Take your classic savory strata to the next level with an egg and croissant breakfast bake with ham and cheese! Make this dish for a holiday breakfast, when hosting breakfast or brunch, or enjoy it on Christmas morning!
This breakfast ham and cheese croissant croissant bake is packed full of protein, making it a great way to start your morning. Stratas are a versatile option, transforming stale or dry bread into a flavorful, egg and veggie-packed meal.
But what if you want something a bit more elevated? That’s where croissants come in. Easy to prepare yet filled with rich, buttery flavors, this overnight croissant breakfast casserole is as practical as it is fancy.
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Bread vs. Croissant in Strata
I'm going to let you in on a little secret: 'strata' is just a baked dish with layers of dry bread, cheese, and meat or vegetables, covered in an egg and milk mixture. Why replace dry bread with buttery croissants? Simple: because they taste amazing!
Not only do croissants add an elevated element to the dish, but their flaky texture ensures a melt-in-your-mouth experience with every bite.
A few more reasons why croissants make this egg and croissant bake so delightful.
- Texture: Croissants have a light yet flaky, buttery texture that adds a luxurious feel to the strata. They won’t become soggy, creating a soft and custardy croissant breakfast bake.
- Richness: You won’t have to do much to add richness to this dish, as croissants are loaded with butter.
- Buttery Flavor: Did we mention the buttery flavor of croissants? There’s no need to add extra fats to make this dish taste indulgent.
- Versatility: Croissants are an incredibly versatile pastry, blending with ingredients from sweet to savory. Add your choice of herbs, cheeses, and veggies when layering this strata with croissants.
Ingredients for egg and croissant bake with ham and cheese
To get started, check your pantry or add these ingredients to your grocery store list:
- Eggs
- Croissants
- Cottage cheese
- Whole milk
- Shredded mozzarella (or your favorite shredded cheeses)
- Frozen, cooked spinach
- Thick-cut deli ham
- Tarragon
- Garlic powder
Substitutions and Add-ins
You can really make this croissant breakfast bake your own with an endless option of add-ins.
For substitutions, follow these suggestions.
-Cottage cheese: swap it with plain yogurt.
-Mozzarella cheese: swap it with provolone or shredded jack cheese.
-Ham: swap it with Canadian bacon.
-Tarragon: swap it with oregano or basil.
Follow the recipe for the egg mixture and croissant ratio, and you can add your favorite vegetables, meats, cheeses, and herbs.
Try these additional ingredients in your egg and croissant bake:
- Bell peppers
- Caramelized onions
- Broccoli
- Mozzarella medallions
- Crumbled goat cheese
- Breakfast sausage
- Thick-cut bacon
For an extra gooey bake, top the bake with mozzarella balls or crumbled goat cheese, or layer the top with sliced provolone! Honestly, the options are endless. Still, I recommend making this recipe as-is before modifying the ingredients.
How to make a croissant breakfast bake
Walking through the steps of this recipe will show you just how easy it is! Depending on when you want to bake the dish, you can prepare it the night before or the same day.
If you have dry or day-old croissants, you can make this ahead of time using the modifications below.
1. Prepare your ingredients
Preparing all of your ingredients ahead of time allows you to assemble this breakfast bake seamlessly (and quickly!). Start by gathering all of the ingredients, ensuring the croissants are cut or torn, the spinach is defrosted, the ham is sliced, and the cheese is shredded.
2. Make the egg mixture
Start by whisking together the eggs, milk, herbs, salt, and seasonings, allowing them to rest while the oven preheats. If you're wondering why you should add the salt 15 minutes ahead of time, you should definitely add 'The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science' by J. Kenji López-Alt to your cookbook collection.
3. Stir in the ingredients
Fold in the cottage cheese, along with about ⅓ of your ham, mozzarella cheese, and spinach. After lining your baking dish with non-stick spray, drizzle just enough of the egg mixture to line the bottom of the dish.
4. Layer the croissant bake
Start by scattering croissant pieces along the baking dish. You don’t want to smoosh them in; simply spread them out as evenly as possible. Then, add the remaining ham, spinach, and ⅓ cup of mozzarella cheese, reserving ⅓ cup to top the dish.
5. Pour in the egg mixture
Slowly pour the egg mixture over everything. You’ll want to ensure that it’s covering the entire dish. From here, you can gently push any croissants into the eggs, but you don’t need them submerged. Top the dish with your remaining mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake the croissant strata
Tightly cover the croissant breakfast casserole in foil and bake for 35 minutes, followed by 5 minutes uncovered. Give the baking dish a bit of a jiggle to ensure the center of the bake has set. If you see a wet egg mixture in the center, it’s not done.
7. Make it thicker
Want a thicker, puffier iteration of this recipe? Simply swap your 9x13 pan for a square 8x8 pan and adjust the timing. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 375º before lowering the heat to 350º and baking for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered until the center has set.
Make an overnight croissant breakfast casserole
Easily prepare your croissant breakfast casserole the night before and have it ready to bake in the morning!
Using fresh croissants will give you a more eggy, custardy bake while using dry croissants will give you the texture of a strata. You can dry out your croissants by spreading cut pieces on a baking sheet and dehydrating them in the oven for 10 minutes at 200º.
Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake for an additional 10 minutes covered, then continue to bake uncovered until the center has set.
How food science can help home cooks
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science
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Ham and Cheese Croissant Breakfast Bake
Turn flaky, buttery croissants into a savory croissant breakfast bake with ham, cheese, eggs, and spinach.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6-8
- Category: Brunch
- Method: Bake
Ingredients
- 9 eggs
- ½ tbsp tarragon
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 cups croissant pieces, about 2 large croissants
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup diced ham, about 5 large deli slices
- 1 cup cooked spinach
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- While the oven preheats, prepare the ingredients.
- In a small mixing bowl, add eggs, milk, tarragon, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk together and set aside.
- Meanwhile, get the ham, mozzarella, spinach, and croissants ready to layer into the bake.
- Start by cutting croissants into pieces, dicing the ham defrosting the spinach, and shredding the mozzarella (if you’re using a block vs. pre-shredded).
- Fold in the cottage cheese with the eggs and add ⅓ each of your ham, mozzarella, and spinach.
- Spray your baking dish with non-stick spray and pour just enough egg mixture into the dish to cover the bottom of the pan. You don’t need to cover the entire bottom, just most of it.
- Start layering your ingredients into the strata. Scatter croissant pieces across the bottom of the baking dish without pressing or smashing them in.
- Add the remaining ham and spinach, and ⅓ cup of the mozzarella on top of the croissants.
- Pour the egg mixture over everything. Cover as much of the croissants in egg mixture as you can.
- Top the bake with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese and cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake covered for 35 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake uncovered for 5 minutes, or until the center of the bake has set.
Notes
To make overnight, bake for an additional 10 minutes covered. Continue to bake uncovered until the center has set.
Nancy
Try this with day-old croissants from a local bakery or coffee shop! Even better!