Easy to customize savory parmesan bread pudding. This recipe is perfect for lazy weekends and Sunday brunches. Mix in your favorite veggies, herbs, and seasonings to make this dish your own!
This make ahead easy savory bread pudding can be made all year long! Take this recipe wit you from the cold winter nights through the hot sunny days of summer.
It’s great as a side dish at the Thanksgiving table along side roasted turkey. Parmesan bread pudding can swapped in place of traditional stuffing.
Or, serve it for weekend brunch. It’s a great way to use up excess items you happen to already have in the kitchen and pantry. Not only is it easy to customize, it requires little prep and is quick to make!
Savory bread pudding is simply a savory version of sweet bread pudding. It’s a great dish to make when serving a crowd.
Regardless of whether is it sweet or savory, bread pudding consists of day old bread soaked in a custard and baked to perfection. There are many, many, countless bread pudding variations and flavor combinations.
Ingredients
This simple dish requires a handful of staple ingredients: bread, eggs, and milk. The remaining components are customizable with plenty of options to choose from.
- Bread :: For the best texture, use any crusty artisan bread. French baguette, crusty sourdough loaf and rosemary garlic bread are great options. Choose a sturdy bread with bite and chew.
- Eggs :: Eggs binds everything together. Use large eggs for consistency. Or, you one less egg if you use extra-large size eggs.
- Milk :: Use your choice of milk. I highly recommend using whole milk. For a richer bread pudding, use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream (one cup milk plus one cup cream).
- Cheese :: Parmesan and fontina pair wonderfully with the bacon and kale. Gruyere or gouda cheese are great options in place of fontina.
- Bacon :: Bacon adds a nice smokey umami flavor to savory pudding. Swap in sausage of your choice. Or, keep it vegetarian and add another hearty vegetable like roasted cauliflower or eggplant.
- Greens :: I used kale. Use any leafy or sturdy greens you’d like. Spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli are great options.
- Spices & Herbs :: This is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (for a little heat) and fresh rosemary. Use your choice for fresh or dried herbs.
Like I said, this recipe is easy and customizable. You can tweak it to the likings of your guests or whatever you happen to have on hand.
Its a one pot meal. You get your eggs, toast, bacon and some veggies all in one plate. What else can you for ask to start your day?
More Bread Pudding Recipes
Savory Parmesan Bread Pudding with Bacon, Kale, and Rosemary
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, , cut into ½-inch strips
- 5 oz kale, , (about 4 1/2 cups), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
- 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, , optional
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, , plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, , plus more to taste
- 12 oz crusty bread , (about 8 cups), or any country style white bread), cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan
- ½ cup shredded fontina cheese*
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, , chopped
Instructions
- Arrange bacon on a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or other same sized oven-safe skillet) in a single layer. Set over medium heat. Cook to render bacon fat, about 5 minutes. Once bacon starts to color and there is enough oil in the skillet, add in chopped kale. Continue to cook and toss as needed until kale is tender and slightly wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together red pepper flakes, eggs, milk, 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until well combined. Add in kale-bacon mixture, bread cubes, ½ cup parmesan cheese, fontina cheese, and rosemary. Toss to combine. Ensure bread is fully coated with egg mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Transfer contents back to the 10-inch skillet. Distribute contents into an even layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan on top. Let the mixture sit for 20-30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until the bread pudding has puffed up, the top layer of bread is toasted, and a knife inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean.
- Cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with additional cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Alternatively, mixture can be baked in a 9×13-inch pan or a 2-quart baking dish.
- Kale: use common curly kale or lacinato kale (dinosaur or tuscan kale)
- Cheese: Gruyere or gouda cheese may be used in place of fontina
- Rosemary: use 1 teaspoon dried rosemary in place of fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt = ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt = ½ teaspoon table salt
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Wonderful use of bread. I think this makes the best thing to wake up to the day after the night before. Men and even the most dainty girl needs a good dose of bacon once in while
I totally agree! Dainty girls need bacon once in a while.
This is a brilliant idea for breakfast, I think would be a great sub for home fries for brunch!
Oh wow that looks amazing. I’m looking forward to making that soon.