Make Ahead

Bagel and Cream Cheese Strata

by:
December 21, 2014
4
2 Ratings
Bagel and Cream Cheese Strata
Photo by Emily Vikre
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

My family started the tradition of eating a bread, egg, and sautéed veggie strata -- that we've always called a frittata -- for Christmas morning breakfast many years ago. When I got married, I found my husband's family eats bagels with cream cheese and lox and/or smoked salmon for Christmas breakfast. This year I decided to combine the two traditions into a strata made with bagels, cream cheese, and salmon. The unique texture of bagels makes this a very sturdy strata, which is nice and hardy, but you can also use regular bread if you prefer a softer, eggier texture. —fiveandspice

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 5 cups cubed stale bagels
  • 8 ounces thinly sliced lox or crumbled smoked salmon
  • 2 tablespoons capers (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill (optional)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into half-inch cubes (as much as it's possible to cut cream cheese into cubes)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 teaspoon each salt and ground pepper
Directions
  1. In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it is foaming. Add the red onion and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Butter a large baking pan (9 x 13 or so) and layer the cubed bagels, the salmon or lox, the sautéed onions, the cream cheese pieces, and the capers and dill (if using) in the pan. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs with the half and half and the teaspoons of salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the bagels, etc, in the baking pan. Cover and let this sit for at least 45 minutes (you can also let it sit in the fridge overnight).
  3. When ready to bake, heat your oven to 350° F. Bake the strata until the eggs are set, about 45 minutes to an hour. Allow to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into it. Eat warm or at room temperature.
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3 Reviews

Pittsburgher
Pittsburgher January 1, 2015
Perfect late New Year's Day breakfast! Next time I would mix the cream cheese with the bagel chunks and put the onions on top. I am usually not a fan of cooked smoked salmon but this was yummy!
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx
sexyLAMBCHOPx December 31, 2014
Smitten Kitchen has a very similar recipe in her cookbook, have you seen it?
 
robin L.
robin L. December 26, 2014
Sounds hearty and delicious! P.S. I figured out how to cube cream cheese when making Hilarybee's https://food52.com/recipes/14244-quinoa-and-kale-crustless-quiche: put the block of cream cheese in the freezer first for a little while to harden it a bit...