I nicked a can from Speedy’s stock of SPAM and made this cheesy SPAM bake for brunch yesterday. What is it — a strata or a quiche? Neither, actually. A strata is assembled as layers — generally bread, milk and eggs, then cheese on top. A quiche has a crust into which the egg and milk mixture is poured.
This baked dish has no layers and no crust. What does it have?
SPAM, of course. And cubed bread.
Then a mixture of milk and cream cheese.
Bread, milk and cheese are mixed with eggs, mustard, paprika and garlic.
The SPAM cubes are stirred in.
A baking dish is buttered liberally to avoid the baked dish from sticking to the bottom and sides.
The SPAM-bread-milk mixture is poured into the buttered dish.
Cheese go on top before baking.
Thirty minutes later, the cheesy SPAM bake is ready.
Cheesy SPAM Bake
Ingredients
- 6 slices white bread
- can of SPAM (I used bacon flavored SPAM)
- 1 and 1/2 cups milk
- 250 grams cream cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 2 generous pinches of paprika
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or whatever your favorite cheese is — I do recommend that you use a salty cheese, however)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Cut the bread and SPAM into half-inch cubes.
- Place the milk and cream cheese in a bowl. Heat on HIGH in the microwave for a minute and a half. Beat lightly to bread up the cream cheese.
- Place the bread in a large bowl. Pour in the cream cheese and milk mixture. Add the eggs, mustard, paprika and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the SPAM cubes. Stir.
- Butter the bottom and sides of a baking dish (mine is 13" x 9").
- Pour in the bread and SPAM mixture. Smoothen the surface to spread evenly.
- Spread the grated cheese over the entire surface.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until slightly risen, fluffy and the top is nicely browned with toasted spots.
- Rest for about five minutes before cutting into squares or rectangles.
- Serve the cheesy SPAM bake warm.
The difference between whipped cream and whipping cream, and how to whip whipping cream
This is very popular in Minnesota (U.S.), where people really like to make casseroles. Minnesotans would add more eggs, call it an egg bake, and eat it for breakfast. I have cousins there, and this is one cousin’s favorite food!
There’s something comforting about baked casseroles. :)
i’m going to give it a try. will substitute spam with other brand though because spam is not available here in paris. this dish is something like a savoury pudding ! it looks very appetizing with the top nicely browned. It is a good idea for picnics !
Smoked ham will be good too. :)
my son is a spam monster! thank you for this!
So is my husband hahaha So more SPAM recipes coming up! :)
This will be great for weekend brunch. We love Spam, :)
Another SPAM lover! :D
This is a favorite pot-luck dish of my co-workers here
in California but I’ve never seen Spam used.I will
surprised them and cook this at our next international
pot-luck.
Most of them use 6-10 eggs{oopps}and add grated potatoes or frozen spinach.Americans love to cook casseroles because it’s easy to make and use crockpots frequently.
hi, connie! long time, no read! i made a similar dish once where the recipe called for letting the unbaked concoction rest and rise in the fridge overnight prior to baking. it was REALLY fluffy!
these “breakfast casseroles” are a staple at our church brunches here in new jersey. i’ve tasted them made w/ every kind of breakfast meat and they’ve all been delicious. thanks for sharing!
I really had to make this because my husband and I are Spam-lovers, and I had one last can in my pantry. Thus, before my husband and kids were awake this morning, I was busy doing the Spam bake. It came out right for me and my husband’s liking. We each had 2 slices of this Spam dish. It was so filling that we didn’t need rice nor a second dish for breakfast, which we usually do.
It didn’t go well with my morning coffee, though, and I thought a cold drink or even wine would be the best pair for this (am I right?). I am also thinking of making this as a side dish for grilled chicken or any grilled meat. Or would it be too heavy already?
Thanks for another nice dish, Ms. Connie!
Fruit juice, I think, would make a good pairing with this. :)
Connie,
Thanks for sharing you recipe on Fluffy Spam Bake. I brought it to our
Easter brunch potluck at church today. I am proud to say that it was a hit. What I did was bake it in muffin pans for individual portions. Thanks again for the recipe.
Good to know it was liked :)