Bake garden and heirloom tomatoes into a savory New England meal for your family. This Egg Strata has layers of soft sourdough and cheddar cheese baked up with fresh tomato slices. It's a perfect summer brunch or supper.
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Slices of fresh tomato, thick pieces of good bread, savory cheddar cheese over everything... with ingredients like that, you know this post can only end in extreme deliciousness!
Inspired by a tomato pie recipe shared with me by my friend Annie, this dish begins with whole eggs, fresh summer tomatoes, and cheese—but after baking, these layered ingredients transform into a fluffy Egg Strata.
In a nutshell... 🐿️
- What this is: A savory baked egg dish that celebrates the harvest of New England garden tomatoes.
- You'll love this part: With layers of sourdough bread, cheddar, and tomatoes, this recipe is perfect for a light lunch or brunch dish.
- How it's made: Layer pieces of bread, sliced tomatoes, and shredded cheese in a casserole. Pour egg batter over the top and bake.
Jump to:
- Notes from fellow cooks:
- What is a strata made of?
- What's the difference between strata, frittata, and quiche?
- The perfect way to show off summer tomatoes
- Why you'll love Egg and Tomato Strata as much as I do
- 🔪 How to make a Tomato and Cheddar Egg Strata
- Egg Strata FAQs
- Strata recipe tips:
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Notes from fellow cooks:
"This was great. We used a thick-sliced sandwich bread that I left out on the counter for the day. It was great! Leftovers made a great breakfast the following day." — Echo21
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What is a strata made of?
Stratas are similar to egg bakes and egg casseroles, with ingredients that include eggs, bread, milk or cream, and seasonings. They can be made with veggies and meats, too. When baked, the bread pieces or slices absorb the beaten eggs and cream, creating ae a texture in the finished dish that's creamy in most spots and lightly crispy in others.
Some breakfast stratas are very free-form, with bread, meats, and veggies tossed together in a jumble in the pan. But I like to carefully place the ingredients of my egg strata in the pan to create layers—also known as strata!
I ♥ Cheese!
Guinness Bread with Cheddar
A quick bread full of savory onions, stout beer, and cheddar.
What's the difference between strata, frittata, and quiche?
Strata recipes are baked casseroles that consist of layers of ingredients, including bread pieces that soak up the eggy batter. When baked, the egg-soaked bread is soft and almost melty in texture. Stratas are like the savory cousins of bread pudding.
What these dishes all have in common is an egg base holding everything together. Quiche and strata both have an egg filling that's custardy in texture: in a quiche, the custard-like filling is held in a pie shell with savory ingredients like herbs, meat, and cheese. (Like in a Quiche Lorraine.) Quiches are not usually made with bread.
A frittata is first cooked on the stovetop and then baked into a firm, sliceable round. It has an egg batter and ingredients like cooked potatoes, onions or other veggies, and meats. It's similar to a Spanish tortilla, except that a tortilla is finished on the stovetop. A frittata may or may not be made with bread.
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The perfect way to show off summer tomatoes
When we plant tomatoes in Vermont and throughout New England, it's never just *a* tomato plant—it's usually a dozen, two dozen, or more!
When I start tomato plants indoors in early spring, there are always extra—after all, some of the seeds may not germinate, you never know. The "good gardener" knows that it's best to thin the seedlings once they emerge, and move only a reasonable amount of tomato plants to the garden. I am not that gardener. I just don't have the heart to let any of those earnest little stems go!
So that's why I always end up with way too many tomatoes. Others intentionally plant a gazillion because they're making all of their big tomato plans: like canning them at their peak for tomatoey meals in winter, dicing tomatoes for Fresh Salsa, layering them into BLTs, and simmering tomatoes up in a big batch of Irish Chilli Sauce.
And, of course, baking tomato stratas like this one.
Tomato season!
15 Recipes for Garden Tomatoes
Why you'll love Egg and Tomato Strata as much as I do
The bread, tomato, and cheese layers are doused with a mixture of eggs, milk, and spices, then the whole thing goes in the oven. As the tomato and cheese strata dish bakes, the cheese melts and browns, and the tomatoes release their luscious, fresh flavor. When finished the strata has a pillowy and soft texture throughout.
Fragrant, savory, and light, this egg and bread bake is an easy breakfast, brunch casserole recipe, or casual dinner. It makes a great accompaniment to grilled sausages (that's how my family got to enjoy it) or other grilled meats.
🔪 How to make a Tomato and Cheddar Egg Strata
Ingredients:
- Sourdough Bread: Use slightly stale slices from a good quality loaf
- Tomatoes: Choose the best-looking tomatoes you can find. Heirloom varieties and locally grown tomatoes will have the best flavor
- Cheddar Cheese: Mild or sharp, whichever you prefer
- Eggs: Use large-size eggs
- Milk: This with the eggs makes the creamy batter
- Seasonings: Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, thyme, and ground black pepper
- Step 1: Layer the ingredients: Layer slices of fresh tomato, sourdough bread, and sprinkles of shredded Cheddar cheese in a prepared, square, 8-inch baking dish.
- Step 2: Make the batter: Whisk together eggs, milk, and seasonings. Pour this egg mixture over the layers in the baking dish.
- Step 3: Bake it: Bake the strata for about 35 minutes. It will be cooked through and golden brown on top.
- Step 4: Serve: Give it a few minutes to cool, then slice and serve!
Egg Strata FAQs
This recipe takes about 35 minutes, and you want to make sure it doesn't bake too long. With any recipe, it's always a good idea to start checking a few minutes early. Your strata is finished as soon as the center isn't jiggly when you shake the pan a little.
This egg strata can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance: Assemble the layers, pour the egg mixture over, then wrap the dish and refrigerate it overnight. Before baking, let the strata sit out at room temperature for about an hour.
Sourdough bread is my choice for this strata, and you can also try other artisan breads that will give it some structure. Regular white bread will work too, though it will make a softer texture. Stratas are a great way to use leftover, stale bread.
For the best flavor and texture, the strata should be enjoyed within three days. Wrap the pan well and store it in the fridge. Slices can be gently reheated in a 350°F oven or in the microwave.
You can serve this strata on its own for a light meal. Or, pair it with soup or a green salad. You can also serve the tomato egg strata as a side with grilled or roasted meats.
Strata recipe tips:
- Use the best quality tomatoes you can find in this dish since their flavor will be front and center in the strata. Heirloom tomatoes, with their exquisite shapes and colors, are great choices. Take advantage of summertime garden tomatoes and farmer's market tomatoes when they become available.
- Preshredded cheddar can be used but it will not melt as smoothly. The shreds are treated with cellulose to keep them from sticking. For smoother melting, shred your own cheddar cheese, instead. A good, ol' box shredder does the job easily!
Make this tomato egg bake recipe for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, for Mother's Day brunch, or any day of the year when you want a simple yet hearty and comforting meal.
Find the Egg Strata Recipe with Tomatoes and Cheddar below. And here are more egg and tomato recipes to try:
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Egg Strata with Tomatoes and Cheddar
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Ingredients
- 4 slices of fresh or stale sourdough bread
- 2 large tomatoes, washed, and cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch x 8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Layer ingredients in the dish:
- Prepare the 4 slices of fresh or stale sourdough bread: cut one bread slice in half and place the halves in the bottom of the dish. Cut another slice into strips and pieces, and fill in the gaps.
- Layer half of the 2 large tomatoes, washed, and cut into ½-inch thick slices over the bread, and then sprinkle ½ cup of the shredded cheese over the tomato.
- Repeat with another layer of the remaining bread, tomato slices, and cheese.
Make the batter:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 5 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk until everything is well-combined.
- Pour the egg mixture over the top over the layers in the baking dish.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake the strata for about 35 minutes. It's done when the center no longer jiggles when the pan is gently shaken.
- Note: Begin checking the strata after about 30 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top.)
- Move the pan to a cooling rack and let the strata cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve immediately.
- Makes 6 servings.
To store:
- Leftover strata can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- You can make this strata in advance: Assemble the layers, pour the egg mixture over, then wrap the dish and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Before baking, let the strata sit out at room temperature for about an hour.
- Use the best quality tomatoes you can find in this dish since their flavor will be front and center in the strata. Heirloom tomatoes, with their exquisite shapes and colors, are great choices. Take advantage of summertime garden tomatoes and farmer's market tomatoes when they become available.
- Preshredded cheddar can be used but it will not melt as smoothly. The shreds are treated with cellulose to keep them from sticking. For smoother melting, shred your own cheddar cheese, instead. A good, ol' box shredder does the job easily!
Nutrition
echo21 says
This was great. We used a thick-sliced sandwich bread that I left out on the counter for the day. Need something closer to 6 slices. It was great! Leftovers made a great breakfast the following day.
Nancy Mock says
Oh I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed this strata! It's one of my favorites, so cheesy and with the fresh taste of tomatoes. Thank you very much for trying my recipe, I hope it's one you come back to for future meals, too!
Michelle says
Hi Nancy! This looks like the perfect brunch idea to serve for my vegetarian daughter… Does it do okay if you make it a day in advance, sitting in the refrigerator overnight? Or is it a better result if you bake it immediately after assembling? Thank you for the recipe and your counsel.
Nancy Mock says
Hi Michelle! You can absolutely assemble this strata and refrigerate it overnight before baking. I'm so happy you're giving it a try—let me know how it turns out!
Heidi says
Nancy, this looks so, so amazing!
Nancy Mock says
I hope you get to try it soon!