This Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata is easy enough for breakfast, brunch or dinner, yet elegant enough for entertaining.  Jam packed with buttery brioche bread, fluffy eggs, creamy ricotta and sweet strawberry preserves, this strata is sweet and savory perfection!

*Updated*

This post was originally published in April 2017.  I tweaked the recipe slightly and updated the post below to include more information about this Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata recipe.  Plus, I added a recipe video to show you how easy this meal is to make!  

Hey there, friends!  Is it just me, or has Mother’s Day kind of snuck up on you?  I mean, it is only a little over 2 weeks away!  Where has the first tertile of 2017 gone?!   (<– Yes, I said tertile.  And yes, I had to look that up. 😉 )

Do you guys have any big plans to show Mom some love on her special day?  Maybe you are taking her out for a fancy meal?  Possibly a bit of pampering with a mani-pedi, or maybe a massage?  Or, perhaps you are showering her with flowers and gifts?

Do tell!  I need ideas and inspiration!

My fabulous mother unfortunately lives a few states away, and while I won’t be able to show her how much I unconditionally love, admire and respect her this upcoming Mother’s day, I am hoping she knows how much I care!

Aaaand, I hope she knows if we lived closer I would be over making her breakfast in bed.  Complete with carafes of Mimosas.  Because what mother wouldn’t want THAT?

In case you are still on the fence, and wondering how to spoil your mom on the upcoming holiday, I highly suggest you steal my idea.  You should ABSOLUTELY make her this easy, yet elegant strata.

And then deliver it to her while she is still cozy and curled up in bed.  <– But, don’t do that in the middle of the night or anything weird.  You won’t get bonus points if you actually wake mom from her Sleeping Beauty-like slumber with breakfast in bed.  😉

But, definitely do NOT forget the mimosas or the bloody marys!  You DO get bonus points for bringing brunch WITH cocktails.

Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata

AKA Breakfast of CLASSY CHAMPIONS.

This layered casserole is loaded with silky, savory eggs, fluffy, buttery brioche bread, and studded with decadent, creamy ricotta and sweet, sticky Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves.

Generously garnished with crunchy, salty slivers of almonds; slices of juicy strawberries and cooling, fresh mint, this strata is ULTIMATE in the brunch department.

Luscious, light and fluffy, yet thick and creamy with toasty-crisp edges, the consistency and texture of this Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata is similar to a soufflé… MINUS all the laborious work and worrying.

The star of this showy sweet and savory strata is most definitely the Bonne Maman preserves.

And, since we wouldn’t want to do brunch like anything but a BOSS, a top notch preserve is a MUST.

What is a breakfast strata?

A breakfast strata is an American layered casserole dish.  Commonly served for brunch, a breakfast strata is similar to a frittata or a quiche.  Stratas typically consist of bread, eggs, milk, cheese and may (or may not) include meat and/or vegetables.

What to serve with a breakfast strata or breakfast casserole?

This easy, overnight strawberry ricotta breakfast strata is very filling, however if you are looking to serve this layered casserole as a part of a breakfast spread, there are a few sides you can serve to round out this meal!

Since there is no meat in this strata, serving stand alone meats such as bacon or sausage would be delicious options!  As well, fresh fruit, fruit salad or yogurt would pair excellently.

If you have a family (like mine) who loves all things potatoes, hash browns or any sort of breakfast potato would be another great option!

Toasted bread or croissants with homemade (or store-bought) jam are typically included in a breakfast spread, but since this strata is made up of bread and jam, I’d probably steer clear of those two options.  😉

How to make breakfast strata recipe?

Because Mother’s Day brunch should be fancy, but not demanding, this sophisticated looking strata is easier than pie to prepare AND can be made in advance.

First, you cube some brioche bread and place half of it in a greased baking dish, making sure you arrange the bread to cover the bottom of the dish.

Next, you whisk together some eggs with a bit of milk, vanilla extract and orange zest.

Then SLOWLY, and EVENLY, pour half of the egg-milk mixture over the bread in the baking dish.  And then dollop half of the ricotta over the egg soaked bread, followed by half of the Bonne Maman preserves.

Repeat the process with the remaining bread cubes, egg-milk mixture, ricotta and preserves.

Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and transfer it to the refrigerator.

Now go about your life.  Pour yourself a glass of wine, make the kids some dinner, or write a Mother’s day card for your mom.  Whatever’s clever, you guys.  Just do you and have a good night.

In the morning, pull the strata out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter while you preheat the oven.

Uncover the strata, brush it with a few splashes of cream and generously sprinkle on some almonds.  Transfer the strata to the oven and bake for about 55 minutes, or until the strata is puffed, golden brown and the center is set (it shouldn’t be jiggly when shaken).

Go pour you and your mom a carafe of mimosas and surprise her with this Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata breakfast in bed.

Then give yourself a round of applause.

You have officially just become the golden child of the family.

Notes, Tips & Tricks for the best Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata recipe:

1. While I recommend brioche bread for this strata, you can use any bread you would like.  For the most luxurious, rich mouth-feel I suggest a buttery yeast bread similar to brioche, such as challah.  But potato bread or Hawaiian rolls would work too.
2. You need stale, day old bread for this strata.  Fresh brioche bread will completely disintegrate into the egg and milk mixture.  However, if all you have is fresh bread, do NOT worry!  You can just toast the bread to get the same results as stale bread.  Place the cubes of bread on a sheet pan and toast them in a 250 degree F oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the cubes are just barely starting to crisp on the outside.
3. If you don’t care for ricotta, you can easily substitute goat cheese in an equal amount.
4. If you want a pretty design on top of your strata, you can use a butter knife to gently swirl through the ricotta and preserves to create a pattern.
5. For the BEST flavor and results, refrigerate the strata, covered tightly, overnight.  Giving the bread time to really soak up the egg mixture makes a world of difference.  Nevertheless, you can bake it the same day if needed.  Just make sure you let the strata sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes to soak up some of the flavor while the oven preheats.
6. If the top of the strata is browned to your liking before the center is set, tent the top of the baking dish lightly with aluminum foil during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

Don’t spend Mother’s Day slaving away in the kitchen, spend quality time with mom AND show her how much you care with this Easy Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata!

Until next week friends, cheers – to all the wonderful mamas out there!

XOXO

Cheyanne

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How to make an Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata at home👇

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Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 20 mins

 

This Overnight Strawberry & Ricotta Breakfast Strata is easy enough for breakfast, brunch or dinner, yet elegant enough for Mother’s Day entertaining. Jam packed with buttery brioche bread, fluffy eggs, creamy ricotta and sweet strawberry preserves, this strata is sweet and savory breakfast perfection!

Course: Breakfast, entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: almonds, brioche, Easy, eggs, overnight, preserves, ricotta, strata, strawberry

Servings: 8

Calories: 520 kcal

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Ingredients

• 1 TBS Unsalted Butter
• 1 Loaf Brioche – cut into ¾’’ cubes (about 1 pound)
• 3 Cups Milk
• 10 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Orange Zest (about ½ an orange)
• 1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
• 1 (12 ounce) Jar Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves
• Kosher Salt
• 1/3 Cup Sliced Almonds
• 3 TBS Cream (can substitute whole milk or half-and-half)

Optional Garnish: Fresh Mint Leaves, Slices of Strawberries, Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. Grease an 8x11’’, or 9x13’’ baking dish with butter. Place half of the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish, arranging them to cover the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest and ¼ teaspoon salt.

3. Slowly, and evenly, pour half of the egg-milk mixture (about 2 1/2 cups) over the bread in the baking dish. Spoon half (1/2 cup) of the ricotta over the soaked bread, dolloping the ricotta by the spoonful evenly over the bread. Repeat with half (1/2 cup) of the preserves. Arrange the remaining bread cubes evenly over top. Slowly pour the remaining egg-milk mixture over the bread. Spoon the remaining ricotta and jam evenly over the top.* For best results, cover the strata tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.*

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If you have refrigerated the strata, remove it from the fridge and let the strata sit on the counter while the oven preheats to remove the chill. Uncover the strata, brush with cream and sprinkle the almonds on top.

5. Bake, UNCOVERED, for 55 minutes – 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the strata is puffed, browned and the center is set (it shouldn’t jiggle when shaken)*. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

6. Garnish with fresh mint, strawberries and powdered sugar if using. Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

1. While I recommend brioche bread for this strata, you can use any bread you would like. For the most luxurious, rich mouthfeel I suggest a buttery yeast bread similar to brioche, such as challah. But potato bread or Hawaiian rolls would work too.

2. You need stale, day old bread for this strata. Fresh brioche bread will completely disintegrate into the egg and milk mixture. However, if all you have is fresh bread, do NOT worry! You can just toast the bread to get the same results as stale bread. Place the cubes of bread on a sheet pan and toast them in a 250 degree F oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the cubes are just barely starting to crisp on the outside.

3. If you don’t care for ricotta, you can easily substitute goat cheese in an equal amount.

4. If you want a pretty design on top of your strata, you can use a butter knife to gently swirl through the ricotta and preserves to create a pattern.

5. For the BEST flavor and results, refrigerate the strata, covered tightly, overnight. Giving the bread time to really soak up the egg mixture makes a world of difference. Nevertheless, you can bake it the same day if needed. Just make sure you let the strata sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes to soak up some of the flavor while the oven preheats.

6. If the top of the strata is browned to your liking before the center is set, tent the top of the baking dish lightly with aluminum foil during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata

Amount Per Serving

Calories 520 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 327mg109%

Sodium 373mg16%

Potassium 282mg8%

Carbohydrates 57g19%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 895IU18%

Vitamin C 4.8mg6%

Calcium 239mg24%

Iron 1.9mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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