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Spinach, Bacon, and Swiss Breakfast Bake

Spinach, Bacon, and Gruyere take day-old bread and elevate it to the savory breakfast casserole that your morning needs. Also makes a fantastic breakfast-for-dinner option!

  • Author: Mandy
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 9 hours
  • Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
  • Category: breakfast

Ingredients

Scale

6 slices thick-sliced Applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons butter, for pan

1 loaf Sourdough, French, or Italian bread, cubed (about 8 cups)

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan

9 large eggs

2 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Instructions

In a large skillet, brown the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer cooked bacon to bowl and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet.

Add onion and garlic to the skillet, sautéing until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add spinach, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and sauté another 2-3 minutes until tender. Remove from heat, stir in bacon pieces, and set aside.

Butter a 9x13 baking dish or 3 quart casserole dish.

Arrange half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with half of the spinach-bacon mixture and half of the Gruyere and Parmesan. Repeat with remaining bread, spinach-bacon mixture, and cheeses.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Carefully pour the egg mixture over the casserole, making sure to cover the bread evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, let strata come to room temperature for 45 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake uncovered, on center rack for 45-60 minutes, until golden brown and a sharp knife inserted in the center shows no sign of undercooked egg mixture.

Let rest 5 minutes, then serve. 

Keywords: spinach bacon swiss breakfast casserole, breakfast strata, spinach gruyere breakfast bake