A hearty breakfast strata with sourdough and bacon.
For this savory bread pudding a mixture of broccoli and bacon, along with aromatics and crusty sourdough bread, soak in a custardy egg mixture. It bakes after an overnight soaking, so be sure to plan ahead. This, however, makes it perfect for entertaining. As a bonus, it will fill your home with a wonderful, fragrant aroma as it bakes. Any leftovers will keep quite well in the fridge, and can easily be reheated in a toaster oven or microwave.
Broccoli and Bacon Sourdough Strata
A strata, or savory bread pudding, is one of my absolute favorite brunch foods and also one of my favorite ways to use up stale bread. It is perfect for entertaining since it’s assembled the night before (to give the bread a thorough soaking) and then tossed in oven the next morning. This is what I made for my family and soon to be in-laws on the morning of my wedding day. It was well loved then and continues to be a go-to, so for this recipe I’ve included some all-star ingredients: crispy bacon, tender broccoli, fragrant sage, and, of course, crusty sourdough bread. All this is baked together in a fluffy egg custard and topped with melty cheese. This may just become a favorite for you and your family too.
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 head (about 8 oz) broccoli cut into bite-sized florets
- Butter for pan
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 6 leaves sage chopped
- 8 oz (about 4 cups) crusty sourdough bread preferably stale, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup grated Dubliner or white cheddar cheese
- Hot sauce (optional) for serving
Instructions
- Add bacon to a large skillet then turn heat to medium. Cook bacon, flipping occasionally, until browned and crisp about 8-10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Add onion and garlic to the fat that remains in the pan and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant and starting to soften. Add broccoli and cook 6-7 minutes until lightly browned then remove from heat.
- Butter a large casserole dish or 9×13-inch pan. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, cream, milk, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add sage, bread, broccoli, onion, garlic, and crumble bacon into the bowl. Stir together and pour into the prepared casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove strata from fridge about 30 minutes before baking. Press into a fairly even layer and sprinkle the top with cheese. Preheat oven to 350° and bake for about 60 minutes until set in the middle (poke with a pairing knife to check). Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Top with hot sauce if desired.
