Name: Collard-Artichoke-and-Mushroom Strata
Total time: 540 min
Ingredients: 1 (12-oz.) rustic baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups); 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing baking dish; 1 cup chopped sweet onion (from 1 small onion); 1 (8-oz.) pkg. sliced fresh button mushrooms; 6 cups chopped stemmed collard greens (from 1 [11-oz.] bunch); 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided; 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided; 2 cups coarsely chopped thawed frozen artichoke hearts (about 8 oz.); 8 large eggs; 2 cups half-and-half; 1 (5.2-oz.) container garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese (such as Boursin); 8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided

Love casseroles or bread pudding? A strata should be on your dinner list.

Ann Taylor Pittman

Updated on February 24, 2022

Collard-Artichoke-and-Mushroom Strata — Photo: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch

Active Time:

35 mins

Chill Time:

7 hrs

Stand Time:

40 mins

Bake Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

9 hrs

Servings:

A strata is essentially a cross between a bread pudding and a casserole; while you'll find some sweet stratas—which use sweet breads like brioche or cinnamon rolls—it's the savory stratas that steal our hearts. We love to wake up to stratas stuffed with caramelized onions or sausage, which will fill up the whole family and energize us for the day to come. The best part about a strata? Most can be made ahead, leaving you with minimal prep time in the morning.

This Collard-Artichoke-and-Mushroom Strata leans into the savory, combining fresh mushrooms and collard greens with eggs and frozen artichoke hearts to create a dish like no other. The addition of spreadable herbed cheese, like Boursin, in the custard mixture makes this strata extra-rich.

A baguette that's firm and chewy rather than soft and fluffy will work best in this bread pudding. An overnight rest in the fridge works wonders to tenderize the baguette and allow it to soak up all that custardy goodness; if you want to speed up the process, let the strata sit at room temperature until the custard is absorbed, about 1 hour.

Ingredients

1 (12-oz.) rustic baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing baking dish
1 cup chopped sweet onion (from 1 small onion)
1 (8-oz.) pkg. sliced fresh button mushrooms
6 cups chopped stemmed collard greens (from 1 [11-oz.] bunch)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cups coarsely chopped thawed frozen artichoke hearts (about 8 oz.)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 (5.2-oz.) container garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese (such as Boursin)
8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange bread pieces in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Turn off oven; let bread stand in oven until crisp and dry on the outside and chewy on the inside, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add collards and ½ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until collards are wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in artichoke hearts; cover and cook 3 minutes. Uncover; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Whisk eggs in a large bowl until lightly beaten. Add half-and-half, spreadable cheese, 1 cup of the Swiss cheese, and remaining ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Whisk until well blended. Add toasted bread and collard mixture; toss well to combine. Spoon into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish greased with butter. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup Swiss cheese. Cover with aluminum foil; chill at least 7 hours or up to 12 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Let the casserole stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until cheese is browned in spots and filling is set, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.