This recipe for sweet potato and zucchini strata bake now has a video!
So strata bakes, they usually use layers of bread and other stuff to fill up the tray, but for this sweet potato and zucchini healthy strata bake...I've ditched the bread!
All of it has been replaced with thinly sliced sweet potato and zucchini and as a bonus, there are even corn and peas in there! That's a big step towards the 5 a day veggies we should be having! And it's designed for breakfast time.
If you're looking for a way to increase the protein you're giving the kids at either breakfast or lunch, this is a perfect way. In fact with this many veggies, it also makes an awesome dinner for nights when you need something quick and easy.
I freeze in portions and defrost as needed. I either leave it in the fridge to defrost or if we need dinner in a hurry, I quickly microwaveit.
Now the usual strata bake would have layers of bread, so the layers of veggies make this much healthier. By all accounts it also makes it much yummier!
And yes I guess I could call this is frittata, but that's just boring. And anyway, it's the layering that makes this look so appealing.
If you're looking at this wondering about other times it would be great: think summer picnics! This is perfect for sharing.
I've cut this one into 10 but...they are generous slices, and it could easily have been cut into twenty pieces if it was part of a sharing lunch. Or double it and feed even more!
The great thing about this apart from the fact that it's delicious hot or cold...is that the veggies help to hold it all together as they are in strips, making it transportable.
Love sweet potatoes?
So do we! So here are some more awesome ways to use them:
- Sweet potato, broccoli and carrot tortilla quiches
- Sweet potato and apple fritters
- Sweet potato gingerbread- low sugar, freezer friendly
- 15 ways to supercharge your meals with sweet potatoes
If we're going to get 8-10 serves of veggies in every day, we need whatever help we can get, so this sweet potato and zucchini healthy strata bake helps you start the day with veggies!
Sweet potato and zucchini healthy strata bake
Ingredients
- 500 grams sweet potato peeled and thinly sliced
- one zucchini thinly sliced
- ½ cup frozen corn
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 8 eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup cream
- 1 cup grated tasty cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 / 355F degrees.
- Thinly slice the sweet potato. Steam, boil or even bake until just tender- you want it bendy- not smushy!
- In the base of a 20cm square cake tin, place a thin layer of the sweet potato followed by ¼ cup frozen peas and ¼ cup frozen corn.
- Top with a layer of zucchini.
- Repeat.
- Mix the eggs with the cream and ½ cup of the cheese in a jug.
- Pour over the veggies in the cake tin.
- Top with ½ cup cheese and the thyme.
- Bake at 180/355F degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden and set. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- You can freeze in slices. And defrost overnight in the fridge before putting in the lunchbox.
Brenda says
What kind of “tasty cheese” do you recommend?
Kylie says
Tasty Cheese is a type of cheese in Australia. It's a mild cheddar.
Brenda says
What do you mean by “tasty cheese?” Anything you find to be tasty? Recommendations please.
Kylie says
Tasty cheese is actually a type of cheese in Australia. It's a mild cheddar.
Jenny N says
When my husband tried this, he said "Can I have vegetables like this all the time?" I love that it's loaded with vegetables but doesn't taste as healthy as it is. I made it according to the instructions but like another commenter mentioned, I found that it was not cooked at the end of the cooking time - I left it in 30 minutes, then took it out to cool and realized it was underdone, then put it back in at 375 F for another 30 minutes and then it was cooked through.
Next time I'll start at 375 and cook it for longer, but I'll have to experiment to figure out how long - when it was actually cooked through, it puffed up and the edges (visible because the pan was glass) began to brown. I will also scatter cheese throughout the layers as someone else suggested, because most of it stayed at the top, and add at least 1/2 tsp salt.
If anyone else is unsure how long to cook the sweet potatoes - I boiled them for 5 minutes and that seemed to be just right.
Kim says
I just tried this and the sweet potato is still uncooked. Any tips?
Kylie says
I precook it as per the video and recipe.
Jen says
This was fabulous! So quick and easy - a real no fuss winner. Thank you.
Kylie says
Thanks Jen! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jacqui Davis says
Hi. Can you suggest anything g I can trade in for the zucchini? Would bread work?
Thanks
Kylie says
you could use more sweet potato? Bread probably would only work if you also upped the wet ingredients ratio.
Stephanie says
I made this according to the instructions and let it cook longer than the recommended time based off of the comments. It was still liquidy and uncooked in the middle. Ended up putting it in again for an hour which helped. I would cook this at a higher temperature. Also, instead of mixing the cheese with the eggs and cream, put it in between the two layers. Otherwise the majority of the cheese just sits on top.
Kylie says
Hi Stephanie,
I'm sorry you had such troubles with this! I've never had issues with it not cooking during that time. I have a fan-forced oven and the temps I have specified as well as the times are for that, and in degrees celsius.
Adrianne says
Yum, this looks so good Kylie!! I love the video as it tells me exactly what to do if I want to make this dish. I also love that it is super healthy and you get lots of veggies into your diet! Cheers
Kylie says
It's so versatile too Adrienne, swap for what you've got!
Rose says
Is it really to be baked at 180 degrees? It seems very low setting to bake in. Was confused because it initially said Preheat oven to 180/355 f degrees. Then at the end of the instructions it said to bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes......
Kylie says
Hi Rose, I live in Australia we use celsius- 180 degrees is referring to 180 degrees celsius. The 355f is for the fahrenheit people. You bake at the same temp you preheat at.
Ellen says
Is there any way to make this not using cream? Could I use skim milk and egg whites? It looks so good 🙂
Kylie says
I've never tried it without cream! The cream helps it to all stick together as it works with the cheese in cooking and kind of turns into glue! If you have any success let me know!
Pat says
Great hot or cold and so easy to make. I used dry thyme and it worked
Kylie says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Easy to make is one of the most important things when it comes to cooking!
MissFoodFairy says
Looks great and so simple! I'll be trying this for sure 🙂
Laurel says
I can't seem to find a printable version of the recipe. Am I missing something? I would love to make it, but would like to print the recipe to save.
Kylie says
Just under the image on the recipe card is a big button that says PRINT RECIPE.
That should allow you to print!
Iris says
I can't see this button either. Wonder if it is because I'm on a mobile? Have scrolled the page 10 times to find this button
Kylie says
Hi Iris, I can see it on mobile! Under the video is the recipe card and it says print recipe.
Wen says
There can be a difference in moisture if you don't have a fan forced oven, and if you use a different height in the oven. Also check that the veggies are well drained, excess water is no your friend here.
Grace says
I was just wondering if this can be prepared the night before and bake in the morning? Btw, what is your egg size?
Kylie says
I get the Port Stephens 18 free range eggs- i have no idea what size they are, as the box is long gone. But I think they are "large".
Kylie says
And yes, I prep the night before and either heat up or serve cold.
Claire says
Hi what kind of cream did you used? Thanks.
Kylie says
Just pure cream!
Nat says
Sorry if this is a "well, durr" question but would tinned peas and sweet corn work? I only have a small freezer and it's always chock-a-block! Thanks 🙂
Kylie says
Yeah! No worries!They'd be fine!
Sheila McCrave says
Just made this slice but I must have done something wrong
There was so much liqued left after cooking
I even cooked it for an extra 20 minutes but it did not help
I followed the recipe exactly so I don't know
Sheila McCrave
Kylie says
Ooh. I don't know why? Maybe your eggs were much larger than mine? I've made this lots of times and it's never had too much liquid!
Linden says
This happened to mine as well. I thinking from the frozen veggies?? Putting it in the microwave though solved the issue. It finished cooking any remnants of uncooked egg
Kylie says
I've done a video of me cooking it- it's going live on my facebook in a week or so! Hopefully that will clear up any issues!
Chef Patricia says
Is this dish cooked at 180 degrees??
Or
355 degrees
For 20 m8nutes or so?.
I have added toasted pignoli, steamed parsnip and turnip.
Thinking 355 and will inset tooth pick! Patr
Kylie says
180 degrees celsius or 355f.
😉
Amelia says
Zucchini is VERY moist, so I find that it needs to be salted first to pull out the moisture in recipes where it's sliced or in noodle form, or if it's shredded then I wrap it in a clean kitchen towel (or put it in a colander) and squeeze out moisture over the sink before adding it to a recipe. To salt it - cut your zucchini slices, lay them on paper towels or clean kitchen towels with a plate under them, and sprinkle salt over the zucchini, then repeat with additional layers of paper/kitchen towels, zucchini slices, and salt; leave that to rest for 20 minutes or so, then use the slices in the recipe. It's more labor intensive, but can really help with the moisture issue when cooking with zucchini!