Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding

5 from 2 votes

Feed a crowd with our easy overnight savory breakfast bread pudding – a delightful ham and cheese egg casserole (Strata) for a stress-free brunch idea.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

soaking time15

Total Time1

Course: Breakfast, Breakfast and Brunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 370kcal

Author: HWC Magazine

Equipment

1 9 x13 Baking dish

Ingredients

oil or butter to grease the baking dish
17.6 ounces brioche bread Stale (or other dairy free bread or gluten free bread of choice) cut into approximately 1.5 inch cubes.
8 large eggs US large (2 ounces or 56.8 grams/egg)
1 cup almond milk or dairy or non dairy of choice
½ cup non-dairy creamer or heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked ham or cooked bacon or breakfast sausage
2.5 cups grated cheese We used a combination of gruyere and cheddar cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with oil or butter. Set aside
Slice and cube the stale bread into approximately 1.5-inch (3.8cm) pieces and place into a large bowl.
Beat the eggs and combine with milk, cream (or non-dairy alternatives), Dijon mustard, thyme, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until the savory custard is well incorporated.
Pour the savory custard over the cubed bread slices and let them soak for 15 minutes.
While the bread is soaking, sauté the ham until lightly caramelized in a little oil. Set aside.
Assembly: In the the greased 9 x 13 dish, add ½ of the soaked bread. Add the sauteed ham over the bread. Then sprinkle on ½ of the grated cheese. Add the remaining half of soaked bread. Finish by sprinkling the remaining grated cheese on top.
At this point, you can choose to either cover and refrigerate overnight or bake, (If refrigerated overnight, remove savory bread pudding from the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking)
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the ham and cheese bread pudding uncovered in a 9 x 13 pan for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Look for cues like a puffed-up egg casserole, a golden-brown top, and edges pulling away from the sides. To check doneness, insert a toothpick; it should come out clean with no liquid savory custard at the bottom. If the top of the bread pudding is getting brown but is not yet cooked though, cover with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
Remove from over and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storage:

Allow the bread pudding to cool to room temperature. Due to the dairy content, cover the bread pudding and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
If desired, you can freeze UNCOOKED bread pudding after assembling. Cover it tightly with cling wrap and add a layer of aluminum foil before placing it in the freezer, where it can be stored for up to 3 months. To prepare, thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator, then remove it 30 minutes before baking.

Recipe Tips

Before starting, check the weight of the eggs on the box. Too many or too few eggs can impact the texture of the bread pudding. Use stale bread to allow it to soak up the delicious custard effectively
Weighing ingredients is more accurate than measuring in cups, ensuring consistent results with varied bread cube sizes.
Avoid cutting the bread too small to preserve texture; larger cubes work best.
Opt for a 9 x 13 pan if you love crispy edges on your savory breakfast bread pudding.
When layering up the savory breakfast bead pudding, place ham or breakfast meat in the center to prevent excessive browning during baking.
After layering, bake immediately or refrigerate overnight. Before baking, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
Position the egg casserole dish on the middle rack in the oven for even cooking.
If the top browns too quickly, cover lightly with aluminum foil. Ovens vary, so adjust cooking time accordingly, checking before the 30-minute mark.

Nutrition