Hosting brunch soon? Pull together an easy and impressive brunch for your overnight guests with this Tuscan Strata recipe. This savory baked egg dish is packed with flavorful sausage, sun dried tomatoes and herbs. Guaranteed to disappear!
One bite of this hearty, flavor packed Tuscan Strata will show you why it's one of my favorite brunch recipes. It's easy to make and has a mouthwatering flavor combination. Prep it the night before and have a cup of coffee with your guests while it bakes.
Tip: Pair this Tuscan strata with an easy arugula salad and a grapefruit mimosa for your next brunch menu.
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Why you'll love this recipe
✔︎ Prep it ahead of time. Assemble this the night before, let the bread soak in the egg mixture, and bake it in the morning. Brunch doesn't get any easier.
✔︎ A twist on a traditional egg bake. This strata is filled with tuscan flavors like sun dried tomatoes, asiago and fontina cheeses, herbs and earthy mushrooms.
✔︎ It's a one dish meal. This satisfying egg bake is a star in and of itself. Add some fruit or a simple green salad, and your meal is complete.
Ingredients
These easy to find ingredients come together and make a mouthwatering egg bake.
Ingredient Notes:
Bread: Italian, ciabatta or sourdough are the best bread choices for this recipe. Brioche is too soft for this hearty dish.
Sausage: We used Jimmy Dean sausage for this recipe. Want some extra heat? Use a hot italian sausage.
Vegetables: Slice and sauté mushrooms and onions to add an earthy flavor to the dish.
Dry Spices: Use a Tuscan or Italian Seasoning mix for this dish. The two spice blends are very similar, but Tuscan seasoning is a bit more robust and peppery in flavor.
Half and Half: Half and half gives the creamy flavor to this dish. It won't be as fluffy if you use milk in its place.
Eggs: We love the rich yellow yolks of pasture raised eggs.
Sundried tomatoes: Buy the jar packed in oil and herbs for extra flavor. Pat them dry before adding to the dish.
Cheeses: Fontina and Asiago cheeses add a nutty flavor to the strata and melt beautifully!
Instructions
Make this Tuscan Strata dish in a few easy steps.
Place the bread cubes in a bowl and toss with the cooked sausage, seasoning, vegetables, sundried tomatoes, and shredded cheeses. Pour into a greased 9x13" baking dish.
Whisk together eggs and half and half.
Slowly pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let bread soak up liquid.
Expert tips for making strata:
Use dry or stale bread cubes for even better texture in this egg bake.
Beat the eggs well before mixing with the cream to ensure a smooth and creamy filling.
Shred your own cheeses for the best melting. Preshredded cheeses are coated in flour to prevent sticking.
Let it rest before you serve. It may seem silly, but the resting time is important! The strata finishes cooking as it cools. Plus it sets up to make cutting and serving a snap.
More Great Breakfast Dishes
We love hosting brunch, and an egg dish is the perfect star of the show. Check out our go-to egg bake recipes.
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Recipe
Tuscan Strata Recipe
Ingredients
- 3½ cups Italian Bread, cubed (½ large loaf)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 16 ounces Italian sausage
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
- 2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
Instructions
- Place cubed bread in a large mixing bowl. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and set aside.3½ cups Italian Bread,
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute sausage, shallot and Tuscan seasoning until sausage is no longer pink. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sausage mixture to bread cubes.2 tablespoons olive oil, 16 ounces Italian sausage, 1 shallot,, salt and pepper, 2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning
- Return skillet to the stove and melt the butter. Add mushrooms and sauté until all liquid evaporates. Add mushrooms to bread mixture.2 tablespoons butter, 8 ounces mushrooms,
- Pat sun dried tomatoes dry and add to bread and sausage mixture. Add shredded cheeses to bread mixture and stir to combine. Pour into prepared pan.1 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil,, 2 cups shredded Asiago cheese, 2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
- Whisk eggs and half and half together in a bowl. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread mixture in pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight so bread can soak up liquid.8 eggs, 2 cups half and half
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove strata from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered for 60 minutes or until center is set. If it starts to brown too early, cover with foil. Let strata sit for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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