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Zucchini, Mushroom, and Thyme Strata

October 15, 2014 By Patricia 26 Comments

Zucchini, Mushroom, and Thyme Strata is perfect for any meal.

What do you do with day-old bread? Save it to make a savory strata. Zucchini, Mushroom, and Thyme Strata is a filling and flavorful dish that is perfect for brunch or dinner (I even like it cold, straight out of the fridge for breakfast).

I was wracking my brain trying to figure out how I let the majority of a loaf of crusty, artisan bread get a little past its prime. Not using the entire loaf is something that makes me sad. Wasting bread is like a sin to an Italian, so I had to think of some way to put it to good use.

Dig into a dish of Zucchini, Mushroom, and Thyme Strata

Since a strata includes eggs (and bread), many recipes are geared to serve for breakfast or brunch. But as you well know, breakfast for dinner is always a treat, so why not consider a strata for your evening meal? Pair it with soup or salad for a fab meal.

I pulled some veggie staples from the fridge and thought marinara sauce would make a colorful splash for this dish. The thyme is a nice complement to the zucchini and mushrooms, and I included Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, too. If you’re still in love with zucchini even after the summer, try adding it to pizza.

A strata is a great dish for any meal of the day.

A few great things about a strata:

  • It’s the perfect way to use up day-old bread
  • You can include pretty much any vegetable and cheese combo you’d like
  • You can make it the day before you want to serve it (just refrigerate overnight before you’re ready to pop it in the oven)

This recipe for Zucchini, Mushroom, and Thyme Strata is easy to make and can help keep you guilt-free over unused bread. Serve this for any meal of the day.

Recipe for Zucchini, Mushroom, and Thyme Strata
Serves 4-6


INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups day-old bread, cubed into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups zucchini, cut into rounds, then quartered
  • 1-1/2 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1-1/4 cups milk
  • 1/3 cup marinara sauce
  • 1/3 cup Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
  • Nonstick cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 1-quart baking dish with the nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Add the bread cubes to a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of thyme. Toss to combine, then spread out on a baking sheet in a single layer.
  3. Bake the bread for 8-10 minutes, tossing once or twice. Remove from the oven when toasted, and set aside.
  4. Add the eggs, milk, and marinara sauce to a bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  5. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, garlic, zucchini, and mushrooms to the pan. Add the remaining salt, black pepper, and a dash of thyme if you’d like. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and the mushrooms begin to release their juices. Remove from the heat and add to a large bowl.
  6. Add the Mozzarella cheese to the egg mixture, along with 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese.
  7. Add bread cubes to the bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and bread and toss to combine. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish.
  8. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden and a knife inserted in the middle of the strata comes out clean (the eggs should be set). During the last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top.
  9. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
 

Serves 4-6

Filed Under: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: Brunch, Mushrooms, strata, Zucchini

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Comments

  1. taylor @ greens & chocolate says

    October 17, 2014 at 10:30 am

    Stratas are perfect for day old bread! I will also make homemade breadcrumbs or croutons with day old bread...I hate seeing it go to waste, too!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      October 18, 2014 at 11:20 pm

      Good ideas, Taylor! Thanks!
      Reply
  2. Laura @MotherWouldKnow says

    December 22, 2015 at 4:34 pm

    I love using up leftovers and this strata is perfect for that and so many other reasons. Like you, I could eat it straight out of the refrigerator, but I'll warm it up for others :)
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 23, 2015 at 5:25 pm

      Ha! I know - I love cold leftovers -- almost all of them! Thank you, Laura!
      Reply
  3. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says

    December 22, 2015 at 5:33 pm

    What a great use of leftover bread! And the zucchini and mushrooms together sound wonderful!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 23, 2015 at 5:24 pm

      Yes - hate tossing food unnecessarily! Thank you, Erin!
      Reply
  4. Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says

    December 22, 2015 at 6:50 pm

    I've only ever made breakfast strata but I love that this can be a vegetarian main dish or even served as a side dish. Yum!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 23, 2015 at 5:24 pm

      They're so versatile! Thanks so much, Sharon!
      Reply
  5. Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says

    December 22, 2015 at 7:07 pm

    I lovvve a good strata! Yum! This one looks amazing.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 23, 2015 at 5:24 pm

      Thanks so much, Julie - so easy to make, too!
      Reply
  6. Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie says

    December 23, 2015 at 1:33 am

    I LOVE this flavor combination. This sounds delicious!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 23, 2015 at 5:23 pm

      Thanks a bunch, Becky! Perfect for celebration meals, or regular weeknight meals!
      Reply
  7. Kristen says

    December 23, 2015 at 2:42 am

    I love stratas. They are pure comfort food for me. Your version sounds really tasty!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 23, 2015 at 5:23 pm

      Thanks so much, Kristen!
      Reply
  8. Paula - bell'alimento says

    December 23, 2015 at 3:23 am

    Love all the flavors in this strata.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 23, 2015 at 5:23 pm

      Thanks so much, Paula!
      Reply
  9. Sabrina says

    December 23, 2015 at 8:57 am

    What a fantastic side dish! I love any recipe I get to use zucchini in!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 23, 2015 at 5:22 pm

      Me too! Thanks so much, Sabrina!
      Reply
  10. Michelle @ Blackberry Babe says

    December 23, 2015 at 8:21 pm

    I had no idea strata could be so gorgeous! Love all these veggies!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 24, 2015 at 4:39 am

      Thanks a bunch, Michelle!
      Reply
  11. Diana Johnson @ Eating Richly Even When You're Broke says

    December 23, 2015 at 10:06 pm

    I love recipes that prevent food waste! This one looks really wonderful, especially since our family loves zucchini.
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 24, 2015 at 4:38 am

      Thanks so much, Diana! I feel the same!
      Reply
  12. Andi @ The Weary Chef says

    December 24, 2015 at 3:47 pm

    I also love giving a new life to leftovers! This strata is a perfect way to use up leftover bread! Can't wait to try this soon!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 28, 2015 at 4:22 am

      Absolutely! Hope you enjoy it! Thank you, Andi!
      Reply
  13. Joanie@ZagLeft says

    December 26, 2015 at 5:25 pm

    I've got leftover bread sitting on my counter right now so this recipe comes at the perfect time. This looks absolutely delicious!
    Reply
    • Patricia says

      December 28, 2015 at 4:21 am

      Oh, great! Hope you enjoy it, Joanie! Thanks!
      Reply

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I'm Patricia

Welcome to Grab a Plate!

Growing up surrounded by my Italian family it was always, "grab a plate" whenever anyone came to visit. Food was always a celebration, even everyday meals, and I like it that way. I try to make each meal memorable with my recipes for mainly meatless, mostly healthy, and easy-to-make dishes (with sweet treats in between).

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