Easy Spinach Bacon Strata
Toasty bread, smoky bacon, and tender spinach bake in a rich, cheesy egg custard. A crowd-pleasing, make-ahead brunch favorite.
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Servings:
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter for greasing the dish
- 9 cup day-old crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 7 oz thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 0.75 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 9 oz baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1.4 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
- 0.9 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 0.3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 1.6 cup beaten eggs
- 1.125 cup whole milk
- 0.45 cup heavy cream
- 0.9 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 0.9 tsp kosher salt
- 0.7 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 0.2 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Heat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 7–9 minutes. Transfer to a plate; reserve 1 tbsp drippings.
- Sauté onion in reserved drippings until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted and most liquid evaporates, 2–3 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Combine bread, bacon, onion-spinach mixture, green onions, and most of the cheeses in a large bowl.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
- Whisk eggs, milk, cream, Dijon, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
- Pour custard over the bread. Press gently to submerge. Let stand 10–20 minutes or cover and chill overnight.
- Bake until puffed, golden, and set in the center, 40–45 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Variation: Swap Gruyère for Swiss or add 1 cup sautéed mushrooms. For extra crunch, top with buttered breadcrumbs before baking. Leftovers reheat well at 300°F for 10–12 minutes; cover loosely with foil.
This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Easy Spinach Bacon Strata flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.