Swiss Chard and Squash Strata Recipe: Savory Layered Breakfast Bake

Why I Love This Strata

Food should feel welcoming and simple. “Strata” is just a fancier name for an egg casserole: bread soaked in an eggy custard with meats, cheeses, and vegetables baked together. It’s one of the most forgiving, comforting dishes to make — everything comes together in one pan and feeds a crowd.

This version highlights fall flavors. Roasted delicata squash brings sweetness and tender texture while crisp bacon adds savory, smoky contrast. Swiss chard rounds out the dish with earthy greens, and Gouda melts into the custard for richness. The result is a balanced, seasonal casserole that still feels homey and familiar.

What a Strata Is

A strata is essentially an egg casserole built around bread. The bread soaks up a mixture of eggs, milk, and cream, and the whole dish puffs up when baked, giving a light, souffle-like texture. Unlike some baked egg dishes, a true strata always includes bread as a primary component, which gives it body and a wonderfully custardy interior.

One of the best features of a strata is that you can assemble it the night before. Combine the bread, fillings, and custard, cover, and refrigerate. In the morning, bake it for an easy, stress-free breakfast or brunch.

Switch Up the Ingredients

This is a forgiving recipe that welcomes substitutions. The structure — bread plus custard — stays the same, while the rest can change based on preference or what you have on hand. Try these swaps to make the dish your own:

• Swap Swiss chard for spinach or kale for a different leafy green texture and flavor.
• Replace bacon with sausage, pancetta, or omit meat for a vegetarian option.
• Use different cheeses: cheddar, fontina, or goat cheese all work well and change the character of the strata.

More Breakfast Recipes

• Baked oatmeal
• Best buttermilk biscuits
• Spinach, bacon, and sweet potato quiche
• Grandma’s banana bread

Swiss Chard & Squash Strata

This elevated egg casserole layers roasted squash, Swiss chard, bacon, challah, and Gouda for a cozy, fall-appropriate breakfast or brunch.

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 1 hr 40 mins

Resting Time: 1 hr

Total: 2 hrs 55 mins

Servings: 15 servings

Ingredients

• 1 whole delicata squash (approximately 1 lb)
• 1 lb bacon
• 2 tbsp bacon oil
• ¾ cup diced onion
• 1 bunch (approx. 11 oz) Swiss chard — leaves removed from stems, stems diced, and leaves chopped
• 2 cups whole milk
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 9 large eggs
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 8 cups ½-inch cubed challah bread (about 11 oz)
• 4 oz shredded Gouda

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Prepare the delicata squash: remove the stem, halve lengthwise, remove seeds, and slice into ¼-inch pieces. Arrange on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Roast until golden and tender, 18–25 minutes. Set aside.
3. While the squash roasts, cook the bacon in a large skillet in two batches until crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon oil in the skillet and discard the rest. Over medium heat, sauté the diced onion and Swiss chard stems with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper until the onion is translucent and stems are tender, 4–6 minutes. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves and cook until wilted, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, and eggs until smooth. Stir in the black pepper, kosher salt, Dijon mustard, and ground nutmeg.
5. In a 9×13-inch baking dish, layer the cubed challah, roasted squash, cooked bacon (crumbled), sautéed Swiss chard mixture, and shredded Gouda. Distribute ingredients evenly. Slowly pour the egg custard over the top, pressing gently so the bread absorbs the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
6. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the strata until the top is golden and the center is puffed and just slightly jiggly, 50–75 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving
Calories: 312 kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment below!