Sausage, Goat Cheese, and Chive Bagel Strata
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This Sausage, Goat Cheese, and Chive Bagel Strata is an easy breakfast casserole you can make ahead of time for a stress free morning!
When I first learned pregnant women are supposed to avoid soft cheeses, I might have shed a tear or ten. What was I going to do without my buddies Brie, feta, goat and blue? It was going to be a lonely few months, but I resigned myself to it.
Then I found out it’s only unpasteurized soft cheeses that are potentially dangerous, and I maybe did a little happy dance and drove myself straight to the store to pick up a tub of pasteurized goat cheese. That was a wonderful afternoon.
Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder, because since that day, goat cheese and I have been inseparable. Turns out, we make a pretty fabulous team, especially when sausage, bagels, and eggs join in as well. This Bagel Strata is soaked in an herby egg mixture, loaded with sausage, and then topped with cheddar cheese, goat cheese, and fresh chives. It’s hearty, filling, and packed with spring time flavor.
You all might remember I had a mad craving for bagels and cream cheese early on in my pregnancy. For about three weeks, it was an unstoppable force. I ate bagels and cream cheese nearly every day. But then, just as quickly and ferociously as the craving came on, it disappeared, and there I was left with a whole lot of bagels.
Luckily, bagels can be used for much more than just your typical morning toast and cream cheese schmear. I love using them for fried egg sandwiches or bagel French toast, but they can also be a great substitution in other recipes that typically call for bread, like strata.
I had the pleasure of trying Cobblestone Bread Co.’s new line of bagels, and they happened to be perfect for this easy strata. Strata is a great dish to make for entertaining, because it is entirely make ahead friendly.
You simply whip up the egg, bagel and sausage mixture the night before, pop the casserole in the fridge, and BAM, it’s ready to bake in the morning. It’s a great way to put an impressive meal on the table for brunch guests without getting up at the crack of dawn.
So if you’re tired of the same old cereal, boring eggs, or plain bagels and cream cheese, try this easy Sausage, Goat Cheese, and Chive Bagel Strata. It’ll liven up your mornings with tangy, herby, oh-so-cheesy goodness!
If you’re looking for more smart and fresh breakfast ideas, check out Kitchen Daily’s 21 Ways to Make Breakfast Exciting Again!
![Sausage, Goat Cheese, and Chive Bagel Strata from NeighborFoodBlog.com is the perfect make ahead brunch dish.](https://neighborfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/sausage-goat-cheese-bagel-strata-200x200.jpg)
Sausage, Goat Cheese, and Chive Bagel Strata
Ingredients
- 6 plain Cobblestone Bread Co. bagels
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- More chives for topping
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Spread the bagel pieces evenly over the pan.
- Crumble and cook the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no pink remains. Stir the sausage evenly into the bagel pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic, mustard, basil, and chives. Pour the mixture over the bagels. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, remove the dish from the fridge and allow it to come up to room temperature while the oven preheats to 375 degrees.
- Bake covered for 35 minutes, then remove the foil, sprinkle with cheese, and return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until top is browned and cheese is melted. Let rest for 10 minutes before sprinkling with more fresh chives and serving.
Notes
- I love using whole wheat bagels in a dish like this, because the strong "wheat" flavor can be masked by all the additions.
Nutrition
Compensation for this post was provided by Cobblestone Bread Co. via AOL Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Cobblestone Bread Co. or AOL.
Looking for more Easy Breakfast Casseroles? Try these!
Slow Cooker Sausage and Pepper Breakfast Casserole
Ham and Cheese Breakfast Bake from Wanna Be A Country Cleaver
Southwestern Sausage and Cornbread Casserole from Foxes Love Lemons
Blueberry Coconut French Toast Bake from Well Plated
I have made this dish several times! It is soooo good. It has become our favorite dish to make when we vacation in the mountains and then have it for breakfast for several days! Love it!
Thanks so much for sharing! It makes my day!
Can I make ahead and freeze?
That should work just fine!
Yum!!! I made stuffing out of bagels last fall but now I need to make this breakfast strata!
Thanks for linking to my casserole, friend! Also, I’m thrilled that you found pasteurized goat cheese, because otherwise, that would have been a long nine months without it! I love stratas, just because they’re so easy to make in advance and pop in the oven. But I’ve never though to use bagels. What a fun and delicious twist!
I love the idea of bagels in a strata and this looks glorious! I need to bake one up on Sunday and just enjoy it for breakfast the rest of the week 🙂
Sues
Totally! It makes a huge pan so you can indulge all week long!
Oh, I laughed so hard when I saw this. Proof that we were always destined to be friends. And goat cheese? Let’s form an Ohio fan club for it, shall we? Love the looks of this strata, Courtney!
Ohio Goat Cheese Fan Girls! I like the sound of that. We’re definitely kindred spirits Melanie. The strata’s the proof! 🙂