Lunch / Dinner
Pizza Strata with Italian Sausage & Mushrooms
Landing somewhere between bread pudding and pizza, this strata brings out the best of both worlds. It’s a retro concept that’s back in favor — for good reason! Layer pizza topping favorites like Italian sausage and mushrooms with smoky provolone, artisan bread, and oozy sauce for a meal that brings new meaning to the term “deep dish.”
So the flavors really mingle and melt into the bread, be sure to chill the strata at least 2 hours before baking. If you can, assemble it a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight — the flavor can only improve. A mixture of eggs and milk absorbs the strata’s flavors and keeps the bread from drying out.
One of the best things about strata is its versatility. Try substituting any meat, veggie, or cheese that happens to be in your fridge — or include your own favorite pizza toppings. It’s a dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner — and who doesn’t want to have pizza for breakfast?
Ingredients
COOK:
BLEND:
Test Kitchen Tip
Children and adults alike will dig this Italian-flavored dish. For a more kid-friendly version, or if you’re sensitive to heat, be sure to use a mild sausage.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Cook sausage in 1 Tbsp. oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until cooked through, 5–6 minutes. Transfer sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate. Sauté mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper in 1 Tbsp. oil in same pan until softened, 6–7 minutes. Toss sausage and vegetables together in a bowl.
Cover bottom of prepared baking dish with a layer of bread, cutting slices as needed to fill in spaces. Top bread with half the sausage mixture, 1 cup provolone, and ¼ cup pizza sauce. Cover mixture with another layer of bread and remaining sausage mixture, provolone, and sauce.
Blend eggs and milk until combined; season with salt and black pepper. Pour egg mixture over layers in baking dish. Cover strata with plastic wrap, gently pressing to encourage absorption; refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove plastic wrap before baking.
Bake strata, uncovered, until it’s puffy and cooked through (160°), about 1 hour. Let strata stand 10 minutes before serving.
For extra flavor, sauté mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper in sausage drippings with a little olive oil.
Arrange the bread slices, cut about ½-inch thick, to cover the bottom of the dish and the sausage layer.
Pour the egg mixture over the casserole, then cover and chill so the bread absorbs the mixture.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 371
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 188mg 62%
Sodium 696mg 28%
Carbs 27g 9%
Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 18g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.