Overnight Ham and Cheddar Strata
A cubed-bread custard casserole assembled the night before and baked straight from the fridge — built for a crowd on a holiday morning.
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Written
Method
-
Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and scatter half the bread cubes in an even layer.
-
Top with half the ham, half the cheddar, and half the scallions, then repeat with the remaining bread, ham, cheddar, and scallions.
-
Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper, then pour evenly over the bread, pressing down gently until every piece is soaked.
-
Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight, until the custard is mostly absorbed and the bread has softened.
-
Let the dish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake at 350°F until puffed, golden, and set in the center, 50 to 55 minutes.
-
Rest 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
Notes
The overnight soak is what separates this from a frittata — the bread needs the full eight hours to go from soggy to custardy all the way through, so don’t rush it or the center will stay wet while the top browns. A skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean, not creamy.
Swap the ham for cooked breakfast sausage or diced smoked turkey if that’s what’s on hand, and a gruyère or Swiss will stand in for the cheddar without changing the method. It reheats well in squares, so it’s as good for a slow Tuesday as it is for a table of people on Christmas morning.