Ham and Asparagus Strata is an easy, make-ahead breakfast casserole for a stress-free brunch. Cubed bread is layered with ham, sautéed vegetables, an egg and milk mixture, and shredded cheese. It’s refrigerated overnight and ready to pop in the oven the next day.

Serve it with Fruit Salad with Sweet Lime Dressing for a showstopping brunch.

A top down shot of a spatula resting under a slice of breakfast strata in a baking dish.

An old fashioned breakfast strata is a classic holiday tradition for so many families for good reason! All the work is done a day in advance and in the morning you have a hearty, super satisfying breakfast casserole ready to bake.

This Ham and Asparagus Strata is perfect for Easter or the day after when you have leftover ham to use up. It works just as well for Christmas, or anytime you have a hungry group to feed in the morning.

A top down shot of a ham and asparagus breakfast casserole in a baking dish next to a white and brown striped kitchen towel.

What is a Strata?
Ingredient Notes
How to Make Ham and Asparagus Strata
Storage Tips
More Make-Ahead Brunch Recipes

What is a Strata?

All strata recipes begin with cubed bread layered with eggs, milk or cream, cheese, and usually vegetables and meat. The egg and milk mixture forms a delicious creamy custard as it bakes and the casserole becomes puffed and golden brown. The consistency of strata reminds me of a savory bread pudding.

The addition of ham, asparagus, onion and red bell pepper add color and a ton of flavor to this gorgeous breakfast casserole.

Ingredient Notes

Bread, eggs, cheese, ham and other ingredients with text.

Butter
Vegetables – Diced sweet yellow onion and red bell pepper, chopped fresh asparagus, and minced garlic. Look for asparagus spears that are medium-thick. For the best result, avoid super thick or super thin spears.
Large eggs
Dairy – Half-and-half is a combination of cream and whole milk which is the perfect balance for this recipe. You can substitute whole milk, if you’d like.
Dijon mustard – A little Dijon adds a ton of flavor to this dish and pairs perfectly with the ham.
Seasoning – Salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a touch of ground nutmeg.
Bread – You’ll need about 9 to 10 cups of cubed bread. I use Oroweat Italian Sandwich Bread, cut into 1-inch cubes. Pre-sliced sandwich bread is a timesaver but you can pick up an unsliced loaf of French bread if you’d like.
Cubed ham – This recipe is a great way to make use of leftover ham. Or, just pick up an inexpensive 10- to 12-ounce ham steak from the grocery store.
Cheese -Shredded Gruyere cheese adds classic quiche flavor and shredded pepper Jack cheese adds creaminess with a bit of a kick. You can substitute plain Monterey Jack or any other cheese you love for the pepper Jack, if you’d like. Cheddar, havarti, or gouda would all be delicious.

How to Make Ham and Asparagus Strata

This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Prepare the Veggies and Egg Mixture

A wood spoon stirring asparagus, bell pepper and onion in a skillet.

Sauté the Veggies – Melt the butter and cook the onion and bell pepper, until slightly tender. Add the asparagus and garlic just until the onion is translucent and the asparagus is just barely fork tender. Remove from the heat.
Egg Mixture – In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the half-and-half or milk, mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and whisk until well combined (the mustard will try to clump so be sure it’s incorporated). Set aside.

Assemble the Strata

Four images of cubed bread, ham, cheese and other ingredients being layered in a baking dish.

Spread half of the bread cubes over the bottom of greased 3-quart baking dish. I use my basic 9-x 13-inch Pyrex dish.
Top evenly with half of the ham and half of the asparagus mixture (I scatter it with my hands – messy, but it ensures an even amount of everything). Sprinkle with half of the Gruyere and pepper Jack and pour half of the egg mixture evenly over the top.
Place the remaining bread cubes evenly over the top and use your hands to lightly pack the mixture down into the baking dish.
Layer with the remaining ham, veggies, and a final layer of the cheeses. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the top, making sure to drizzle some over the edges of the casserole.

Refrigerate and Bake

Two images of a strata in a baking dish covered with plastic wrap and after being baked.

Cover the strata with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, remove the strata from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake, uncovered, until puffed, set and golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. It will set a bit more as it cools.

Pro Tip

Unbaked egg dishes, like breakfast stratas, are perishable and should be refrigerated and baked no more than one day after assembling.

A spatula lifting a slice of strata from a baking dish.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate – Cover and refrigerate leftover strata within two hours for up to four days. Leftovers reheat really well in the microwave or covered, in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, or just until warmed through.
Freeze – Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer-safe plastic storage bag or other container. Freeze for up to three months. Uncooked egg strata should not be frozen.

More Make-Ahead Brunch Recipes

A slice of ham ad asparagus strata on a white plate with a fork.

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