December 22, 2022
Morton Family Strata (Inspired by The Family Stone)
Inspired by one of my favorite Christmas movies, this Morton Family Strata is the PERFECT make-ahead breakfast! Layered with sautéed mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, meaty olives, and two types of vegan cheese in a savory custard, this dish is truly worthy of a place on your annual holiday breakfast menu!
Table of Contents
Ingredients Jump to Video Step-by-Step Instructions FAQs More Holiday Recipes to Try Printable RecipeMorton Family Strata
Ever since I recreated the Christmas Fettuccine from The Holiday last week, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about another favorite holiday movie of mine – The Family Stone. And if you love The Family Stone as much as I do, then you know that one scene reigns supreme … the infamous strata scene.
It’s Christmas morning, and Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) has undergone quite the past few days with her boyfriend, Everett and his tight-knit family. By this time, she’s been accused of being racist and homophobic, and her (assumingly) expensive shoes have been snapped and ruined by the heels. To say she’s struggling to make connections with the Stone Family is an understatement, so she convinces her sister to come and spend the holiday with her. Prior to arriving, Meredith decides to make their family’s famous strata – a Morton family tradition – to welcome her sister, Claire, on Christmas Morning. Of course, that too goes amiss. While taking the strata out of the refrigerator to transfer to the oven, Meredith gets hit by the kitchen door, causing her to drop the strata all over herself and the floor.
I love this scene because it’s kind of the final straw for Meredith. Yes, she’s uptight, a little odd, and somewhat controlling, but nevertheless, she’s got a good heart. And after dropping the strata, she finally asks the Stone Family, “what’s so great about you guys?” to which they respond, “nothing, it’s just that we’re all that we’ve got” while simultaneously slipping on the strata and falling on the floor – causing them to all have a good laugh at the situation and each other.
It’s heartwarming and messy, and I just love it! And I’ve always wanted to try that strata! So I did! And no wonder why it’s a family tradition, because it’s GOOD!
Grab a drink and let’s make it!
What is Strata?
Strata is a f layered casserole dish in American cuisine. The most common variation is a breakfast or brunch dish, consisting of bread, eggs and cheese. Typically, other ingredients such as mixed vegetables or breakfast meats are added as well. Typical preparation requires the bread to be layered with egg and cheese in order to produce layers (strata). It was popularized in the 1984 Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. The first known recipe, the cheese strata, dates back to 1902 and contains bread, white sauce and cheese.
What Goes in Morton Family Strata?
This dish requires simple ingredients, many of which I typically have stocked in the pantry and fridge! Here is everything you need to make veganized Morton Family Strata:
Bread:
Preferably a couple days old, and slightly stale. If you don’t have stale bread, that’s okay too! Head to the FAQs section of this post for instructions if you’re using fresh bread.
Filling:
Sticking pretty true to the recipe from the movie, the filling consists of:
- Vegan Cheese: mozzarella and parmesan shreds!
- Tomatoes
- White or Yellow Onion
- Black Olives
Savory Custard Sauce:
- JUST Egg: while there are many recipes online that use chickpea flour ‘egg’ batter, or tofu, I have personally not tested this recipe with anything but JUST EGG, so I cannot suggest any substitutions. For alternate recipes that use a different base for the savory custard, simply Google Search, “Vegan Strata” and several recipes should pop up!
- Non-dairy milk: I like to use an extra creamy milk such as such as Silk Extra Creamy Almond Milk or Chobani Extra Creamy Oat Milk.
- Seasonings: smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and dried basil
How to Make Morton Family Strata
One reason to absolutely love this dish (aside from the fact that it’s delicious) is that it’s a make-ahead dish! Simply prepare it the night before, then pop it in the oven the morning of! Here’s how to make it:
1. Sauté the Mushrooms:
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Cook in an even layer, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has cooked out of them, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Prepare the Bread
Meanwhile, use a cookie cutter (preferably star or snowflake-shaped) to punch out shapes into the bread slices. Tear the leftover bread scraps into roughly 1”-inch pieces and place them in an even layer on the bottom of a greased 9×13”-inch baking dish.
3. Start Layering!
Next, sprinkle half of the vegan mozzarella on top of the bread scraps. Then, layer on half of the tomato slices, followed by all of onions and reserved sauteed mushrooms. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella shreds over the mushrooms, then layer on the star-shaped bread slices, followed by the rest of sliced tomatoes.
4. Prepare the Savory Custard & Layer Some More:
whisk together the JUST Egg, non-dairy milk, smoked paprika, dried oregano and basil, and garlic powder, until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the casserole, and top with the olives and parmesan shreds.
5. Cover, Refriegate, Bake, and Enjoy!:
Cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours. About 15 to 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake it, preheat the oven to 325°F. Uncover the strata and bake uncovered in the preheated oven until the strata is puffy and golden-brown, 60 to 75 minutes. Allow to cool at room temperate for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with fresh minced parsley and enjoy!
FAQs
Does it need to be refrigerated overnight?
Technically, no. But it does need to sit for at least six hours. AT LEAST! The bread needs time to soak up the ‘egg’. In doing so, the soaked bread produces an almost soufflé-like texture once baked.
What if I don’t have a cookie cutter?
No problem! You can simply flip a standard drinking glass upside down and use that. Even easier, roughly tear the slices into 1”-inch pieces with your hands.
What if my bread isn’t stale?
That’s totally fine! Cut or tear it according to the directions, placed it on a baking sheet and bake at 325°F until dry, 15 to 20 minutes.
Can this be made gluten-free?
Yes! Besides the bread, the rest of the components of this dish are gluten-free! Simply sub out the bread for your favorite gluten-free slices. Please keep in mind that gluten-free slices are sometimes smaller than regular bread slices, so you may need more than 15 slices.
More Holiday-Inspired Recipes
- Christmas Fettuccine (Inspired by The Holiday)
- Beef-less Stew
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Mushroom Pot Pie
- French Onion Soup
Breakfast Strata = Bringing Families Together This Holiday Season
Whether you’re making this veganized version of Morton Family Strata to impress your partner’s family, or just because you too have always wanted to try this dish based off the movie, I hope you love it as much as I do! I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but it was whole-heartedly inspired from The Family Stone! If you try this dish and enjoy it, I wanna know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigsand #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations!
Til next time, friends!
xo!
Morton Family Strata
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1- pound button mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper divided, plus more to taste
- 15 slices of slightly stale white bread
- 10 ounces vegan mozzarella shreds divided
- 1- pound Roma tomatoes thinly sliced, divided
- ½ white onion thinly sliced
- 2 12-ounce bottles JUST Egg Plant-Based Scramble
- 1 cup unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy milk preferably extra creamy
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup sliced black olives drained and rinsed
- Fresh minced parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Cook in an even layer, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has cooked out of them, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, use a cookie cutter (preferably star or snowflake-shaped) to punch out shapes into the bread slices. Tear the leftover bread scraps into roughly 1”-inch pieces and place them in an even layer on the bottom of a greased 9×13”-inch baking dish.
- Next, sprinkle half of the vegan mozzarella on top of the bread scraps. Then, layer on half of the tomato slices, followed by all of onions and reserved sauteed mushrooms.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella shreds over the mushrooms, then layer on the star-shaped bread slices, followed by the rest of sliced tomatoes.
- Last, whisk together the JUST Egg, non-dairy milk, smoked paprika, dried oregano and basil, and garlic powder, until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the casserole, and top with the olives and parmesan shreds. Cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours.
- About 15 to 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake it, preheat the oven to 325°F. Uncover the strata and bake uncovered in the preheated oven until the strata is puffy and golden-brown, 60 to 75 minutes.
- Allow to cool at room temperate for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with fresh minced parsley and enjoy
