Bacon, Cheddar and Spinach Strata

Delicious! A real treat. I served it for brunch with a fruit salad. Used frozen spinach, old white Cheddar and crusty French loaf (day old). Added 6 green onions and assembled the night before. It's a keeper!

This was the bomb at my very large family's Easter breakfast! The only addition was I carmelized an onion and mixed it into the spinach layer. Folks asked for seconds & the recipe! Annnd no leftovers! Going to have to make 1 1/2 next time! Yum!

I used 2 cups half and half and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Be sure the bread soaks up just about all the liquid. It was the first time I made a strata, and it was a big hit. Delicious!

I enjoyed this dish very much. Couldn't get my picky two year old to touch it, but the free spirit 1 year old dived in!

Made meat -free. Added 3 eggs to the 12. Added carmelized one large yellow onion instead of meat, spread over spinach. Used combo of 2 cups half and half and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Was definitely creamy enough. Added a little more salt because no bacon. It was a HUGE hit. Will make again, for sure!

Great recipe. I chose to make this breakfast strata...because I have weanie kids who won't eat so many things. I only did spinach on one half but put extra bacon on the other. Other than that followed the recipe. Turned out amazing.. Even for picky boys. Have also tried it since using mushrooms, onions and peppers diced and sautéed for a few minutes in olive oil. Added it on top of fresh chopped baby spinach. We used some peper jack this time with the cheddar cheeae...and broiling for 1 to 2 min at the end was worth it.

This was excellent. I made half a recipe and only subbed in sausage for the bacon. I really liked the spinach layer as a nice change up from the typical breakfast casserole recipes. And the cheese amount was just right; not too much and not too little. I put mine in a 9 by 7 inch casserole dish and it was a little "tall" but it didn't really affect cooking time. I baked it covered and then broiled it for 4 minutes. Delish!

My family absolutely loves this. I double the egg mixture because we like a lot of custard and add chives and dehydrated onion flakes to the egg mixture. Thank you for this recipe. You can get creative with this. Sometimes if I have broccoli instead of spinach I will use that.

I cut the recipe in half since I had not made it before. I used half and half rather than heavy cream and had to use frozen spinach because I was out of fresh (squeeze out all of the water). Also did not add bacon because I'm a veggie so I added some green onions. The recipe doesn't say to cook covered or not. I cooked it with the lid on. Glad I did because i think it would have dried out otherwise. It was pretty good way to use leftover bread and eggs from our chickens. -Thanks * I thought I'ld add if you reheat this the next day in the toaster oven it's even better -

This is fantastic. Only change was added more cheese because we like it cheesy and used 15 eggs and splash more cream. Omitted the cayenne as hubby doesn't love it spicy even if I do. My family and friends all asked for the recipe. Thanks Chef John. Love your videos..they really help!

This was a hit in our family! Thanks for another great recipe! I used all milk and I actually halved it and made it in a smaller casserole dish. I subbed bacon with sausage since that's what I had on hand. I also sauteed some onions and peppers and mixed it in with the bread/egg mixture. So GOOD! This is definitely a keeper!

I wish I could give it 4.5 stars - this was very tasty although it ended up runny in the middle after 45 minutes. I will for sure bake longer next time for a firmer texture. I did 1.5c milk and 1c heavy cream, and also added about 8oz mushrooms that I sauteed thoroughly in advance.

Very good. I took the advice of another reader and cooked it a little longer. I think it caused everything to dry out too much. Next time I will make it exactly as it appears. I did add green onions.

I used sausage instead of bacon and it was the hit of the morning! It was deliscious!

Made it for weeekend guests and it was awesome. Th video helped 100 percent. I used fresh spinach

Huge hit for Christmas morning! Super easy and very delicious. I used sausage instead of bacon, half milk, half heavy cream and a dense sourdough bread since I made it the night before.

I will definitely make it again. I only made it once and I halved the recipe. It was very tasty.

Easiness rating is a 5. This looks really hearty and nice when served, but it is actually super easy to make. I left the bacon out to make it a vegetarian dish. I was worried that it would need a crunchy, salty, fatty substitute, but it really didn’t. The hint of cayenne and salty strong flavor of cheddar was enough to make this taste good, even without bacon. I reduced this recipe. I used 3 eggs in a 5"x8" glass dish. I made it for one person, but it was big enough for two to three people as a main dish.

This was fantastic! We made it for brunch and the guests all raved about it! Will be making it again!!

I used sausage instead of bacon. We all loved this and the leftovers make a great quick breakfast or lunch.

Followed the directions, watched the chef's entertaining "how to" video and it came out as promised: AWESOME!! No modifications were made.

From the first fork full everyone was impressed by its deliciousness! It is rich and savory without feeling heavy. I made it as presented but added two small boxes of frozen spinach, drained. We all love spinach. Even my 10 y/o grandson liked it. everyone else LOVED it! Not difficult to make either. Let mine sit in the fridge overnight. Definitely try it!

3/4 of a 2 day old baguette was calling to me to make this dish, which was only half the needed breading amount. The other half was Arnold's sandwich bread, which is soft and dense. So, my breading was a combo of tough & soft. It worked out great. The spinach I had was fresh and that's how I layered it in the dish. Came out fine without precooking. Used 20 ounces of extra sharp cheese, divided into 3 sprinklings. Used 2 c. heavy cream and 1/2 c. table cream. I assembled the dish and baked it about 2 hours later. Once done, I let the strata set for about 10-15 minutes before serving and it set up nicely. I also watched the video which was helpful. Looking forward to trying this again with different meat/veggie combos. Thanks for sharing.

It was good, made as stated with no changes except used frozen spinach. Different than the usual casserole but I thought it was too bready. pretty dense.

This is by far the best strata that I have made. I halved the recipe and baked it in an 8 X 11 inch pan. I prepared it the night before, placed it in the refrigerator and baked it the next morning. I let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Perfect.

Used thick creme fraiche so not as juicy, also Brie. But still tasted fab!

Easy to make, and everyone loved it!

It was easy to make and tasted excellent.

This is a very good strada, though it takes a while to put it all together, so do as I did and make it the night before and let it sit in refrigerator. I used 1/2 the bacon and put artichoke hearts (drained) on the other side, opposite the bacon side, for my vegan wife. Both sides were great! Th finished dish was quite cheesey, which was OK for our family. and baking for 40 minutes in oven firmed up the bread nicely, and cheese was melted perfectly. A great, great dish!

Everyone loved this strata. Used Swiss cheese and ham and it was great.

It makes a HUGE amount. I split into 2 different sized pans, one for me and hubby and one for taking to a ladies brunch the next day. The recipe performed perfectly and was an all around hit. Suggest that the first thing you do is cut up the bacon and begin cooking it. I also used half & half mixed with whole milk instead of the pure cream. i cooked the smaller pan that night and stored the larger in fridge for cooking the next day before the brunch.

One loaf of French or sourdough bread is just perfect for this recipe. I made the mistake of adding a little extra because I thought I didn’t have enough for a top and bottom layer. It’s okay that there are not bread pieces covering the entire bottom. The egg with bake and fill in the holes. The combo of middle ingredients to the top and bottom layer of bread is perfect. I used frozen spinach as one reviewer suggested and it was great.

This was really good! My kids were turned off by the spinach, but they did eat and enjoy bites without it! Could easily substitute a different meat if needed.

I thought it was great. I'd like to make it at home next time in a regular oven instead of an RV one.A lot of prep work that needs more space..

I made this for Christmas day and my family really enjoyed it. It was easy to make and delicious. I wouldn't change a thing about the recipe.

Delicious and makes great leftovers the next day! I used mild Italian sausage, casings removed, added mushrooms and chopped broccoli for the spinach because that's what I had on hand. I love this Strata!

An absolute keeper of a recipe. Assembled it the night before Thanksgiving so I wouldn't have to worry about breakfast and I got more requests for this recipe than anything in the actual dinner! Made with a day old french country loaf, thick cut bacon, frozen spinach, and sharp tillamook. I'm gonna add mushrooms and possibly some green onions next time. Seems like a great way to use up whatever you have around vegetable, cheese, or meat-wise.

I made exact recipe but next time I'll tweak spinach. I will sautee spinach with some garlic and onions.

Looks really yummy! We do not have french bread here.

Substitute spinach with banana chillies

This dish is so yummy!!!! The only thing I changed, which I never do to recipes, is I used cheddar & Swiss cheese and a little bit of diced onions. So good, writing this in my personal cookbook, it’s a keeper.

It turned out very good. I would make it again.

Great recipe! I used Chef John's tip and subbed some milk for cream. This recipe lends itself to other veggie fillings like sauteed onions, peppers, or broccoli. Important to remove as much moisture as possible for even baking.

Absolutely amazing. My entire family love this breakfast dish. The only ingredient I didn't add was the nutmeg and i cut the amount of salt in half. I will be making this again.

I made this for a weekend getaway and it was an absolute hit!

I made this with leftover ham (instead of bacon). I've been making strata for years, but happy to have Chef John's take on the make-up of the custard and how to layer it. You could also use sausage and include sauteed mushrooms, onions or bell peppers or any other vegetable you might use in a quiche.

I made this for Christmas morning. I loved the flavor of the sharp cheddar, spinach and bacon. It was a big hit with my mom, who is 83 and my son, who is 17!

Provolone **

Made it, great recipe - a bit putzy, but used Collard Greens instead of spinach. Added a bit of onion and garlic powder and it was a very good brunch dish. Made my bacon ahead of time to save baking - I preferred using cooked bacon.

I always try to use deep greens, so I mix Turnip and Mustard Greens and Kale, with the Spinach....Mmmm Good!

OMG This was delish! I followed along exactly, except i baked the bacon for 20 min first & I used 1/2 c of half & half as i ran out of heavy cream.

I needed to use up some spinach and with cheese and bacon this has everything a person could love! Changes: reduced the amount of everything since it was going to be cooked in toaster oven. Added a clove of minced garlic and some green onion to the spinach layer. Used mexican blend shredded cheese rather than cheddar because it's what was on hand. Put a layer of uncooked bacon on the bottom because in a toaster oven it gets HOT on the bottom; the bacon got cooked thoroughly without the messy cooking separately and the custard layer got cooked thoroughly without burning. Last change was only one layer of bread so it was: bacon (uncooked), bread custard, fresh spinach (uncooked), shredded cheese. 40min on about 375F (toaster oven is old so I'm guessing on the temp) This is a recipe I'll use (and adapt) again and again! Thanks Chef John!

Used Half and Half. Omitted cayenne pepper. Was the hit at club meeting! This dish not only looks good; it is delicious!

Came out delicious. Left overnight to soak and was worried the ahh would not rise enough , but it did. Added Schroeder mozzarella cheese to the top as well as a sprinkling of herbs de Provence. Will try with sausage as well.

This is a rich, flavorful strata recipe. I always find a Chef John recipe as they never disappoint! I added some grilled onions and sweet red bell peppers. I also cooked this in a Bundt pan. It was just delicious and my guests loved it!

No changes.

Followed the recipe, but turned out rather bland. Next time I will add onions and garlic powder and serve with plenty of salsa...maybe mango salsa?

This is by far the best strata that I have made. I halved the recipe and baked it in an 8 X 11 inch pan. I prepared it the night before, placed it in the refrigerator and baked it the next morning. I let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Perfect.

Followed the recipe but added eggs as suggested. Perfect for Christmas morning. Will be making it again.

Tried this but eliminated the spinach because of picky eaters. It was a big hit! Took leftovers to Mom who hates bread pudding & she loved it also. I used Arnold Artisan bread, it was easier to cut and denser than French. I should have let it bake another 5 or so minutes as center was not quite as done as ends. However there were no complaints at all. The video was really helpful. This will be made many more times!

Bland, tasteless. Won’t make again.

Made this for hubby to take to a men's meeting. They loved it. I used sausage instead of bacon because its what I had. Added some hot sauce. The wild card was that I didn't have bread, but had a lot of naan. Was concerned it would make it too dense. But it seemed to work. Smelled wonderful.

Delicious and easy, what could be better than that . Followed the recipe without changes just to see how it tasted and I would t change a thing. I used fresh spinach that I wilted in a steamer. Even my picky eater grandson ate it. Definitely will make again.

Super easy and was simply DELISH! I made this for a group a work and they loved it!

Very good breakfast casserole ! I made the night before with few changes. I tried to cut down on the fat content. So, I skipped the bacon and used low fat cheese and a mixture of 2% milk and Half and half for the cream. I will add some mushroom next time.

Chef John always has the best recipes. I followed the recipe as given. I had only fresh baby spinach, so used that. Made for nice even layering. It came out delicious.
Next time will add green onions, sausage, mushrooms and garlic (cannot ever have enough garlic) and experiment with various cheeses (maybe a blend, maybe goat cheese.
After all as Chef John said, I am the Data of my Strata.☺ enjoy!

If possible this would receive no stars. Nothing unusual and repeated ad nausea on this site. Obviously, those who extolled do not understand the "science" behind creating "new" dishes. 'nuf sed. plamuk aka travellingchef.

This was a simple and delicious dish easy to add or omit vegetables.

Flavors were good, but too bready.

delicious!!

I made this for guests...and enjoyed the leftovers. I used potato bread available at our local store. It made a beautiful presentation. Will definitely use this recipe again!

Have made this several times and have one tip to add. Purchased 8oz spinach in a microwavable bag. 3 mins, open the bag and just enough to give this a nice layer of spinach. Excellent recipe

I only substituted ham for bacon. I used the overnight suggestion as indicated in the recipe. It was quick and delicious!

This a recipe worth trying. Thanks John

One of my all time favorite recipes! I have substituted 2 cans of evaporated milk for the cream and have also used 16 oz. of sour cream - both worked out perfectly. When we rent a condo for vacation, this is the recipe that I make to use up leftovers the day before we check out. We can then microwave any remaining for a quick breakfast the next morning before we get on the road!! Thank you, Chef John!

loved this - was expecting houseguests and wanted something i could make ahead of time, and then just throw in the oven in the morning. Will make again!

love this recipe...from now on it would be a frequent side at our meals ??

I made this as a make ahead breakfast for a gang of 10 guys at a camp in Maine. It was a big hit. I opted for the ham and broccoli variation with half and half. It traveled well and reheated well. Even the food snobs in the group liked it. Bloody Marys were served.