Savory Bread Pudding

I love a wonderfully indulgent bread pudding recipe. My Pumpkin Bread Pudding, Banana Bread Pudding, Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce and Blueberry Bread Pudding are just a few I love making when I want an extra special breakfast or dessert.  I am so excited to add a savory bread pudding recipe to the blog. Here are a few reasons I know you’ll reach for this easy casserole dish over and over again. 

• Easy to make. This quick and easy bread casserole recipe comes together in about 15 minutes. All you have to do is mix up all the ingredients, transfer them into an oven safe casserole dish and bake. 
• Perfectly cozy and made for holiday breakfast, lunch or dinner. There’s nothing more satisfying than enjoying a deliciously indulgent bread pudding casserole everyone will love. This bread pudding is savory, hearty, comforting and endlessly adaptable.

This bread pudding recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. 

Gather stale buttery bread, eggs, milk, heavy cream, shredded cheese, fresh or dried herbs, salt and pepper. If you like, feel free to add diced meat, veggies or leafy greens such as kale.

This cheesy breakfast bread pudding is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions if you need them.

• Buttery Bread: The best bread pudding uses buttery bread like brioche bread, challah bread, croissants or french bread. Use the one you like the most and already have on hand. This recipe needs 16 ounces or 454 grams of bread cut into 1 inch cubes. 
• Heavy Cream: Use an equal amount of half and half if needed. 
• Milk: Whole milk is preferred, but feel free to use any milk you like. 
• Eggs: This bread pudding casserole uses 5 large eggs. You can also use 6 medium eggs or 5 extra large or jumbo eggs. 
• Cheddar Cheese: Use your favorite sharp or mild cheddar cheese. Gruyere, gouda, swiss or any melting cheese you like would work. I highly suggest buying a block and grating it your self, rather than buying pre-shredded cheese.

Variations

• Meat: Feel free to add meat to this savory pudding dish. Simply add 1 cup precooked meat such as ham, bacon or sausage to the egg custard at the same time as the cheese. If the meat is uncooked, dice the meat and cook until fully heated through. 
• Veggies: Cook 1 - 2 cups diced veggies 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 -2 mined garlic cloves and herbs if you like. Cook the veggies for about 5 minutes or until they are softened. Cool the veggies to warm and add them to the custard at the same time as the cheese.

Learn how to make savory bread pudding in a few easy steps. 

1. Pour a tablespoon (15 ml) of melted butter into the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch deep dish pie plate, or an 11 x 7 or 9 x 13 casserole dish. Evenly coat the bottom and sides of the casserole dish with the melted butter. Cube pieces of brioche, croissant, challah or french bread and set aside for now. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together until well combined. Whisk in the milk, heavy cream, herbs, and salt and pepper until well combined. Stir in 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese until well combined. Fold in the bread cubes until all the pieces are fully coated in the cheese custard. Allow the bread pudding mixture to rest and soak in the custard while the oven preheats. 
3. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for 20 - 30 minutes. Once the oven has fully preheated, evenly pour the savory pudding mixture into the prepared pan. Top with the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese. Bake the savory pudding casserole for 40 - 50 minutes or until the center of the bread pudding is fully puffed up and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly, top the dish with foil around 35 minutes of baking.

4. Cool the savory pudding on a cooling rack for 10 - 15 minutes. Top the dish with more fresh herbs if you like and serve. This dish is best enjoyed warm from the oven.

M’s Expert Tips

• Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly and easily resulting in a smoother savory custard filling. 
• Use dried out bread. The best bread pudding uses dried out or stale bread. When I make bread pudding, I like to slice the bread and leave it out, uncovered overnight. Alternatively, bread can be toasted or dried out in the oven prior to using in the recipe. 
• Evenly cube the bread. 1- 2 inch pieces are the perfect size for baking and eating the best savory bread pudding. 
• Customize the dish: The beauty of this easy bread pudding casserole is that you can swap ingredients very easily to your tastes and dietary needs. Feel free to add veggies, fresh herbs and any spices you like. 

Other Casserole Recipes to Try

• Amish Breakfast Casserole
• Brioche French Toast Casserole
• Cinnamon Roll French Toast

If you try this Savory Bread Pudding recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M