Ham and Cheese Strata

This hearty strata recipe bakes to fluffy, golden brown perfection and couldn’t be easier to pull together. Studded with ham and mild scallions and filled with melty cheddar cheese, it’s designed to be prepared the night before and simply popped in the oven the next morning to bake. That means it's ideal for hosting guests for brunch. A mixture of beaten eggs and milk creates a custardy texture that keeps the dish moist and tender, while Dijon mustard and smoked paprika add some oomph. You can use nearly any type of bread for this recipe, from Pullman to sandwich style to a heartier whole wheat. We love the classic combination of ham and cheddar, but this recipe would be equally delicious with Swiss, Gruyère, or Parmesan cheese instead.

What's the Difference Between Strata and Bread Pudding?

With its chunks of bread and custardy texture, a strata often resembles a bread pudding, but there are a few key differences between the two dishes.

Stratas are typically savory and contain meats, cheeses, and vegetables, plus more eggs than your average bread pudding. Hearty and substantial, they're typically served as an entrée and are baked in a casserole dish without the use of a water bath.

Bread puddings, on the other hand, are most often sweet and contain warm spices, nuts, and/or dried or fresh fruit (though you will find a few savory options on our site). They can be served for dessert, breakfast, or brunch and contain more bread than eggs. We prefer to bake ours using a water bath, which cooks the mixture extremely gently, resulting in a more pudding-like texture than a strata has.

Tips for Making This Strata Recipe

Use bite-size pieces of bread: When cutting your bread into chunks, opt for pieces no larger than one inch in size, which will make the finished dish easy to eat. Using a serrated knife will make this step a cinch, but if you're aiming for a more rustic finish, you can tear the bread into pieces instead.

Layer evenly: Making two equal layers of bread, ham, cheese, and scallions ensures that guests will get a little of each ingredient in every bite. When you get to the second layer, be sure you're adding the cheese last, which will leave a gorgeous, golden brown topping. If it looks like the baking dish is getting too full, use your hands to press down on the bread to help it all fit.

Let it soak: Before baking, it's crucial to give the bread enough time to soak up the egg mixture, which guarantees a moist and tender result. (Rushing this step can leave you with a strata that's dry on top and eggy on the bottom, which is not what we're going for here.) We prefer to let it sit, covered, in the fridge overnight, but if you'd like to do it all in one day, refrigerate the baking dish, covered, for two hours before popping it in the oven.