This savory breakfast casserole is an excellent make-ahead dish for your next brunch. In fact, it gets even better as it sits in the fridge overnight! Here we use frozen waffles for convenience and a twist on a traditional strata. The waffles sandwich maple-glazed bacon and cheddar cheese and then are topped with a silky, eggy custard. The waffles absorb the liquid as they sit and then bake up into a pillowy, sweet and savory casserole. While we call for store-bought waffles in this recipe, you can easily sub in your favorite homemade recipe. Just make sure the waffles are toasted and crispy before assembling the dish.
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servings
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Ingredients
- 1 pound thick cut bacon about 12 strips
- ¼ cup maple syrup plus more for drizzling
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 frozen waffles preferably square
- 12 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk or half-and-half
- 3 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- Nonstick cooking spray for greasing
- 4 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese about two 8-ounce bags
- minced chives for garnish
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, arrange the bacon in an even layer (it is ok if they overlap slightly). Brush the bacon with 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and top with freshly ground black pepper. Bake the bacon until crisp and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Finely chop 4 strips of bacon, leaving the others whole.
- Meanwhile, toast the waffles until crisp and golden brown. If desired, you can toast all of the waffles at once on two rimmed baking sheets in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes, flipping once. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, mustard, 1½ teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Grease a deep 9-by-13-inch casserole. Arrange 6 of the waffles in the bottom of the baking dish, trimming to fit, if necessary. Arrange the bacon strips on top of the waffles and then top with 2 cups of the cheese. Pour half of the egg custard over the cheese. Top with the remaining 6 waffles and then pour over the remaining half of the custard. Scatter the remaining 2 cups of cheese over the top and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Cover the casserole with aluminium foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
- When you’re ready to bake, remove the strata from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Set the strata on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the eggs are set in the center of the strata. If the waffles start to get too brown, cover loosely with foil.
- Transfer the strata to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with the chopped bacon and chives. Cut into squares and serve, passing more maple syrup at the table.
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