Breakfast Strata with Pancetta and Caramelized Onions

Count on this breakfast strata any time you need to feed a crowd before noon. The elevated egg casserole combines toasty bread, sautéed pancetta, richly caramelized aromatics, and a top layer of tangy Gruyère. It’s designed to prep at night and bake in the morning, and it makes a lot of food—truly the stuff of holiday or grand brunch dreams.

Originally borrowed and adapted from Faith Durand of The Kitchn, this strata recipe has won the most live-and-in-person popularity contests of any breakfast dish I’ve ever made.

Be aware from the outset: this is not a petite breakfast. The way I write this recipe yields a truly enormous amount of food, which is perfect when you have a house full of guests, if less ideal at other times. Furthermore, it’s just too delicious to resist extra-large slices!

With the mix of salty, tangy pancetta and Gruyère, plus deeply-browned ribbons of onion, all tucked into big bites of bread and tender baked eggs, this strata is a home run for your next big holiday breakfast or brunch. Let this check the “savory” box! Pair with fluffy orange sweet rolls or cinnamon rolls, salad, and a big bowl of fruit.

Why You’ll Love This Breakfast Strata

• Major flavor from crusty hunks of bread, pancetta, patiently-caramelized onions, mustard, nutmeg, and thyme
• Amazing mix of textures from crispy edges to a tender interior and varied mix-ins
• All—repeat, all—the work is done the night before
• Makes a huge amount of food all in one dish—though yes, you can cut it in half
• Perfectly rounds out a breakfast menu with an unexpected savory dish

Ingredient Notes

Five Star Strata Status

So, what gives a humble strata star status? Well, as I first sat down to think about it, I realized that every single person who has tried this has asked for the recipe. That’s a pretty good indicator, no? Plus, just reflect on the ingredients: Crusty bread. Custard-like baked eggs. Thick-cut pancetta. Onions sweetly caramelized to soften and highlight their best flavor. Thyme, mustard, and a pinch of nutmeg. And grated Gruyère cheese scattered liberally over the entire thing.

Now I’ve had this strata recipe in my arsenal for more than eight years, and as a busy Mom, I appreciate more than ever how the heavy lifting is done the night before. In the morning, all your sleepy self needs to do is take the baking dish out of the fridge and pop it into a warm oven. We can manage that much even before the coffee hits.

Prep, Layer, and Bake

In essence, a strata is a layered breakfast casserole. The word literally means layers and can be equally applied to geology or breakfast, though I of course know far more about the latter. Most of your work will go into preparing the components of each layer; the actual assembly is so easy.

First, lightly spritz a deep 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. Scatter your slightly dry bread cubes inside.

Next you’ll crisp the pancetta—so delicious—and remove it to a paper towel-lined plate. Dab or wipe out the grease if there is a lot of it, then add the sliced onions directly to the same pan together with a pinch each of kosher salt and granulated sugar.

Assemble and Refrigerate

While you wait for the onions to caramelize, prepare the egg mixture and grate the cheese.

Now it’s just a matter of spreading it all in layers on top of the bread: pancetta first, then onions, then cheese, then finally the egg mixture gets poured on top.

Press down lightly on the bread cubes so that everything can soak up the egg mixture, cover tightly with aluminum foil or food wrap, and pop into the refrigerator.

All the flavors and textures will now meld perfectly overnight.

Bake Uncovered!

In the morning, just remove the foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 35-50 minutes. The wide timing range is because this will vary significantly depending on the depth of your baking pan, the size of your eggs, the size of your bread cubes, and how hot your oven runs.

You will know the strata is done when the edges are bubbling, the top is browned, and a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. If the top is already dark but the other two criteria aren’t met, place the foil back on top and continue to bake.

Let cool slightly, then slice and serve!

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

• To Make Ahead: Fully prepare this strata through topping with grated cheese, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and store in the fridge overnight or for up to 24 hours. When ready, remove the foil and bake as directed.
• To Store: Strata keeps wonderfully for at least 3-4 days in the fridge. Cover tightly and reheat slices for 1-2 minutes in the microwave as desired.
• Don’t Freeze: Possibly this strata’s only flaw is that it doesn’t freeze very well once fully baked. The texture just isn’t the same once thawed. Instead, eat what you can and share the rest with a deserving neighbor, coworker, or friend.

More Breakfast Ideas

• Crispy Potato and Eggs Breakfast Skillet
• Frittata with Spinach, Gouda, and Parmesan
• Butternut Squash Frittata with Sage
• Five Banana Banana Bread
• Sausage Cheddar Egg Bites
• Mediterranean Frittata
• Cottage Cheese Pancakes

This post was originally published on January 10, 2018, and has been updated with new photos and more specific and helpful information on the method and possible ingredient substitutions. The recipe is unchanged.