Sausage and Veggie Breakfast Strata with Shallot and Chive Boursin
The strata may have become a darling of the American brunch table, but its greatest talent has always been far more practical: it knows exactly what to do with a loaf of bread and a hungry table.
A strata is an American baked casserole built around bread and cheese, with the modern breakfast version usually held together by eggs and milk. The name comes from the idea of layers, or strata, and its use for this kind of dish can be traced to the early twentieth century. Merriam-Webster dates the culinary meaning to 1902, when early cheese stratas looked somewhat different from the egg-rich breakfast casseroles we recognize today. By the later twentieth century, bread soaked with eggs and milk, layered with cheese and often ham, sausage, or vegetables, had become a familiar make-ahead breakfast.
It is an especially sensible piece of American cooking. Slightly stale bread has an advantage here because it can absorb the seasoned egg mixture without immediately collapsing. Add whatever the kitchen has to offer, tuck the whole thing into a casserole dish, and the oven turns those separate ingredients into a substantial meal with a browned top and tender center.
My version leans heavily into that savory side of the strata, with breakfast sausage, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, cherry tomatoes, Cheddar, and Shallot & Chive Boursin. There is plenty going on in the pan, so each ingredient needs to earn its place.
The sausage gives the casserole its backbone. I prefer regular pork breakfast sausage here because its sage and black pepper seasoning works naturally with eggs without taking over the vegetables. Browning it well matters. Those caramelized bits at the bottom of the skillet bring considerably more flavor than sausage that has merely been cooked until gray.
The vegetables then go into the same general flavor territory. Onion and bell pepper soften and sweeten in the skillet, mushrooms add an earthy note, tomatoes bring acidity, and the spinach wilts down into the mixture. Cooking them before they meet the bread also drives off some of their moisture. That is worth doing in a strata, where an excess of liquid can leave the center watery instead of custardy.
Then comes the Boursin.
François Boursin began making cheese in Normandy in 1957 and introduced the garlic-and-herb cheese that made his name in 1963. The cheese was inspired by the French custom of serving fresh cheese seasoned with herbs and garlic, and its creamy, crumbly texture eventually became familiar far beyond France. Shallot & Chive is one of the varieties sold today, and it works particularly well with eggs because the cheese brings both richness and seasoning with it.
I use the entire small round in this casserole. Once heated, pockets of Boursin soften among the bread, sausage, and vegetables rather than disappearing completely into the eggs. The Cheddar serves a different purpose, melting across the top and giving the casserole the browned cheese finish that makes a breakfast bake especially good straight from the oven.
Dijon mustard may seem like a minor addition, but it belongs here. A teaspoon stirred into the egg and milk mixture sharpens all that dairy richness without making the casserole taste distinctly of mustard. It is the sort of background seasoning that becomes noticeable mainly when it is missing.
The bread may be the most important ingredient of all. French bread or sourdough has enough structure to soak up the eggs and milk while retaining some texture. Once baked, the pieces along the top develop crisp edges while the bread underneath becomes tender and almost bread-pudding-like.
That combination explains much of the strata's staying power. It can take the odds and ends of a refrigerator and turn them into something deliberate. Leftover ham, roasted asparagus, sautéed leeks, Gruyère, spinach, mushrooms, or yesterday's loaf can all find their way into one version or another. American cooks have been adapting the basic idea for generations.
This particular pan is generous enough for company and substantial enough that it needs very little beside it. I would put out a bowl of berries or sliced citrus, perhaps a simple green salad if brunch is edging toward lunch, and plenty of coffee.
And I would bring the casserole to the table in the dish in which it baked. The browned Cheddar, scattered vegetables, and pockets of soft Boursin already make the case for it.
That is breakfast worth getting out of bed for.
Until next time, thank you for spending a little time with me. I hope you find a recipe to make, a story to enjoy, and something new to take into the kitchen. ♥️
Sausage & Veggie Breakfast Strata With Shallot & Chive Boursin & Cheddar
prep time: 30 minutes
cook time: 30-40 minutes
oven temperature: 375°f
servings: 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound ground regular pork breakfast sausage
8 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups cubed bread (such as French bread or sourdough)
1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking)
1 small onion, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced (optional)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup crumbled Boursin cheese (any flavor you like, I used the entire 5.2 oz block of Boursin Shallot & Chive)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Fresh herbs for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the breakfast sausage over medium heat. Once cooked, transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and set aside.
- In the same skillet used for the sausage, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell peppers, cooking until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until mushrooms start to brown. If desired, you can cook the mushrooms separately to achieve a deeper brown color while the onions and peppers cook.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and baby spinach leaves to the skillet, cooking until the spinach wilts slightly, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sausage back to the pan and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Remove the skillet from heat.
- In a large casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, spread the cubed bread over the bottom. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and gently press down to help it absorb the liquid. Next, evenly spread the vegetables and sausage mixture over the top, ensuring they are nestled into the bread and egg mixture.
- Crumble the Boursin cheese over the top of the strata, followed by the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Transfer the casserole dish to the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown.
- Once cooked, remove the casserole dish from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Serve the strata warm as a main dish for brunch or a hearty side dish for any meal. Enjoy!
about the AUTHOr
Stasia Wimmer Boschetti is an American culinary writer and the founder of American Country Living, where she writes about recipes, home, and the traditions that shape everyday American life. With more than thirty years of experience in the kitchen and a background in catering, she explores the history behind the foods we keep making and the customs that keep them in use. She is also the founder of the American Country Living General Store, offering homewares, baking goods, and provisions for everyday life at home. She lives in Texas with her husband, family, and five rescued animals, where she continues to cook, write, and keep a well-loved home.
