This Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagus Strata is a delicious way to start your day! Loaded with flavorful, simple ingredients, the end result is a deceptively easy breakfast that is worthy of an honored position as a brunch centerpiece.
Although I experiment with a lot ofย Instant Pot recipes, I’ve done very few breakfast dishes in my favorite kitchen appliance. I decided dinner shouldn’t be having all the fun, so I’m working on more breakfast recipes. Thisย ย Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagusย Strataย is my new favorite since it has two of my favorite foods – bacon AND asparagus!
How to Make Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagus Strata
Like most of my recipes, you don’t need exotic ingredients or special skills to create this Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagus Strata. You just need an Instant Pot, a Pyrex dish, and the simple ingredients you see below.
Step 1 – Cook Bacon
Set your Instant Pot to saute and heat to medium. Add bacon and cook until it’s crisp.
Step 2 – Prepare Egg Mixture
While the bacon is cooking in the Instant Pot, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Step 3 – Cook Onions
When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the pot and discard all but one tablespoon of the bacon fat. Add chopped onions and a tablespoon of sugar to the remaining bacon fat.
Stir frequently until the onions are caramelized. You want them to be brown, but not burnt.
Step 4 – Layer Ingredients in Bowl
Next, in a 7-cup Pyrex bowl, you’ll create the strata. Start with half of the bread cubes, 2/3 cup Swiss cheese, half of the bacon, half the chopped asparagus, and half the caramelized onions. Then, repeat the layers in the same order.
Carefully pour the egg mixture over the layered ingredients and top with remaining Swiss cheese.
Step 5 – Pressure Cook
Rinse the Instant Pot liner and scrub out any remaining bacon or onion bits. Then, add 3 cups of water to it.
Place the wire trivet in the bottom of the liner and carefully place the bowl holding the strata on top of the trivet. The water should be about halfway up the outer side of the bowl.
Secure the lid, press manual and set time to 20 minutes. When the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then move the sealing valve to “Venting.”
Once the pressure is fully released, carefully remove the dish from the liner. Your Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagus Strata is ready to serve!
I like to scoop individual servings into small bowls. Serve alongside fresh fruit. It also makes a great addition to a brunch buffet!
Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagus Strata Recipe
Ready to make this Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagus Strata? Here’s the recipe card with the exact measurements.
๐ Recipe
Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagus Strata
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Ingredients
- 8 strips bacon chopped into 1โ pieces
- 1 large onion
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 c heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 12 stalks asparagus chopped into 1/2โ pieces
- 2 cups grated Swiss cheese
- 3-4 cups day old French bread 3/4โ cubed
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to sautรฉ, medium heat.
- Add bacon and cook until crisp, then remove.
- While cooking, whisk the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper together.
- Reserving approximately 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, add the chopped onion and sugar.
- Stir frequently until onions are caramelized, remove the onions and give the inner liner a quick rinse and scrub.
- Return the liner, add about 3 cups of water.
- Coat the inside of a 7 cup Pyrex bowl with butter – a similar dish will work as well.
- Layer as follows, using half the ingredients for each layer – except for the Swiss which has 3 layers:Bread cubesCheeseBaconAsparagusCaramelized onion
- Repeat
- Slowly pour egg mixture over the layered ingredients, and then top with cheese.
- Using the included wire basket, carefully lower the strata into the Instant Pot. At this point the water should come up to about the half-way point in the cooking dish.
- Seal the lid, select Manual high pressure and set time to 20 minutes. Press start. Let the Instant Pot naturally release for 10 minutes, then press to vent.
- Carefully remove once the pressure is reduced and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
More Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes
If you liked this recipe, you might enjoy this Instant Pot Oatmeal, or some of my other Instant Pot breakfast recipes.
Instant Pot Omelette Casserole
Instant Pot French Toast Casserole
More Instant Pot Resources
Love your Instant Pot? Find more Instant Pot Recipes here. And check out my favorite Instant Pot Hacks.
I’m new to using my 3qt instant pot. Do you have suggestions for sizing this recipe down accordingly? Asparagus is so beautiful right now…I would love to try this! Thanks ๐
Hi Rachel, I don’t have a 3 qt yet so I am completely unfamiliar with how it cooks vs the 6 or 8 qt and don’t want to guess. Are you a member of the official Instant Pot Community on Facebook? It has 1.4 million members who are all usually eager to offer help. If you aren’t a member, let me know and I’ll post the question there and reply back here with any helpful tips.
This recipe sounds really good but I am going to use broccoli instead.