This Mushroom Strata recipe is made with an artisan bread, mushrooms, bacon, eggs, Swiss and Gruyere cheese. It is a delicious make ahead breakfast recipe that is super easy to prepare the night before to bake the next morning.
My family loves a strata recipe on the weekend and this mushroom strata is one of my favorites. I love the earthy flavor of the mushrooms cooked with onions. The bread soaks up the egg batter and bakes up into a custard like casserole and is studded with crispy bacon, swiss, and gruyere cheese.
Quick Overview:
- Ready in 1 hour, plus an 8 hour rest in the fridge, so put it together the night before.
- Serves 8, about 430 calories per serving.
- Freezes for up to 3 months.
What Is A Strata Recipe
Strata is a casserole made with bread, usually an Artisan bread, that is soaked in an egg custard overnight. When baked, it will puff up nicely. It is very similar to a bread pudding, only it is savory. Strata recipes can be flavored in many different vegetables, meats, and cheeses and are great breakfast casserole to make ahead and serve for special occasions or on the weekend.
What You Need To Make This Mushroom Strata Recipe
- Artisan Bread (ciabatta): the base of the strata, soaked overnight in the egg custard.
- Mushrooms and onion: cooked together for their earthy flavor.
- Bacon: crumbled into both layers so there are crispy bits throughout.
- Swiss and Gruyere: layered through the bread for a cheesy, custard like bite.
- Eggs and milk: whisked into the custard the bread soaks in.
Substitutions
- Substitute cooked hot sausage or breakfast sausage for the bacon.
- Use broccoli or carrots in place of the mushrooms.
- Substitute cheddar, mozzarella, or Colby cheese for the Swiss and Gruyere.
Variations
More Veggies: add sundried tomatoes, diced bell peppers, or green peas.
Spicy version: stir in a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or add a diced jalapeno to the veggies.
Bake in ramekins: for fun individual serving sized stratas.
Tips for Making Mushroom Strata
- Be sure to use an artisan bread. This is a bread that has a short shelf life, that is sold unpackaged and usually consumed the same day. Ciabatta is a good choice for this recipe.
- Try using this umami seasoning blend (affiliate link) when cooking the mushrooms and onions. It adds a ton of flavor and a tiny kick of spice!
- Use a thick cut bacon for a firmer and meatier cut of bacon. I like to use my kitchen shears (affiliate link) to cut the bacon into bite sized pieces.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Mushroom Strata
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. It can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place it in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or use the air fryer. You can also warm it in a skillet with a little butter on the stovetop. I'd skip the microwave - the moist heat could make it soggy.
You May Be Wondering
Let it cool for 15 minutes before you eat it so the custard has time to set. If you're saving leftovers, let the strata cool completely before you refrigerate it. That keeps the moisture from collecting under the wrap.
The main difference is the bread. A strata is made with bread. A frittata is an egg based dish, more similar to an open faced omelette, and it can have veggies in it such as potatoes, tomatoes, and onions.
For this bacon and cheese strata, a mix of Swiss and Gruyere gives the best complementary flavor. Other cheeses that work are listed in Substitutions above.
Did you make my mushroom strata recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rating below, and if you snap a photo, tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch so I can see it!
📖 Recipe
Savory Mushroom Strata with Bacon and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces Artisan Bread cut into 1" cubes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound mushroom slices
- ½ medium onion chopped
- ¾ cup swiss cheese shredded
- ¾ cup gruyere cheese shredded
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 3 cups milk
- 6 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Transfer bread cubes into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms to the skillet. Saute for 10 minutes, or until liquid evaporates and vegetables are tender.
- Transfer the mushroom and onion mixture to the bread. Toss to combine. Arrange half of the bread mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese and half of the bacon over top of first layer. Top with remaining bread mixture, cheese, and bacon. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, thyme, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour the milk mixture over the bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the strata from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Bake the strata, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Mary says
How much in cups is 12 ounces of bread cubes?
Thank you.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Mary, most bread is bought in 1 pound loaves and 1 loaf ranges from 10-12 cups of cubed bread. I highly recommend buying a loaf of ciabatta bread to make this recipe. I hope this helps. Shelby