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Skillet Strata with Spinach and Smoked Gouda

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on February 17, 2012

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Skillet Strata with Spinach and Smoked Gouda

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 onion, mincedSalt and ground black pepper 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 6 large eggs 1 ½ cups whole milk 1 cup smoked Gouda, shredded2 garlic cloves, minced1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry6 slices high-quality sandwich bread slice, cut into 1-inch squarees

Before You Begin

Do not trim the crusts from the bread or the strata will be dense and eggy. Using a 10-inch skillet is crucial for the thickness and texture of this dish. Removing the excess moisture from the spinach is crucial here. After thawing the spinach in the microwave, wrap it in paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Instructions

    heat oven and cook onion

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat skillet, until foaming subsides. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened and lightly browned, about 6 minutes.
  2. combine egg mixture

  3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together, then stir in cheese; set aside.
  4. toast bread

  5. Add bread to skill and using rubber spatula, carefully fold bread into onion mixture until evenly coated. Cook bread, folding occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  6. add egg mixture

  7. Off heat, fold in egg mixture and spinach until slightly thickened and well combined with bread. Gently press on top of strata to help it soak up egg mixture.
  8. finish in oven

  9. Bake until edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of pan, about 12 minutes and serve.
Skillet Strata with Spinach and Smoked Gouda

Skillet Strata with Spinach and Smoked Gouda

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
6 large eggs
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup smoked Gouda, shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
6 slices high-quality sandwich bread slice, cut into 1-inch squarees

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
6 large eggs
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup smoked Gouda, shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
6 slices high-quality sandwich bread slice, cut into 1-inch squarees

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
6 large eggs
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup smoked Gouda, shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
6 slices high-quality sandwich bread slice, cut into 1-inch squarees

Why This Recipe Works

We came up with an unorthodox method largely predicated around the preparation of the bread for our skillet strata recipe: Instead of using stale bread, as is typical, we found fresh bread could work if we toasted it quickly before combining it with the custard. It made sense to cut the bread in pieces and toast them in a skillet for our skillet strata recipe as if they were croutons. It then occurred to us—why not bake the strata in the same skillet? Once the bread was toasted, we slid the pan from the heat and folded in the custard (whole milk and eggs) and cheese.

Before You Begin

Do not trim the crusts from the bread or the strata will be dense and eggy. Using a 10-inch skillet is crucial for the thickness and texture of this dish. Removing the excess moisture from the spinach is crucial here. After thawing the spinach in the microwave, wrap it in paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Instructions

    heat oven and cook onion

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat skillet, until foaming subsides. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened and lightly browned, about 6 minutes.
  2. combine egg mixture

  3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together, then stir in cheese; set aside.
  4. toast bread

  5. Add bread to skill and using rubber spatula, carefully fold bread into onion mixture until evenly coated. Cook bread, folding occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  6. add egg mixture

  7. Off heat, fold in egg mixture and spinach until slightly thickened and well combined with bread. Gently press on top of strata to help it soak up egg mixture.
  8. finish in oven

  9. Bake until edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of pan, about 12 minutes and serve.

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