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This easy overnight Italian strata is a great savory breakfast or brunch option the whole family is sure to love. Pancetta, sausage and spinach are layered with bread and Fontina cheese to make this irresistible, traditional cheesy breakfast casserole.
My family gets so excited now when they see me making this overnight Italian strata. They know what's coming the next morning: sheer perfection in breakfast casserole form.
This delicious meat and cheese strata is perfect for large gatherings or holiday brunches. I especially like making it ahead of busy holiday mornings like Easter, Christmas morning, or New Year's Day. It's also perfect to prep ahead of time if you have overnight guests staying with you.
Jump to:
- 🍳 What is the difference between a strata, quiche, and frittata?
- 🥚Ingredient notes
- 📋 Substitutions and variations
- 🔪 Step by step instructions
- ⭐ Expert tips
- ⏲️ Make ahead instructions
- 🥡 Storage and reheating instructions
- 💭 Frequently asked questions
- 🍳 More breakfast and brunch dishes
- #ScarlatiFamilyKitchen
- Recipe
- Comments
🍳 What is the difference between a strata, quiche, and frittata?
The main thing Strata, Quiche, and Frittata have in common is that they are all wildly popular breakfast or brunch dishes made with eggs. However, they vary in preparation as well as the cooking technique.
Quiche - This French delight came to the US in the 1950s. Typically classified as a savory tart, it consists of an egg and heavy cream custard baked in a pastry crust or pie shell. Meats or vegetables are added for variation. I have a hash brown crust quiche that you would love!
Frittata - The frittata comes from Italy and is basically a fancy open-faced omelette or a crustless quiche. Whipped eggs and additional ingredients are cooked in a frying pan and then sometimes finished off in the oven.
Strata - Strata is an American invention. It's a layered breakfast casserole consisting of stale cubed bread, eggs, and cheese. The egg mixture can be thinned out with whole milk, or even heavy cream. Vegetables or meat can be added to them too.
🥚Ingredient notes
- Pancetta - Pancetta is an Italian cut of meat that comes from the pork belly. It is similar to bacon, but salt cured, not smoked. If you have difficulty finding pancetta, you can use bacon as a substitute.
- Sausage - My family prefers mild or sweet ground Italian sausage. If you like things a little spicier, I recommend using hot or spicy Italian sausage.
- Bread - I like to use my homemade Italian bread. You can also use French bread or any basic white bread. Stale Texas toast also works great, as well as sourdough! Make sure to use a 14-16 ounce loaf to ensure the proper texture.
- Cheese - Fontina is a cow's milk Italian cheese. Depending on how long it's been aged, Fontina can range from semi-soft to hard; it's typically aged up to three months. Its mild, nutty flavor is a great complement to so many dishes. If you have difficulty finding Fontina, you can use mozzarella, provolone or gouda.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Create Your Own - Feel free to get creative with this recipe! Use it as a "blueprint" to create your own version. Swap out the meats, vegetables and cheese to include your favorite ingredients. Sometimes I will add mushrooms or peppers. Substitute the spinach for kale or chard if you like as well!
- Dairy-Free Version - To make this dairy-free, substitute the milk with an unsweetened dairy-free milk and the fontina for a dairy-free alternative.
- Gluten-Free Version - To make this strata gluten-free, use a sturdy gluten-free bread or substitute it with 4 cups of frozen cubed hash brown potatoes.
- Vegetarian Option - Omit the pancetta and sausage or use a plant-based sausage alternative to make this breakfast strata vegetarian.
- NOT overnight - In a pinch, this strata can be refrigerated for only 2 hours. The bread needs time to absorb the moisture before baking, so I don't recommend any shorter than that.
- Individual Strata Muffins - Layer the mixture in a muffin tin for individual servings. Cook time will be closer to 30 minutes or less, so keep a close eye on them. These are great to freeze for a quick and delicious make-ahead breakfast.
🔪 Step by step instructions
In a large skillet, saute the pancetta, sausage, red onion, and garlic. When the meat is cooked through, take the skillet off of the heat and mix in the spinach until it wilts.
Add half of the bread cubes into a greased baking dish in an even layer.
Top the bread with half of the meat mixture as well as half of the fontina cheese. Layer the remaining bread on top, followed by the rest of the meat mixture, and lastly the cheese.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and seasonings to combine.
Slowly pour the egg mixture over bread, meat and cheese and then use your hands or a spatula to press the bread down evenly. Make sure all of the bread is soaked in the egg mixture to prevent any dry spots. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and then refrigerate it overnight.
When it's baking time, take the strata out of the fridge and then preheat the oven. Bake for about 50-60 minutes until it is puffed up, evenly golden brown and no longer jiggly in the middle.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that is mentioned, be sure to look it up in our Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Stale bread will soak up the egg mixture best. You can cube it and then leave it out in advance and or toast in the oven at 400° for just a few minutes.
- I highly recommend buying a block of fontina and shredding it fresh. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking coating added so it doesn't stick together in the bag. While it's convenient, it also prevents the cheese from melting.
- The key to a good strata is to layer the ingredients. The ingredients won't be evenly distributed if you just mix them in the dish.
- Use a 9x13 baking dish like this 4 quart casserole, so you have room for everything. If the dish is too small, then it will be more likely for ingredients to spill out during baking.
- Let the strata rest for 10-15 minutes before serving so it sets and makes serving easier.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
This Italian breakfast strata is perfect to make head. Strata can be refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking. Overnight works great, but refrigeration time should at least be a minimum of 2 hours before baking.
🥡 Storage and reheating instructions
Allow leftover Italian strata to cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator or freezer.
FRIDGE - Refrigerate the strata in a well sealed, airtight container. Stored properly, it will be good for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
FREEZER - To freeze leftover strata, wrap it in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Frozen strata will be good for up to 2-3 months. Make sure to thaw it in the fridge completely before reheating.
REHEATING - Reheat in the oven at 350˚ for 10-15 minutes or microwave for 2-3 minutes.
💭 Frequently asked questions
A strata will be soggy when there is too much liquid to bread ratio. For this recipe, make sure to use at least a 14-16 ounce loaf of bread for the best finished texture.
This overnight strata recipe will serve approximately 8 people for a larger serving and around 12 people for a smaller sized portion.
🍳 More breakfast and brunch dishes
If you loved this easy overnight Italian strata, check out these other breakfast and brunch recipes that I know you will love too!
Recipe
Overnight Italian Strata with Fontina Cheese
Ingredients
- ¼ pound pancetta, thick cut and diced small
- ½ pound ground Italian sausage, mild or spicy
- ½ medium red onion, diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, approximately 3 cloves
- 4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
- 1 loaf Italian bread, (14-16 ounces), stale and cut in 1-2 inch cubes
- 8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
- 3 cups whole milk
- 10 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the pancetta, sausage, red onion, and garlic. Saute, while breaking up the sausage for 5-7 minutes until the meat is lightly browned and cooked through. (¼ pound pancetta, ½ pound ground Italian sausage, ½ medium red onion, 1 Tablespoon minced garlic)
- Take the skillet off of the heat and mix in the spinach until it has wilted. (4 cups baby spinach)
- Butter or grease a 9x13 casserole dish or 4 quart baking dish.
- Distribute half of the bread cubes in an even layer in the dish and top with half of the meat mixture as well as half of the cheese. (1 loaf Italian bread, 8 ounces fontina cheese).
- Evenly distribute the remaining bread on top, followed by the rest of the meat mixture, and lastly the rest of the cheese.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole milk with the eggs, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk to completely break up the eggs and mix everything well. (3 cups whole milk, 10 large eggs, 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper)
- Slowly pour the egg mixture over the layered ingredients and then use hands or a spatula to press the bread down so it's completely soaked by the egg mixture.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight but no more than 24 hours in advanced.
- At baking time, remove the dish from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 350˚ while the strata sits at room temperature.
- Bake the strata in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until it is puffed up, no longer jiggly in the middle, and evenly browned on top.
- Let the strata rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Meat - Bacon can be substituted for the pancetta. Omit both meats for a vegetarian version.
- Vegetables - Add mushrooms or peppers; spinach can be substituted for kale or chard.
- Cheese - Substitute the fontina for mozzarella, provolone or gouda.
- Bread - Use Italian bread, French bread, white bread, sourdough or texas toast.
- Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free bread or substitute with 4 cups of frozen diced potatoes.
- Dairy-Free - Use unsweetened dairy-free milk and dairy-free cheese.
- Not Overnight - Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before baking.
- Muffins - Layer mixture in a muffin tin for individual servings. Cook time will be closer to 30 minutes. These can be frozen for quick breakfasts.
- Leftovers - Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Freeze - Freeze baked strata after cooling, wrapped in plastic wrap for 2-3 months. Thaw completely before reheating in the oven or microwave.
sarah
my husband had complete oral surgery and he was able to eat this and I didn't miss out on a thing! excellent flavor. i enjoyed it despite my hesitation (looks mushy but is not!)
Amanda Scarlati
Hi Sarah! Thanks so much, I'm glad you were both able to enjoy it!