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:
- 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.
- 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.
- If you don’t care for ricotta, you can easily substitute goat cheese in an equal amount.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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👇
Overnight Strawberry Ricotta Breakfast Strata
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
- 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.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- 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.*
- 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.
- 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.
- Garnish with fresh mint, strawberries and powdered sugar if using. Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I made this with “day old” potato rolls and 10oz raspberry jam instead. Since the recipe calls for 12 oz of preserves, I was worried it wouldn’t be sweet enough and added 1 individual packet of stevia. In hindsight, I don’t think the stevia was needed at all. I also used regular 2% milk brushed on the top, and didn’t have fresh raspberries, so I elected to serve it as is (no sliced fruit or mint), along with a side of fresh peaches and banana slices since that was all I had on hand. It still came out absolutely delicious!! Will make again for sure.
Hi Tia,
I’m happy to hear you were able to make this recipe work with what you had available and I’m absolutely thrilled you enjoyed it! Serving it with fresh peaches and bananas sounds delicious!! Thank you for coming back and letting me know how everything went over!!
OH MY GOD! I had a blast with this recipe. I was initially skeptical about it. I thought no way it could take as good as it looks but man was I wrong! It kinda looked a bit too complicated for me to try but I had to give it a try. I’m so glad that I did because it turned 3X better then I had hoped for.
Thanks
Amy
Hi Amy! I’m absolutely thrilled you enjoyed this strata! And I’m certainly happy to hear it wasn’t actually as complicated to make as you thought! 😉
Cheers and thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how it went over!
I have always loved this breakfast dish Chey! So flavorful and fresh! Love the brioche and the preserves in your recipe! Perfect for summer brunch or any holiday! Hope you have a great week!
I’m so glad you reposted this one because I still haven’t made it yet. . . Is there anything better than brioche and strawberries? This looks soooo good, Chey! Have a great week!
Does it need to be eaten while hot, or can I bake it and then take it to a brunch?
Hi Amy!
Honestly, the strata is better while hot. But it’s a matter of personal preference. My husband did eat the leftovers cold and enjoyed them, but even he agreed, it is better warmed up. You can absolutely prepare and bake the strata in advance, then store it covered in the refrigerator. To reheat it, allow the dish to come to room temperature on the counter (about 20 minutes) while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the casserole dish with a piece of aluminum foil and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the strata is warmed throughout. Just keep in mind, the strata will always be best when eaten the same day it is originally baked. Hope this helps and please let me know if you have any other questions! Cheers! 🙂
I made this!!! I had a meeting @ work & the food theme was brunch type foods. I saw this & had to make it!
Reasons I loved it. It was not overly sweet. The preserves gave it just enough sweetness. And you HAVE to use that type of preserves!! It naturally has an orange undertone. So that plus the orange zest just melded together & made the dish. The cream on the top made it so it wasn’t a crunchy top & a more soft bottom. It was perfect & I would make it again.
I live @ a high altitude so I needed more time to cook than 1 hour.
had to look up tertile too didn’t know that was even a word! my mom is in the same state but still a hefty drive away, so i won’t be seeing her either (but will definitely call and be very gushy over the phone) on the day of. this strata sounds delicious, and i love that there’s sticky jammy patches as well plenty of fresh berries on top (:
This has Mother’s Day brunch written all over it! And I love that it’s assembled a day ahead so that mom gets full attention. 🙂
I usually don’t click on sponsored links. And, I usually don’t like breakfast casseroles. This pain perdu strata is so different with the ricotta, and your presentation is exceptional!
Oh wow, this looks amazing and so easy to make.
I’m actually having friends over for brunch next week and this would be perfect. Thanks so much. A definite Will Be Making from me 🙂
I think I am going to just casually leave my computer set to this post for the next two weeks and hope the people in my house get the HINT, because this is Mother’s Day gloriousness! Pinned! xo
This is perfect for Mother’s Day! I love that you can get it all ready the night before and then just pop it into the oven! It makes the morning so much easier.
What are you doing to me??? Really? I mean really? I’m heading tot he Bahamas in a few weeks and your temp me wit this easy overnight ricotta strata? Am I the only one that’s obsessed with thinly sliced almonds?? I mean they are sooooo delicious, especially when used as a garnish. My Moo would love this dish.
Oh my goodness Cheyanne! This looks amazing! Such a beautiful, fruity treat for breakfast! I love it <3
I just hope my mom is out of the ICU soon so that I can spend this day with her and she feels healthy and happy that day , that’s my only wish right now. Thanks for sharing this post Cheyanne, moms are special and irreplaceable. 🙂 And this looks like the perfect breakfast/brunch recipe for Mother’s Day. The flavors sound wonderful!
Oh my goodness, those flavours are making me drool! This is absolutely perfect for mothers day!
This is a strata like no other Cheyanne! I love that you added ricotta with all those lovely berries, and there are no better preserves than Bonne Maman! This is the ultimate breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day and I would be so happy to have this!
Oh my, Chey.. we’ll blink and it’ll be pumpkin season! eeee! This is so scrumptious and so easy to pull together! I know I’d be spoiling my Ma with this if we were together for Mom’s day as you would be too. And those preserves? Over the top delicious! I love berry season and absolutely can’t wait for strawberries to finish ripening in the fields. They are my favorite berry! On the list for strawberry season! xo
This year is just flying by – can’t believe it is already the end of April! What a lovely dish to spoil mum on Mother’s Day – my mum would certainly love that! Unfortunately, like your she lives far away and I had to show her my love and respect in other ways – Mother’s Day in the UK was already in March 🙂 Have a fantastic weekend, Cheyanne!
Saw this one today as I was waiting for everyone to regroup at the van at the Zion National Park visitor station and it was my goal to stop by and make mention of it’s beauty! I want it all and love it to pieces.
I can’t believe Mother’s Day is around the corner already either and need to catch up with the times…so thanks for both. The reminder and this beauty!
Ok, first of all, I definitely also had to look up ‘tertile’ haha. I like it. Second of all, can someone please message my husband that I would like to be woken up with a carafe of mimosas on Mother’s Day!? Brilliant idea. Brilliant breakfast idea. Cheers to the weekend, Cheyanne!
If my Mom lived close to me, I’d make her this beautiful strata, but she doesn’t so I’m making it for myself! WOOOHOOOO!!! I love breakfasts like this, especially when they involve brioche. Nomnomnomnomnomnom 🙂
We’ll go out to lunch on Mothers Day which is always a treat, I’ll try to pick the restaurant but my daughter will probably have the final say ;-). This overnight strata would be a fab way to start Mothers Day or any day! I’m so glad to see strawberries back at the store, I can never get enough and ricotta always adds such a wonderful creaminess!! Preserves are so versatile and are a must have. I love this can be made ahead of time so there is no thinking in the AM. Take care.
You have outdone yourself!!! This is such eye candy I love it. I’m all about the mimosa pouring and topping that off with golden child status. I like how you roll!
OMG! My mom will be over the moon if I treat her to this Strata and Mimosas in bed!! Unfortunately she lives a couple of oceans away so that may not work 🙁 However I might make this for myself and eat it on her behalf! (won’t get me any bonus points but my tummy will be very happy) 😉
I wish I could spend Mother’s Day with my momma – she would go NUTS over this strata, all her favorite things. Looks like I’m going to have to make it next time we are together (because I will go nuts over this too). So good. Have a great weekend!
Yum!! This is gorgeous and I can tell it’s delicious, too! And YES, this year has been FLYING by. I don’t even understand. I have no idea what I’m doing for Mother’s Day yet… I want to do something super special for my mom, but it gets harder and harder to come up with unique ideas every year. I’m sure she’d love this strata 🙂
Gosh could this be more gerogous? your pictures are insane 🙂 lol Mimosas all day girl… ok fine just Saturday and Sunday!
Cheyanne this breakfast strata would actually be perfect for almost any occasion. I’m loving the combination of strawberries and ricotta in this. Your pictures are so gorgeous and make me want to dive Right in. Oh and I’m also loving the Mimosa idea..Maybe need a few of those before Mothers Day..Wow, really only two weeks away? Anyway, have a wonderful Weekend 🙂
Like, how’d you know I was craving breakfast? 🙂 Oh, wait, this is for Mother’s Day! Ahem. I shall not put my fork down. Ahem. It totally snuck up on all of us!! One second, it was Easter, the next, it’s Mother’s Day!! I think my mom and I (and the fam) are gonna go shopping, then eat. A LOT. So the usual enjoyable holiday festivities! Sending much love to you and your mama. I know she knows how much her amazing daughter loves her. <3 Meanwhile, this breakfast strata looks incredible!! So perfect, so beautiful for Mother's Day! P.S. Bonus points ALWAYS for bringing cocktails! Love ya! xoxo
Yum! This looks so good, Cheyanne – love it! No big Mother’s Day plans since my mom is on the East coast but I will send her a little surprise gift to celebrate the day. Your photos are gorgeous!
I don’t remember when I last had a bread pudding…this looks incredibly delicious and bet my mom would love this too. She lives 9,000kilometers away from me, so I won’t be able to spend some time with her either, but I can always call her :-))
Mother’s day already, man oh man, why has the time go by so quickly? I love everything about this post, specially the mimosas! but seriously this strata is so beautiful, so delicate, well done Chey! every year we go out to lunch with my mother, bit this year I am considering making a brunch, this could wind up in my table! thank you for sharing! I do hope you have a fantastic weekend! XOXO
Oh my…if my kids delivered this beauty to me with a pitcher of mimosas, I’d feel like a queen! It’s just so pretty – and although I’d probably want to look at it all day – thankfully we have your pictures for that! YUM! Have a great weekend, my friend! xo
I was just looking at flowers to send my mom last night! She lives in another state so breakfast in bed isn’t an option for me either–but if I lived closer this gorgeous strata with a giant pitcher of mimosas would be on my gift list for sure. Why can’t our moms just live closer to us? Like when we move, they move. That would be really helpful! Yummmm to this entire post; I might have to make this for myself on Mother’s Day since Cookie’s lack of opposable thumbs prevents her from cooking much. Happy Thursday!
Mother’s Day has absolutely been forgotten about over here. Than goodness you reminded me. I will be propped up in my bed waiting for you to bring me this delicious ricotta strata and a bucket of mimosas. XOXO
Feeling the Mother’s Day love from my little girl. You will always be my “love bug”. This looks so delicious. Maybe MOD will make it for me. Da Mama.
Wow Cheyanne – This is soo soo pretty! I’m sorry you won’t be able to enjoy hanging with your mom and breakfasting over this and mimosas this year 🙁 But thanks so much for sharing this with us! I cannot make this for my mom as she’s diabetic but I’m gonna drop hints for my daughter to make this for me 🙂 A couple of weekends ago I overslept and woke up and she had made my favorite oat pancakes so am sure she’d jump on the hint!
Happy Thursday to ya and hope your weekend is wonderful! xoxo
Holy moly Chey! This looks totally amazing! The colors, the preserves, the ricotta, the brioche! I’m loving the entire recipe. Doesn’t get any better than Bonne Maman preserves. It would be the perfect Mother’s Day breakfast. Nothing better than breakfast in bed on that special day! Hope you have a great weekend!
Really hoping someone makes me this delicious breakfast for Mother’s Day!! Both my kids are great cooks, so there’s really no excuse. Will print out the recipe and casually leave it on the counter as a hint 😉
Bonne Maman is the BEST!!! I just talked about them today and am thinking you’ll love my idea of using the jars as cocktail carriers 😉 So, I had no idea what to do for my mom for Mother’s Day until you brought up mimosas (speaking of cocktails). Now I’m jumping on board with brunch and flowers…and maybe taking her to the beach to look for sea glass? Nice and easy 😀 This looks delicious btw! Love that overhead shot of the whole casserole…great colors Chey!
Two weeks away? Oh mannnnnn!!! How freakin’ fast does time fly? Anywho, better get on that! Hahaha! Nope, I wouldn’t dare sneak up on momma in the middle of the night and be, like, here, eat this. Imagine the looks I’d get?! That’s super funny, Chey 😀 This strata looks the bomb! So fresh, colourful and preeety! And the rich brioche is the perfect fit for this! Big hunk of this and some coffee and that’s what I call a deadly breakfast. Pinned! Have a great weekend! XO
Mother’s Day completely snuck up on me, as did Easter! Why does time have to go so quickly?! My mom also lives out of state, so I won’t be seeing her either. But I love your idea of ALL of the mimosas! We go on a breast cancer walk every mother’s day with my husband’s family, so that is our tradition, rain or shine. And I would LOVE to end the morning with this strata! Seriously, how gorgeous is this?! I love the combination of strawberries and ricotta, one of my favorite mild cheeses! And even better that this can be prepped the night before. So perfect for this time of year, Cheyanne! Pinned, along with thoughts of mimosas at 6am! 🙂
I’m loving your plan for Mother’s Day! Especially the carafes of mimosas delivered in bed! Hopefully my husband will do that for me and then I can bake off this gorgeous strata for my own mom! Love the strawberry-ricotta combination and those preserves are fantastic! It’s all my parents get and when I don’t have homemade, it’s what I turn to as well 🙂 Love that this is prepped ahead too so the morning can be lazy and luxurious! Pinned! XO