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The first time I had this luscious Brie Basil and Tomato Strata was on a sunny July morning about fifteen years ago at my cousins’ house near Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada. It was a beautiful morning, the coffee was hot and fresh, and I was happy to be with family and friends.
Updated March 2026.
Things got even better when my cousin Esther brought her Brie Basil and Tomato Strata to the table. Made with ripe and juicy Ontario tomatoes, homegrown basil and a lovely creamy brie, it was so scrumptious that even though Esther made a double recipe – two full pans – seven of us nearly polished off both of them! The funny part is, I’m not a huge fan of Brie, but I absolutely loved this strata.
What is Strata?
A strata is a casserole made of cubes of crusty bread soaked in a flavoured egg and milk mixture. The mixture may contain or be topped with cheese. Strata recipes are made the night before, and left in the fridge so the bread can soak up some of the eggy mixture. You then bake the casserole in the morning before serving.
Brie Basil and Tomato Strata – Perfect for Breakfast, Brunch or a Light Supper
Today Brie Basil and Tomato Strata appears regularly on our table, especially if I’m entertaining. Having said that, it also makes a great weekday breakfast or a light supper. Simply throw the strata together the night before and put it in the fridge. Get the strata out of the fridge while the oven heats up, then pop the strata in and let it cook while you get ready for the day. Leftovers reheat well the next day too.
How to Make Brie Basil and Tomato Strata
This recipe is so easy to make. You just tumble bread cubes, small chunks of brie and fresh basil leaves into a casserole dish and cover with a gorgeous eggy custard mixture. Cover the pan and place in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, bring the strata out of the refrigerator for a few minutes before you want to cook it. Top the strata with tomatoes. I love the visual effect of using tomato halves on top but if you prefer you can use thick slices of tomatoes instead. Sprinkle the tomatoes with parmesan cheese and put the strata in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have fresh basil?
Fresh basil really makes the fresh flavour of this delicious strata pop but if you don’t have fresh basil, you can use a teaspoon of dried basil instead. Just whisk it into the egg and milk mixture with the salt and pepper.
Is there a gluten-free option for Brie Basil and Tomato Strata?
Use gluten-free bread instead of regular bread to make this recipe. All the rest of the ingredients are gluten free.
Can I use smaller slices of tomato?
Absolutely. The casserole is quite striking with halved tomatoes, but it looks equally delicious with tomato slices on top. Alternatively, you could scatter halved cherry tomatoes over top.
Brie Basil and Tomato Strata has become one of our favourite breakfast and brunch dishes. It also makes a delicious light lunch or supper served with a side salad. I love it when something this delicious is so easy too!
Brie Basil and Tomato Strata – Printable Recipe
Brie Basil and Tomato Strata
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 medium loaf of Italian or French bread, cubed You need enough to fill a 13 x 9 inch baking pan
- 1 cup Brie cheese, chopped into small pieces
- a handful of fresh basil leaves, stems removed
- 2 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
- 6 medium tomatoes Roma or Plum tomatoes work particularly well here
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Remember to start this recipe the night before you want to serve it.
- Lightly butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
- Beat together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together the bread cubes, pieces of Brie and the basil leaves.
- Pour carefully into the baking dish.
- Pour the eggy mixture over the top of the bread and cheese. Press the bread down lightly to encourage the bread to take up the eggy mixture.
- Cover the casserole dish and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, remove the strata from the oven for a few minutes before you want to cook it.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Halve or slice the tomatoes and arrange over top of the strata mixture.
- Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the strata becomes browned and bubbly.
- Serve hot.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag #apriljharris on Instagram and follow @apriljharris for more.
More Breakfast Ideas
Blueberry French Toast Casserole
My Favourite No-Fail Pancake Recipe
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I love this recipe April. Looks delicious! I just pinned and shared on my page.
Thank you so much, Cydnee! I really appreciate your support 🙂
This is making me hungry reading this! I think my kids would freak out about it, but next time we have company and need some extra things to make definitely going to try this out.
Thanks so much for linking up with the #bestoftheblogosphere
Thank you, Emmy! I know kids can be a bit funny about Brie but if you get a really mild one sometimes they don’t notice 😉 Thank you for hosting!
April this looks just wonderful! I really think it is something I want on the menu this summer when my tomatoes come in!
Thank you, Kecia! It really is gorgeous with fresh picked tomatoes 🙂
What a great combination.
Thank you, Peter!
Dear April, this is a perfect, comforting dish. I would love this one night for dinner. Pinning. xo, Catherine
Thank you so much, Catherine, and thank you for pinning too! xo
Oh my this sounds like the perfect brunch recipe. And how wonderful you were able to enjoy it with family!
Thank you, Mary. It really is a great dish and a lovely memory 🙂
April, this dish looks incredible! I can only imagine for fantastic it tastes…especially with the addition of brie!
Thank you, Linda! I have to say I don’t really eat much brie, but in this dish I adore it 🙂
Absolutely mouth watering deliciousness in a bite!! ♥ I can just taste the eggs, bread, brie , basil and those amazing tomatoes…
Thank you, Didi – the tomatoes really do make the dish extra special 🙂
G’day Be right over as this is right up my alley to enjoy April!
Cheers! Joanne
G’day, Joanne, and thank you!
I love stratas and this one looks especially delicious! Great dish for Easter brunch!
Thank you, Renee 🙂 It would be lovely for Easter brunch!
April, what a beautiful strata dish, and what a lovely way to start a day! This will definitely be on my to do list! How delicious! Pinned
Thank you, Hadia, and thank you for pinning too!
Yummy yummy! I bet this recipe just disappears. 🙂 Thanks for sharing with us on Inspire Me Monday. Hope to see you again next week!
It really does disappear very quickly, CJ! Thank you 🙂
This looks wonderful! It’s been years since I used brie, but this makes me want to go out and buy some. Pinned!
Thank you, Heaven, and thank you for pinning the recipe too!
April , so nice to meet you, I have tomatoes and basil growing so I have saved your recipe as I think it will be great for lunch, I found you at #partydownunder
Thank you, Jennifer. It’s lovely to meet you too! The recipe is so lovely with fresh tomatoes and basil. I really hope you enjoy it 🙂
This makes me long for tomato season! What a great recipe, April.
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Michelle! I’m looking forward to tomato season too 🙂
This looks amazing! My husband loved brie, so I am going to have to try making it!
I hope you enjoy it, Dannii! I’m not the biggest fan of brie but I love it in this recipe 🙂
This sounds amazing..I would love to try this with some gluten free bread. Will pin this for later. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you, Stephanie, and thank you for pinning! It would be delicious with gluten free bread.
Love how easy this is! The combination of brie and tomato sounds amazing. Such a great meal.
Thank you, Tara!
Yum! That looks fantastic! And how easy! Brie is my favorite! I’m going to try this for Christmas morning! Perfect!
I hope you love it as much as we do, Beth. It’s definitely perfect for Christmas morning 🙂
Never eaten a tomato strata but sounds really good. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you, Shumaila.
This recipe sounds delicious! Do you use the bloom, too, or do you cut it off? This looks like a great Thanksgiving or Christmas morning dish.
Thank you, Amanda. It’s just right for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. We always use the bloom, but you can cut it off if you prefer.
Hi April,
Your Strata looks delicious, we will love it! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much, Miz Helen, and thank you for hosting the party too!
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Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
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Thank you, Marilyn!
April,
OMG, this casserole looks so yummy. Congratulations, you are being featured at Over The Moon Linky Party. I hope you stop by. https://www.eclecticredbarn.com/2020/07/over-moon-linky-party_19.html
Hugs,
Bev
Thank you so much, Bev! I’ve just popped over. I’m sorry it took me so long – I don’t know where the week is going! Hope it’s a great week for you too! Hugs 🙂