Why It Works
- Using oven-dried fresh bread instead of stale bread creates a more porous crumb that absorbs the custard more evenly.
- Allowing the dried bread to soak in the custard ensures thorough, even absorption of the custard.
This make-ahead Southwest breakfast strata is built for mornings when you want something generous, savory, and already taken care of. Bacon, green chiles, and warm, earthy spices bake with cheese into a golden, smoky, and custardy strata. It eats like a cross between bread pudding and breakfast casserole, with crisp edges, a soft center, and just enough spice to wake everything up.
This recipe comes from our colleague Julia Levy in our Birmingham, Alabama test kitchen, who designed it with both flavor and reliability in mind. She starts by gently oven-drying fresh bread instead of relying on stale cubes, which creates a lighter, more porous structure that absorbs custard more evenly. From there, smoky bacon renders until crisp, onion and poblano soften in the rendered fat, the spices bloom, and everything folds into one deeply savory base. Since the best stratas are the ones with no dry patches, letting the dried bread soak fully in the custard ensures every bite stays tender after baking.
Once the bread has soaked in the custard, everything is layered together and baked uncovered until puffed, golden, and just set in the center. A brief rest ensures that when sliced, the casserole holds together. Enjoy this strata with salsa and sour cream for added freshness and contrast.
This is an impressive make-ahead breakfast for a crowd: The bread can be dried a couple of days in advance, fillings prepped early, and the full strata assembled and refrigerated overnight before baking. Leftovers reheat beautifully and freeze well, making this as practical as it is bold in flavor, whether you’re hosting a holidy brunch or stashing slices for future hectic mornings.
This recipe was developed by Julia Levy; the headnote was written by Laila Ibrahim.
