Overnight Breakfast Strata with Eggs, Bacon & Cheese
Golden baked overnight breakfast strata with loads of eggs, bacon and cheese. An easy make-ahead breakfast or brunch for a small crowd.
Updated 15 February 2026
When I hear the word strata, I usually think of levies.
‘Darn it, is it due again already?’
We live in a townhouse under strata, which means shared common areas and expensive quarterly fees. So the word strata is not exactly a positive one, well not until today at least!
The strata we’re making today is far more exciting and won’t cost you a fortune.
Introducing you to this American layered casserole: Overnight Breakfast Strata.
A comforting and incredibly easy make-ahead breakfast with just a few simple ingredients. Think of it as a savoury breakfast cake packed with everything we love: bread, eggs, crispy bacon, and loads of cheese.
If you’re a night owl and hate early mornings like myself, then you’re going to appreciate this recipe even more!
You can prepare everything the night before, let it soak overnight, then simply bake it in the morning. How convenient, right?
Perfect for stress-free mornings when you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen early.
In terms of texture, it’s like bread and butter pudding. Soft and custardy on the inside, but savoury with flavours similar to a quiche Lorraine.
This golden-baked overnight breakfast strata can be served warm or at room temperature, making it ideal for brunch tables, picnics, or sharing with friends.
Why you’ll love this Overnight Breakfast Strata
Make-Ahead and Stress-Free
Perfect for grumpy morning people like myself. This strata is prepared the night before, which means all the hard work is done in advance.
In the morning, simply bake and enjoy a hot, comforting breakfast without rushing around the kitchen.
Perfect for Using Up Stale Bread
This Overnight Breakfast Strata is a brilliant way to use up stale or day old bread. The bread soaks up the egg mixture overnight, turning something dry and forgotten into a soft, custardy, and comforting breakfast.
Perfect for Feeding a Crowd
With generous layers of bread, eggs, bacon, and cheese, this recipe easily feeds a family or a group of friends. It is ideal for brunch, holidays, or casual entertaining.
Simple Ingredients, Big Comfort
Everything in this recipe is familiar and affordable. Bread, eggs, bacon, and cheese come together to create a rich, savoury breakfast that feels comforting and satisfying.
Soft and Custardy with a Golden Top
The overnight soak gives the strata a beautiful texture. The inside stays soft and custardy, while the top bakes up golden with melted cheese and crispy bacon.
Great Warm or at Room Temperature
This strata holds up beautifully after baking, making it perfect for serving straight from the oven or taking along to a picnic or shared breakfast.
Ingredients you’ll need
Bread
Bread can be tricky to measure by weight, as different types vary in density. I used French-style baguettes, which are light and airy, which weighed approximately 230 g (8 oz).
To ensure this recipe works well for you, choose bread with a similar texture and structure to an Australian-made French baguette (not dense)
Suitable alternatives include a long white bread roll, sandwich loaf, crusty white loaf, or Vietnamese-style baguette or bread rolls.
The bread should be at least one day old, as stale bread absorbs the milk and eggs far better than fresh bread, resulting in a softer, custardy texture.
Eggs
I used 8 eggs for this recipe. For reference, a dozen eggs weighs approximately 700 g (about 24.7 oz) with the shells on, which works out to around 58 g (about 2 oz) per egg. Egg sizes can vary slightly, but this recipe is very forgiving and will still work well with standard large eggs.
Bacon
Streaky bacon is my favourite choice, as it has a balanced ratio of fat to meat, which adds extra flavour to the strata. If using lean or rindless bacon with little to no fat, you will need to heat a tablespoon of oil in the pan before frying.
Cheese
I used a combination of Parmesan, mozzarella, and tasty cheddar, but feel free to use your favourites. You do not need to use three types of cheese as I have done here. Two, or even one good melting cheese, will work beautifully.
How to make Overnight Breakfast Strata
Step by step guide with photos
1. Slice the bread into roughly 1.5 to 2 cm (0.6 to 0.8 inches) cubes, place it into a large bowl, and set aside. Combine all the cheeses together in a separate bowl.
2. Heat a frypan over medium to high heat, then add the bacon and cook, stirring, until it releases some fat. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, making sure the garlic does not burn. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
3. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooked bacon and 1/2 cup of the cheese for the topping. Once the bacon has cooled completely, place the reserved bacon and cheese into separate bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
4. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and salt until well combined. Add the cheese and bacon mixture, then stir to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and mix well, making sure all the bread pieces are evenly soaked.
5. Cover the bread mixture with cling or plastic wrap, gently pressing it down to level the surface to stop the bread from drying out. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 2 hours, to allow the liquid to fully soak into the bread.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
7. Generously grease a 20 cm / 8 inch round tin (non stick with a loose base) with butter. To prevent any leakage during baking, you may wish to wrap the outside base of the tin with foil.
8. Transfer the strata mixture into the prepared tin and press down gently using a flat spatula. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and bacon evenly over the top. Cover the tin loosely with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Remove the foil, switch the oven to grill or broil mode on medium to high heat (top heat only), and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the top is golden and lightly crisp. Let the strata rest in the tin for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips for the Best Overnight Breakfast Strata
Use Day Old Bread
Slightly stale bread absorbs the egg and milk mixture much better than fresh bread, giving the strata a soft, custardy texture rather than a soggy centre.
Press the Mixture Down Before Chilling
Gently pressing the strata ensures all the bread is fully soaked, which helps it bake evenly and hold together once cooked.
Allow Enough Soaking Time
Letting the strata rest overnight, or for at least 2 hours, allows the flavours to develop and the egg mixture to fully soak into the bread.
Watch Carefully When Grilling
When finishing under the grill or broiler, keep a close eye on it as the top can brown very quickly.
Let It Rest Before Slicing
Resting the strata for about 10 minutes after baking helps it set properly and makes slicing much easier.
Storage, freezing and reheating
How to Store Breakfast Strata
Once cooled, cover the strata or transfer slices to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. This strata can be enjoyed cold, at room temperature, or reheated.
How to Reheat Breakfast Strata
Reheat individual slices in the microwave until warmed through. For best texture, reheat in a low oven at 160°C (320°F), covered loosely with foil, until heated. Remove the foil for the last few minutes if you would like the top to crisp slightly.
Can You Freeze Breakfast Strata
Yes, this strata freezes well. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap whole or sliced portions tightly in plastic wrap followed by foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat Frozen Strata
For best results, thaw the strata overnight in the fridge, then reheat as above. If reheating from frozen, cover with foil and heat gently in the oven until hot all the way through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does breakfast strata need to rest before baking?
Resting allows the bread to fully absorb the egg mixture, which gives the strata its soft, custardy texture and helps it bake evenly.
Can I adjust the egg quantity if my eggs are smaller or larger?
Yes. This recipe is very forgiving. Slight differences in egg size will not affect the result, as long as the bread is well soaked.
Why did my strata turn out dry?
This usually happens if the bread did not soak long enough or if the strata was over-baked. Make sure the bread is fully submerged and check it early if your oven runs hot.
Why is my strata soggy in the middle?
A soggy centre is often caused by using very fresh bread or not baking the strata long enough. Slightly stale bread will help prevent this.
Can I add vegetables to this strata?
Yes. Vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms, or capsicum work well. Saute them in a frying pan first to remove excess moisture before adding.
More egg recipes you’ll love
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is estimated using a third-party calculator and should be used as a guide only.
Australian Measurements
All measurements on this website use Australian standard cups and spoons. For conversion details, see my Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I’d love your feedback!
If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment below; it really supports my blog and helps others find the recipe. Your email address is required to comment (to prevent spam) but will not be published. If you share your dish on Instagram, don’t forget to tag me. I’d love to see it! @3catsfoodie
Cheers – Cat T
Overnight Breakfast Strata
Ingredients
- 230g / 8oz day old French baguette (NOTE 1)
- 250g / 8.8oz streaky bacon, diced into small pieces (NOTE 2)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ brown onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 8 large eggs (NOTE 3)
- 1½ cup (375ml / 12.5 floz) full cream or whole milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded Tasty cheddar cheese (NOTE 4)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- butter for greasing the tin
Instructions
- Slice the bread into roughly 1.5 to 2 cm (0.6 to 0.8 inches) cubes, place it into a large bowl, and set aside. Combine all the cheeses together in a separate bowl.
- Heat a frypan over medium to high heat, then add the bacon and cook, stirring, until it releases some fat. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, making sure the garlic does not burn. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooked bacon and 1/2 cup of the cheese for the topping. Once the bacon has cooled completely, place the reserved bacon and cheese into separate bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and salt until well combined. Add the cheese and bacon mixture, then stir to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and mix well, making sure all the bread pieces are evenly soaked.
- Cover the bread mixture with cling or plastic wrap, gently pressing it down to level the surface to stop the bread from drying out. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 2 hours, to allow the liquid to fully soak into the bread.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Generously grease a 20 cm / 8 inch round tin (non stick with a loose base) with butter. To prevent any leakage during baking, you may wish to wrap the outside base of the tin with foil.
- Transfer the strata mixture into the prepared tin and press down gently using a flat spatula. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and bacon evenly over the top. Cover the tin loosely with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Remove the foil, switch the oven to grill or broil mode on medium to high heat (top heat only), and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the top is golden and lightly crisp. Let the strata rest in the tin for 10 minutes before serving.
