Ham and Asparagus Strata

Ham and Asparagus Strata! Breakfast casserole with rustic bread, egg, Gruyere cheese, milk, cream, ham, and asparagus

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated May 22, 2022
Elise Bauer
Ham and Asparagus Strata
Elise Bauer

You know those times when you make something so good, you can't wait for an excuse to make it again? This is one of those times. Wow. Perfect for a spring family gathering, such as an Easter brunch, Mother's Day, or a graduation.

This ham and asparagus strata is basically a breakfast casserole, taken up a notch or two. It's a layered casserole with cubes of rustic bread, eggs, Gruyere cheese, milk, cream, diced ham, and asparagus.

It feeds a crowd. You can easily make ahead. Leftovers (if you have them, which I seriously doubt) will reheat beautifully for days.

Ham and Asparagus Strata
Elise Bauer

Ham and Asparagus Strata

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 80 mins
Total Time 100 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf rustic Italian or French bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes, about 8 cups total of bread cubes

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 3/4 cups milk

  • 1 1/4 cups cream

  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or thyme)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Kosher salt (for blanching water)

  • 1 pound asparagus spears, woody ends removed, spears cut into 3/4-inch pieces

  • 1 medium bowl ice water

  • 2 tablespoons softened butter (for buttering the dish)

  • 6 ounces ham, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, about 2 cups

  • 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated, about 1 cup, packed

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Preheat the oven to 400°F.

  2. Lightly toast the cubed bread:

    Spread the cubed bread over a baking dish or sheet pan in a single layer. Place in oven and bake until lightly toasted, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer
  3. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, and seasonings:

    In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, cream, tarragon, salt and pepper. Set aside.

    Elise Bauer
  4. Blanch the asparagus:

    Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil (1 1/2 teaspoons of salt). Add the cut asparagus to the boiling water. Return to a boil and blanch the asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the asparagus to a bowl of ice water to shock the asparagus and stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer
  5. Layer the casserole:

    Spread butter over the inside of a 8- x11- x2 1/4-inch casserole dish. Spread half of the bread cubes over the bottom of the casserole dish.

    Sprinkle half of the ham cubes over the bread. Sprinkle half of the asparagus over the ham.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Sprinkle everything with half of the Gruyere cheese.

    Pour half of the milk and egg mixture over everything.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer
  6. Repeat the layer:

    Add another layer of cubed bread, ham, asparagus, Gruyere, and milk egg mixture. Press down on the mixture with your (clean) hands to help the bread soak up more of the milk mixture.

    At this point you can make up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

  7. Bake:

    Cover with aluminum foil and place in the 350°F oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake uncovered for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until the egg mixture is set. Test by inserting a sharp knife into the center of the casserole. If the inside is still runny, it's not cooked through yet and needs more time in the oven. If the top starts to get too browned, you can cover again with aluminum foil.

    Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
496 Calories
28g Fat
37g Carbs
26g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 496
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 15g 77%
Cholesterol 185mg 62%
Sodium 1089mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 26g
Vitamin C 5mg 24%
Calcium 304mg 23%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 474mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.