Looking for a quick & hearty egg breakfast? Try a Bacon Cheddar 30-Minute Skillet Strata

This post has been sponsored by Smithfield®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let’s get real; cold cereal can get really boring day after day, so why not make a breakfast that you can wake up and get excited about? A deliciously simple Bacon Cheddar 30-Minute Skillet Strata made with Smithfield® Bacon is the real food solution you need! Smithfield premium quality bacon is naturally smoked and hand-trimmed, which is perfect for this skillet strata recipe. You’ll conveniently find it at your local Albertsons, along with the eggs, cheddar, onion, milk, and bread you need to complete this recipe! Plus you can save money by trying out the Albertsons app; it’s full of coupons, including one for Smithfield Bacon right now!

What is a Strata?

A strata (as far as food goes) is an egg dish made by pouring beaten eggs over layers of bread, meat, cheese, and/or veggies; then it’s baked. Traditionally, it’s a make-ahead dish, so it can soak all night before being placed in the oven when you wake up. This Bacon Cheddar 30 Minute Skillet Strata is a streamlined version, so you can skip the soaking and get right to eating!

Since this recipe is a simple rustic one, choosing high-quality ingredients like Smithfield Bacon is essential. It’s outstanding flavors really shine in this skillet strata, and form the base for the entire recipe.

You’ll start by placing chopped bacon in a 10-inch, non-stick skillet that is also oven safe (a cast iron skillet really is best for this). Once the fat begins to melt (or “render”) and the bottom of the pan is coated in it, then you can add the chopped onion to the hot skillet. The onion will cook in the bacon fat and soak up its flavors. This step smells sooooo good!

Once the onion and bacon are nicely browned, you’ll mix in pieces of hearty bread to toast in the skillet. I used my own amazing homemade potato bread here in these photos; it was perfect for this recipe! Toasting the bread will help it stay firm while baking, and add yet another layer of flavor to your strata.

Then a mixture of eggs, milk, and shredded cheddar cheese are poured over the top. You’ll want to fold it in gently to ensure it’s evenly distributed, and pat it down with a spoon to make sure the bread is soaking it up!

Then pop it into a hot oven to bake for about 12-15 minutes and it’s done! How simple is that?! A delicious, hearty, rustic breakfast packed with protein to start out the day right.

You’ll know it’s done when it puffs up a bunch in the middle and the sides are just starting to pull away from the skillet. I’m getting hungry just looking at all these photos. I’ll have to make another one since my family polished this one off pretty quick.

You and your family will love this delicious Bacon Cheddar 30-Minute Skillet Strata, especially when you make it with Smithfield bacon! If you’re not a bacon family or want to mix up the flavors, this dish is great because you can make it with Smithfield sausage patties or links as well! And remember you can save money by purchasing it at Albertsons; just download their free store app for tons of great money-saving coupons!

Bacon Cheddar 30 Minute Skillet Strata

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• Author: Emily
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 27 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

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Description

Skip the cold cereal and try this simple easy Bacon Cheddar 30 Minute Skillet Strata for breakfast instead! It gives you a hearty, fast egg breakfast that is made with fresh ingredients and packed with protein.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 slices Smithfield® Bacon, chopped
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 6 eggs
• 1 and 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper
• 5 slices hearty sandwich bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (leave the crust on)

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Instructions

1. Move an oven rack to middle position and set the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the chopped bacon in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe nonstick skillet) over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until the fat melts off and covers the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and stir to combine. Cook until the bacon is crispy and onion is soft and transulcent, about 5-7 minutes more.
2. While the bacon and onion cook, beat together the eggs, milk, cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside. 
3. Add the cubed bread to the skillet and gently stir together with the bacon and onion. Toast bread in the skillet for about 3-4 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Remove from heat.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and stir. Gently press on the top of the bread to ensure it soaks up the egg mixture. Place the skillet in the heated oven and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the strata is puffed up, especially in the center, and the edges have slightly pulled away from the skillet. Remove from the oven, slice and serve.

• Category: Breakfast
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/8 slice
• Calories: 198
• Sugar: 2.9 g
• Sodium: 937 mg
• Fat: 13.1 g
• Saturated Fat: 5.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 6.3 g
• Protein: 13.2 g
• Cholesterol: 152 mg