Savoury Baked French Toast
bacon, French toast, cheese
This Savoury Baked French Toast or cheesy Strata is loaded with caramelized onions, cheddar, and bacon all baked together in a casserole dish or the way I like it in a spring form pan… If you prefer savory over sweet when it comes to breakfast, this is definitely a recipe you will love. Pure comfort food that can easily be made ahead and great for feeding a crowd for lunch, brunch or breakfast!
It’s similar to a cheese strata and a cross between a quiche, French toast and and omelette or frittata. Just like a frittata, this baked fresh toast can really be made with any leftover bits of cheese and vegetables (if you love veggies like I do) like spinach, baby kale or even sweet peppers or you can even add in some, cooked and crumbled sausage, or cooked chopped ham (leftover ham is great in this strata) but this is my all time favorite combination of add ins to it. The caramelized onions add a sweet and delicious note to it and I just can’t resist bacon and cheddar together. If you are missing the garlic feel free add some minced garlic to the onions as they finish cooking. Those three ingredients can be switched up in so many ways. Ie- can you imagine how yummy this would be with chives, smoked salmon and dollops of cream cheese in the bake, how about onions sweet pepper, pancetta and sun-dried tomatoes with a bit of ricotta or Parmesan cheese? You see what I mean - so many options.
The 3 main ingredients that make this are eggs, milk, and bread. The rest you can play around with. This is a classic combo that we love and know you will too! I stick to salt, pepper, thyme and some mustard for seasoning but feel free to switch things up with different spices or herbs to vary the flavors in this strata. It’s really easy to throw together and fairly quick. The caramelized onions may take a bit of time but if I’m tight for time I like to make them while the bread is “soaking” and sprinkle them in once they have cooled and while placing the bread in the pan.
My hubby loves baked French toast. He always requests it on a long weekend. It such a great recipe for feeding a crowd and for making ahead. I like to caramelize the onions and cook the bacon ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container until I’m ready to assemble making it even easier and quicker to make especially if you are planning a big brunch or breakfast. I know you will enjoy it so grab some bread, milk and eggs and get creative or try this tested combo out that we love - you too will love it whether it’s for breakfast lunch or dinner.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus 1 tsp extra for bacon if needed)
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme (or ¼ dried)
- 300g bacon, diced
- 6 eggs
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon of mustard powder or dijon mustard (optional)
- 7 cups (lightly packed) baguette or French bread/stick cut into 2 cm / 1 inch cubes (day old preferably)
- 2 cups grated cheese, divided (cheddar, gruyere cheese, pepper jack, gouda or a combination)
- Parsley, finely chopped to garnish, or your favourite fresh herb
Directions
- CARAMELIZE ONIONS: Heat butter and oil in a large sized pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and let sauté for 5 minutes, stirring a couple times.
- Add the thyme and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. If the onions start to caramelize too quickly, lower heat to the low setting. Once done scrape them into a separate bowl or plate and set aside to cool. (this can be done 1 day ahead and once cool store in airtight container in the fridge)
- COOK BACON: In the the meantime cook the bacon using the same pan. Heat it over medium-high heat. (Add 1 tsp oil if needed and if pan is not non stick). Add all the bacon and cook until lightly browned. Remove the crispy bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. (this can be done 1 day ahead and once cool store in airtight container in the fridge)
- WHISK EGGS & MILK: In a large bowl make the custard mixture: whisk eggs, milk, mustard powder, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- SOAK BREAD: Place the bread in a large ziplock bag. Pour in the egg mixture, 1½ cups cheese and cooked cooled bacon and caramelized onions. Seal bag and gently massage the egg into the cubes. Set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight. (Alternatively toss or fold all the ingredients together in the bowl with the egg mixture and cover with plastic wrap before refrigerating)
- PREHEAT OVEN: Once ready to bake remove the mixture from fridge to allow it to come to room temperature while you preheat oven to 350°F.
- GREASE PAN & FILL: Grease a 9 inch springform pan/cake tin with cooking spray or butter, or a small to medium sized casserole dish (I love using the spring form). Pour the bread mixture into the cake tin, pat it down a little to compress and then sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheese over top of the strata.
- BAKE: Cover loosely with foil and bake on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes or until bubbly, fluffy and golden and set.
- REST & SLICE: Remove from oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before removing the springform and cutting into slices to serve. Garnish with parsley and black pepper.
Recipe Notes
I like to use a springform pan but mine has a very tight seal and doesnt leak at all - if you are nervouse about you spring-form pan leaking no worries just bake it on top of a sheet pan lined with foil for easy cleanup
Can I Make This Strata - Savory Baked French Toast Ahead?
TO MAKE AHEAD - prepare the casserole as directed, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or as required (do not exceed 24 hours) and allow it to come to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking. If you’re making this for a later brunch, you could prep in the morning, but make sure it rests for at least 30 min to 2 hours in the refrigerator before baking.
I like that you can also do a lot of the work ahead of time before assembling. The onions can be cooked, caramelized, cooled, and stored in the refrigerator a day ahead. So can the bacon - store both separately in and airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge until I’m ready to put the casserole together - same day or following day.
How Do You Store and Reheat This Strata?
You can easily store cooked and cooled breakfast casserole or leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or oven as needed.
Can I Freeze This Strata/Savory Baked French Toast?
Yes. If you plan on doing this it easier to bake it first in a disposable aluminum baking pan. Make sure its cooled after baking it and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Baked casserole may be stored in the freezer, up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake at 350ºF (177ºC) for about 20 minutes or until fully heated through.
