Apple, Cheddar and Sausage Breakfast Strata is the perfect holiday morning breakfast. It is an unforgettable savory and sweet make-ahead breakfast casserole. You’re going to love it!!

Apple, Cheddar and Sausage Breakfast Strata in a casserole dish

Why We Love This Recipe for Sausage Strata

A while back I used to work at a beautiful 10-bedroom inn called the Williard Street Inn. One of the chefs I worked with used to make this delightful breakfast casserole, and it was especially popular around the holidays. The guests at the Inn always fawned over it!

It was this breakfast casserole of sorts with lots of eggs and cheese and it was studded through with sausage and apples. It was rich and festive and the sweet and savory combination was simply irresistible. I must admit (if you can’t already tell), it’s what inspired me to develop this apple cheese casserole recipe.

Honestly, I make it throughout the year, but it’s perfect for special holidays like Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Easter. You can easily make it ahead which helps reduce the usual holiday meal time stress. You can pop it in the oven and let it bake while organizing the rest of the prep!

Breakfast Strata in a baking dish

Key Ingredients for This Recipe

Sausage

Choose any variety of pre-cooked sausage for this recipe such as chicken sausage. This is always good with traditional breakfast sausage too, just make sure to cook it first.

Apples

Apple and sausage are an iconic pairing, and if you don’t know what I mean, you definitely will once you’ve tried this recipe. Opt for apples that are on the more red and sweet side.

Cheddar cheese

My favorite cheddar cheese comes from Cabot Creamery. I especially love the sharp and extra sharp. If you can’t get your hands on Cabot, any sharp cheddar will do. The tanginess and creaminess lends itself well to the other components of this sausage strata.

Additional Ingredients

  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup non-fat or low-fat milk
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons chopped sage
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pound sourdough sandwich bread crusts removed and cubed

a close up of my Apple Breakfast Strata

Step by Step Instructions to Make This Apple Breakfast Strata

Step 1: Whisk egg mixture

Beat to combine the eggs, milk, mustard, sage, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl. Coat a large 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Assemble

Layer half of the cubed bread into the casserole dish. Top with half each of the apple, sausage and cheese. Top with the remaining bread, apple and sausage. Reserve the remaining cheese in the refrigerator for step 4.

Step 3: Chill

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.

Step 4: Bake & serve

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the apple cheese casserole, covered, until it is steaming hot and the center is starting to puff, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the foil, top with the reserved cheese and continue baking until the cheese is melted and the top is golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Egg Strata with Sausage in a serving dish

FAQs and Expert Tips

How to make this strata ahead of time:

If you want to make this dish ahead of time, I recommend preparing all the components beforehand, and baking it right before serving. You can also let the unbaked strata chill in the refrigerator for longer than 12 hours, and assemble it a whole day before if you’d like.

Can this dish be made gluten free?

Absolutely. If you’re gluten free because of an allergy or sensitivity, you can swap out the sourdough for gluten free bread.

Can you swap out sausage for other meat?

If you want to make this vegetarian, you can skip the sausage altogether. Ham also works well if you are looking for an alternative to sausage.

How to store this apple breakfast strata:

Store any leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days. However, since it’s an egg component, it’s best eaten within the first day or so.

a close up image of Apple Cheese casserole

Additional Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Apple, Cheddar and Sausage Breakfast Strata | Breakfast | Christmas | Casserole | Winter | Make Ahead | Healthy Seasonal Recipes | Katie Webster

Apple Cheddar and Sausage Breakfast Strata


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 11 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 9 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings 1x

Description

Apple, Cheddar and Sausage Breakfast Strata is the perfect Christmas morning breakfast. It is an unforgettable savory and sweet make-ahead breakfast or brunch casserole for the Holidays!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup non-fat or low-fat milk
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons chopped sage
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pound sourdough sandwich bread crusts removed and cubed
  • 2 apples peeled, cored and finely diced
  • 1 12ounce package Vermont Smoke & Cure Cider Bratwurst cut into half rounds
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided

Instructions

  1. Beat eggs, milk, mustard, sage, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl. Coat a large 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Layer half the cubed bread into the casserole dish. Top with half the apple, half the sausage and half the cheese. Top with the remaining bread, apple and sausage. Reserve the remaining cheese in the refrigerator for step 4.
  3. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole trying to moisten evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Bake casserole, covered, until it is steaming hot and the center is starting to puff, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove foil, top with the reserved cheese and continue baking until the cheese is melted and the top is golden 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Make Ahead:

If you want to make this dish ahead of time, I recommend preparing all the components beforehand, and baking it right before serving. You can also let the unbaked strata chill in the refrigerator for longer than 12 hours, and assemble it a whole day before if you’d like.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/10th casserole
  • Calories: 388
  • Sugar: 5 g
  • Sodium: 896 mg
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Saturated Fat: 9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 22 g