By now you know that I love simple recipes that use up left-overs. The original recipe for this strata is "Sausage and Cheese Strata with Sour Cream" which I accessed from Food.com on October 30, 2026. I like it because it is very simple, and uses only 6 eggs. The amount of sour cream is very flexible, so you can use whatever is in the "must go" stage. Or, you could use cream cheese or plain yogurt. This recipe calls for 2 cups of milk. Since I only buy dry milk powder, it is easy for me to mix up on an "as needed" basis. The recipe calls for 2 cups cheddar cheese, but I used mozzarella for the internal layer and cheddar for the top. We had served Herb Focaccia bread to guests for dinner. I froze the left-over bread, and the herbs added great flavor to the dish. Instead of sausage, I added a 6 oz can of salmon. For vegetarian options, broccoli goes well with cheddar. If using mozzarella, sauteed bell peppers, sliced tomatoes and Italian seasoning would go well. You get the idea. Use what you have.
This can also be made as a sweet casserole if you want to use up stale donuts, cinnamon rolls, beignets, coffee cake, waffles, or really any type of sweetened bread. The more stale, the better, as some recipes for strata recommend the bread be toasted or sauteed to dry it out. Just eliminate the savory elements, such as the onions, and add in sweet such as fruit or jam. Here is the recipe from Food.com
INGREDIENTS: NOTE: This recipe needs 2 hours to overnight to soak up the egg mixture.
1 lb day-old Italian bread or French bread, about 8 cups cubed (I like a one inch size)
1 lb bulk pork sausage or breakfast sausage (I had none so I added a 6 oz can of salmon)
1 medium onion, diced/ or a few green onions/scallions
6 large eggs
2 cups milk (I make milk as needed from dry milk powder)
1/3 to 1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar (divided) (I used half mozzarella and half cheddar)
1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper (I held off on this because of the canned salmon & herb bread)
1. PREP THE BREAD: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the dish.
2. COOK THE MEAT AND AROMATICS: Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink; drain excess grease. Saute' the diced onion in the same pan (or with a bit of butter) until soft.
3. LAYER THE DISH: Scatter the cooked sausage, onions, and about half of the shredded cheddar cheese over the bread cubes. Top with the remaining bread cubes.
4. MIX THE CUSTARD: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt and black pepper until smooth (Note: if making a sweet strata, do not use black pepper) Pour the egg and sour cream mixture over the bread and sausage layers. Push down the bread so that all are submerged.
5. TOP AND CHILL: Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight so the bread will absorb the custard.
6. BAKE: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Uncover the strata and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed, golden, and set in the center (knife inserted comes out clean). Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
STORING LEFT-OVERS: cut in pieces, place in airtight container with wax paper between layers. Consume in 3-4 days.
MAKING AHEAD: use a baking dish that can tolerate freezing. Prepare as directed up to baking step. Cover well with plastic wrap and seal with aluminum foil. This can freeze for 2-3 months. To prepare, allow to thaw in fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature and bake according to directions.
