Repeat after me, “strata is meal prep.”

Strata is one of those foods that consistently falls perfectly on the effort to flavor chart, AKA low effort with a big flavor payout! Strata is the perfect option for holidays or planning a brunch because you make it the night before and just throw it in the oven about an hour before you plan to eat.

I chose this flavor combination because it is one of my favorites, but this recipe is definitely a template. You can swap different veggies and cheeses here to find the one that works best for you. For me? This one is super tasty and very savory which makes it a great choice for me.

Ingredients

• 4 cups focaccia, diced into 1 inch cubes*
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups milk*
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 5 oz spinach
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped small
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• onion powder*
• red pepper flakes*
• S+P

Instructions

Classification: Weekend

Prep time: 15 minutes (plus overnight)

Cook time: 50 minutes

Serves: 4-6

• Prep the garlic and mushrooms if needed.
• Heat a small skillet on medium high heat.
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
• Add the mushrooms and rosemary and season with salt, pepper, onion powder and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms start to shrink and harden, about 5 minutes.
• Add the spinach and cook until wilted, set the mixture aside until cooled.
• Crack 6 eggs into a large bowl and mix in 2 cups of milk.
• Grease a baking pan, mine was 9×9 inches.
• Layer the bread into the dish and top with the mushroom/spinach mixture and the two cups of cheese.
• Pour the egg mixture into the dish .
• Wrap and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
• In the morning, pull the strata out and let it sit for room temperature for 30 minutes* as you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook uncovered for 50-60 minutes until puffy and edges start to brown.
• Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

• I used focaccia for this because I thought it played nicely with the flavor profile, but other breads will obviously work here.
• We used Oatley for this and it worked totally fine! I’m sure any milk will work for this though just use what you have.
• You’ll notice I used onion powder here, but if you’d prefer actual onions here go for it. I’m not big on the texture of onions (which is why you’ll almost never see them in my recipes) but if you want to omit the onion powder and sauté 1/2 an onion with the mushrooms and spinach that would definitely work.
• I like my food spicy so I am pretty generous with the red pepper flakes. If that is not your thing reduce them or omit entirely. You’ll never see me suggest a specific amount because I know it won’t work for everyone and want to encourage you to go with your gut!
• I totally forgot to do this last time lol and it turned out fine, but you are supposed to do this.