This hearty ham & Swiss cheese strata brings all the best breakfast flavors into one easy, make-ahead dish. With crispy bread, eggs, fresh peppers, tomatoes, savory ham, and plenty of melty Swiss cheese, it’s sure to satisfy. The best part is that assembly is a breeze (no pre-cooking) and you can put it together the night before and wake up to a stress-free brunch.
Ham & Swiss strata, and really any egg-based casserole, is a go-to savory breakfast when a holiday rolls around or anytime you’re entertaining company. It’s low maintenance, takes about 5 minutes to prep, and everyone loves it—giving you more time for family… and sleep!
What Is Strata?
Strata is a type of egg breakfast casserole that’s layered with eggs, bread, and cheese. Breakfast casseroles can be made without bread, but strata almost always includes it. In today’s recipe, we’ll add ham, peppers, tomatoes, green onion, and Swiss cheese. Strata dishes require a rest to let the eggs soak into the bread, usually an hour or overnight.
This dish is so low maintenance, that it literally needs a nap!
Here is my base breakfast strata recipe, where I usually add spinach, bacon, and parmesan cheese. Today’s recipe is an easier variation; there’s no pre-cooking!
Strata Is the Perfect Brunch for Entertaining
When you have guests to feed and want something easy yet impressive and delicious, ham & Swiss cheese strata is your answer. It’s perfect for entertaining and here’s why:
- Makes a big casserole. This brunch recipe serves 10–12 people. If you’re looking for a smaller but equally delicious breakfast option, this hash brown breakfast skillet serves 4. You could even swap the bacon in that recipe for ham if you’d like.
- Low maintenance & make-ahead. All you do is put everything into a casserole dish, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and bake in the morning—only a few minutes of prep time! The ability to prepare it in advance is one of the reasons it’s a favorite in my collection of recommended Easter brunch recipes.
- No pre-cooking anything. You can buy bread and pre-cooked ham from the store. Or use leftover ham if you’ve got it in the fridge.
- Totally customizable. Not a fan of tomatoes? Leave them out. Want more peppers? Add more in. Use any veggies of your choice, as long as it totals about 1 cup.
- One-dish meal. Serve with fresh fruit on the side.
Low maintenance and LOW KEY.
Ingredients in Ham & Cheese Strata:
This breakfast casserole has it all going on—it’s cheesy, hearty, spiced, and brightened up with fresh veggies. Let’s dive in:
- Bread: Use any kind of sturdy, crusty bread. (Not soft sandwich bread.) I recommend a crispy baguette from the store, a loaf of sourdough or French bread, or leftover homemade artisan bread. Cut it into cubes and let the bread cubes sit out overnight. Stale bread is the best for breakfast casseroles and stratas.
- Colorful Veggies: Green peppers and tomatoes add lovely color to the dish.
- Ham: You need cooked ham. If you happen to have some leftover from dinner, use it! Cube/chop it just like you would when making these ham & cheese scones and breakfast egg muffins.
- Cheese: Use any kind of cheese. I recommend Swiss cheese or smoked gouda.
- Eggs & Milk: This is a big casserole to feed a crowd, so set aside 9 eggs and 2 cups (480ml) of milk. It’s best to use whole milk here. If using a lower-fat milk, I recommend subbing in some half-and-half. See recipe Note.
- Spices: Use 1 teaspoon each: salt, smoked paprika, and ground mustard. These flavors are incredible with ham and Swiss cheese. And don’t worry, your strata will not taste like mustard; ground mustard is a common ingredient in strata.
- Extras: Green onion and freshly ground black pepper for flavor! Are you a fan of spice? A dash of hot sauce is dynamite, too!
Avoiding eggs or bread? Try my ham & potato casserole.
What Is the Texture Like?
The bread and eggs bake into a wonderfully soft, chewy base with irresistibly crisp edges (the best part—be sure to snag one for yourself!). This dish isn’t spongy or flimsy, and that’s because you’ll start with stale bread. It’s loaded with warm, melty cheese, a burst of savory freshness from tomatoes and peppers, and plenty of flavorful, salty ham. In other words, there’s something for everyone to love!
Ham & Swiss Strata Side Dish Ideas:
For more breakfast inspiration on busy mornings, see my complete list of 30+ make-ahead Thanksgiving breakfast ideas.
Description
This hearty and flavorful ham & Swiss cheese strata brings all the best breakfast flavors into one easy, make-ahead dish. Assembly is a breeze—no pre-cooking! Be sure to review the recipe Notes below regarding the bread, milk, a vegetarian option, and how to freeze the strata before or after baking.
- Grease a 9×13-inch or any 3–4-quart oven-safe casserole dish.
- Arrange bread cubes in an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the tomatoes, bell peppers, and ham evenly on top. Top with the cheese. Set aside.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, paprika, ground mustard, salt, and pepper together. Pour evenly over the bread/ham. Top with green onions.
- Cover casserole with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, allow to sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes as the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake for another 15–25 minutes. The strata is done when it has browned on the sides and the center is puffy. Mine usually takes around 50 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes, top with more green onions and/or pepper, and/or add a sprinkle of chopped parsley or flaky sea salt. Slice and serve.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave to your liking.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Prepare through step 3, then cover the casserole with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature, then continue with step 6. You can also freeze the baked strata for up to 3 months and when doing that, I suggest baking it in a disposable aluminum pan. Cool completely, cover with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. When ready to eat, thaw it for about 24 hours (covered) in the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, cover with just aluminum foil, and bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 25–30 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Dish or any 3–4-quart Oven-Safe Dish | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Bread: Crusty sourdough or artisan bread is fantastic in this recipe, or use any crusty, hearty bread. The crustier or more stale, the better. If your bread is fresh and/or soft, cut it into cubes and let the cubes sit out uncovered for several hours or overnight, or bake on a baking sheet in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes. It’ll be slightly crisp and ready to use in this recipe. No need to wait for the bread to cool before layering into the baking dish.
- Vegetarian Option: You can leave out the ham and replace with another 1 cup of peppers or tomatoes.
- Milk: For the richest, heartiest texture, I recommend whole milk. If using a lower-fat milk, replace up to half of it with half-and-half.
