Make-Ahead Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Strata: Assemble Tonight, Bake Before School

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage, breaking it into small crumbles, about 6 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, 4 minutes more. Drain off excess fat.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 loaf (about 12 oz) day-old sourdough or French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• Butter, for greasing the dish

Instructions

1. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage, breaking it into small crumbles, about 6 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, 4 minutes more. Drain off excess fat.
2. Spread half the bread cubes in the dish. Scatter half the sausage mixture and half the cheddar over the top. Repeat with the remaining bread, sausage and cheese.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, Dijon, salt, pepper and smoked paprika until completely smooth.
4. Pour the custard evenly over the bread, pressing the cubes down gently so every piece is soaked. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours.
5. In the morning, pull the dish from the fridge while the oven heats to 350°F (175°C), about 20 minutes, so it loses its chill.
6. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20 to 25 minutes until puffed, golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Scatter with chives and serve. Leftover squares reheat in the microwave in 90 seconds or in a toaster oven in 8 minutes.
8. Strata is the American brunch table's answer to bread pudding: a savory layered bake of stale bread, eggs, milk and whatever the fridge offers. It rose to fame in mid-century church cookbooks and holiday morning spreads precisely because all the work happens the night before. For a school-week household, that overnight soak is the whole point. The custard fully saturates the bread while you sleep, so breakfast becomes a matter of turning on the oven, and a single pan yields hot, protein-rich squares for four mornings running.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Protein: 22g
• Fat: 26g
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 780mg