Put a large fun twist on your next breakfast casserole with this huevos rancheros breakfast strata. It’s popping with flavor and perfect for a crowd!
Every year over the holidays, I serve this sausage breakfast bagel strata. It’s one of those dishes that I get super excited for because I really only make it once a year. It’s definitely not light, and Zach and I could never polish it off by ourselves. Over the holidays, we usually have company, which makes it the perfect time to prepare this casserole. This past Christmas as I was making my bagel strata, I was thinking to myself how good it could be with a slightly Mexican twist.
Zach and I love huevos rancheros. We make it often and whenever I see it on a menu, I have to order it. I thought that putting a twist on this bagel strata would be just perfect. Oh, was it perfect. I can’t believe that I am admitting this, but I think I like this huevos rancheros version better than the original. It just packs so much flavor, has a hint of spice, and the chorizo sausage just sends it right over the edge.
This is a recipe to save for sure!
Beer This breakfast casserole definitely has a little bit of a kick, which is why I decided to pair it with a pale ale. Hoppier beers pair really well with spicier foods, and while an IPA is the classic pairing, I thought an IPA would be too hoppy for this dish. A pale ale is also a wiser decision if you are truly eating (and drinking) this in the morning. They tend to be a little bit lower in alcohol content (but not always!). It’s the perfect pairing for a weekend brunch!
Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Strata
Ingredients
Ranchero Sauce
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeno finely minced
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- salt and black pepper
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Strata
- 1 lb loose chorizo sausage
- 6 plain bagels torn into pieces
- 8 oz cream cheese cubed
- 1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese grated
- 1 cup Mexican blend cheese grated
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cup half and half
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Serve with: guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, chopped cilantro
Instructions
Ranchero Sauce
- Begin by preparing your ranchero sauce. Heat the canola oil in a deep nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Cook until the veggies are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the jalapeno, garlic, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes (with most of the juice) and the chicken stock. Bring to a low boil and the lower to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Strata
- In a large saute pan, add the sausage and cook over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of any excess grease.
- Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or a non-stick spray. Add the torn bagel pieces and sausage to the dish. Pour the ranchero sauce evenly on top. Dollop the cream cheese on top and sprinkle on the monterey jack and Mexican blend cheeses. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture over top of the casserole. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and bake the strata, covered, for 35-40 minutes. Remove the cover, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the top begins to brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with prepared guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
9 Comments
Holy cow! Justine, this seriously looks SO good. Totally right up my alley. I typically use that same ratio of eggs – dairy – bread when I make strata, so I know I’ll love the way this turns out. Adding it to my meal plan for the weekend!
6 bagels do not fit into a 9×13 dish. I could only fit about 4 bagels and the egg mixture was basically overflowing. I think if you are using a 9×13 pan, you have to scale back the recipe to make it all fit.
This looks delicious! But my husband and I aren’t eating bread. Could I just leave the bagels out or would I need to change the recipe some?
This recipe looks so good, it’s what I’m making for Christmas 2018.
Made this for Christmas morning 2018. It was delicious! Used a poblano because no one here likes green pepper. Toasted the bagel pieces in the oven first. Used a dutch oven because I thought it might spill out over my 13 x 9 casserole. It was so delicious and full of flavor — and very, very rich and filling. I would definitely make this again on another Christmas. I think I’m going to warm up some of the leftovers for dinner!
This was excellent!! Thank you for the share! So nice to have something different for breakfast