This Make ahead Breakfast Strata is our tradition every Christmas morning. To be honest, I think my husband looks forward to eating this for breakfast more than any other food on Christmas day! If you have not had it before, you have to make it! Savory eggs, with peameal bacon and cheese, and soft bread. To top it all off a delicious crunch from the cereal topping! It is amazing. A great make-the-day-before meal, so on the day of, you simply have to pop it in the oven and enjoy. That is why it is perfect for Christmas morning!

An outdoor table with Make ahead breakfast strata on a white plate, a cut of tea and some cranberry juice in the background.

It is, basically, an egg casserole with a lot of bread in it. If you find that you end up loving it, (and I can’t imagine that you would not!), you can start to experiment with different ingredients to add in. It is the perfect breakfast for a large family, or for when you have guests over.

Serves	Prep time: 20 mins, plus 6-24 hours	Category
8	Cook time: 1 hour	Breakfast

Ingredients For Make Ahead Breakfast Strata

16 slices of bread (I used homemade sourdough. Store bought white bread will taste great here too!)

½ lb (or 8-10) slices peameal bacon/Canadian bacon (you can also use ham)

1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped (optional)

3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

8 eggs

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

3 cups milk

½ teaspoon dry chili flakes

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup crushed corn flakes cereal (optional)

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

Grease a 9×13 inch (3.5 L rectangular) casserole dish.
Place 8 slices of bread to fully line the bottom of the dish. You may have to rip some pieces up and arrange them around each other to fully cover the bottom.
Place slices of peameal bacon on top of the bread layer.
Sprinkle the roasted red pepper pieces over the peameal bacon layer (if using).
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.
Top with the remaining 8 slices of bread. It should be completely covered. If you have to rip some pieces up, to fill in gaps, this is fine.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, salt and pepper, mustard powder, chili flakes, and milk until everything is well combined.
Slowly, and evenly, pour the mixture over the bread casserole. It will start to absorb a little. Make sure to get it on all of the top bread layer.
Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours. This will allow the egg mixture to absorb into the bread.
The next morning. Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).
Sprinkle the crushed cereal over top of the casserole (if desired, this makes it extra delicious though!) and pour the melted butter, evenly, over top.
Bake uncovered for 50 mins.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. (We usually omit this step)
Return to the oven for 10 mins, or until the cheese is melted.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

An overhead view of a wooden table with make ahead breakfast strata on a white plate with a metal fork, a cup of tea, and cranberry juice and a child's hand taking raspberries.

Outdoor table with make ahead breakfast strata on a white plate with a cup of tea in the background and two children's hands eating it.

Why I love making Breakfast Strata

This is such a versatile breakfast, you can put in anything you have on hand that your family enjoys! You can also experiment with bread choices as well! I made this one with sourdough bread, but I think a French baguette would be amazing! Growing up we used grocery store sliced bread and it was honestly just as delicious!

A few Strata combinations we love

The first is this classic recipe that is our Christmas morning staple. Using this recipe as a base:

Replace the peameal bacon with regular bacon strips, add in tomatoes, in place of the peppers, and add either fresh or dried basil.

We have also tried one with more Italian flavours as a Dinner Strata. Simply replace the peameal bacon with cut up chicken breast. Replace the peppers with sliced mushrooms of choice. Add in a half teaspoon of garlic powder. And replace the cheddar cheese with mozzarella.

Try to come up with some versions of your own! I would love to try a sweet version next!