallot, and sauté for about 5-6 minutes, or until the leeks soften and the shallot becomes translucent. Season with the salt and pepper and stir well. When done, remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, whole milk, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Whisk well until everything is homogenous and you don't see any streaks of egg whites left.
- Use a stick of butter to grease your 9×13" baking dish. Then, add about half of the bread, sautéed leeks and shallots, and artichokes, and top it with half of the gruyère cheese. Then, repeat this with the remaining bread, veggies, artichokes, and cheese. Pour the egg mixture evenly over everything.
- Cover the baking dish with cling wrap or beeswax wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at LEAST four hours, preferably overnight.
Cooking the Strata
- When ready to cook the strata, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Take the strata out of the refrigerator, remove the cling wrap, and cover the baking dish with foil. Bake the strata, covered, for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, uncover the strata, and cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the center is set and the bread is browned on top. If desired, you can broil the strata for about 2-3 minutes for extra browning, if you'd like.
- Garnish the strata with chopped chives.
- Let the strata rest about 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You want to use a good, crusty bread from a bakery for this recipe – not the type of bread you find in the sandwich bread + jam aisle.
- Use just the white and light green parts of the leek for this recipe. You can save the (washed) dark green parts to use to make vegetable stock or to flavor soups!
- If you can’t find Gruyère cheese, a sharp Swiss cheese will do just fine!
- Use jarred, marinated artichoke hearts for this recipe, not canned ones in brine.
Nutrition
Breakfast Strata FAQs
How long does this strata keep for?
A cooked strata will keep for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. However, it can also be frozen for about 3-4 months! If you opt to freeze your strata, I recommend letting it thaw in the fridge, then re-baking it in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes for best texture.
Can I make this Breakfast Strata ahead of time?
Yes – in fact, you have to! The recipe requires you to let the bread soak up the custard mixture before baking. This is best achieved when the strata can rest in the refrigerator overnight. However, I do not recommend letting the strata go more than 24 hours before baking. You want the bread to be softened in the custard, but not soggy!
What is a strata? What does strata mean in cooking?
A strata is a baked dish similar to bread pudding that involves baking stale or leftover bread in an egg-custard mixture. They can be savory (like this recipe!) or sweet.
What makes this a breakfast strata?
Even though I’ve labeled this as a breakfast strata, it can be served for brunch, lunch, or even dinner! I labeled it thusly because it’s super easy to make ahead of time then bake in the morning for breakfast. But you can serve it whenever :)
Is a strata like a quiche?
While strata and quiches both involve baking eggs, they are very different. Quiches are made with a pastry crust and an egg-based filling, sometimes with veggies, cheese, and meats. However, quiches do not traditionally contain bread. Strata, on the other hand, are specifically made with pieces of stale or leftover bread baked in an egg mixture.
What are the different types of breakfast casseroles?
There’s not really a set definition for “casserole”, other than a recipe baked in one dish in the oven. So the term is very broad and can apply to a lot of things! Under that definition, a strata can definitely be classified as a casserole. Other types of casserole involve bread puddings (I have a delicious croissant bread pudding recipe!) and shepherd’s pie.
What kind of bread is best for strata?
Using a sturdy, crusty bread is crucial for this strata recipe. Don’t use regular, soft sandwich bread sold in the bread aisle – opt for a sourdough or French bread loaf from the bakery.
P.S.
For more plant-forward recipes, dinner parties, and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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