Savory Bread Pudding with Mushrooms and Pesto
Savory Bread Pudding is a twist on a sweet Southern classic, made with savory mushrooms, herby pesto, and nutty gruyere cheese. Everything is tossed into a baking dish and baked for 45 minutes. The result is a savory breakfast or side dish perfect for a weekend or holiday brunch or as part of your holiday feast.
Ingredients
- 16 ounce baguette (day old)
- 2 ¼ cup milk
- 6 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 8 ounces gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup pesto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º. Butter a 2 quart baking dish.
- Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Cut bread into 1 inch cubes and add it to the egg mixture. Gently stir to coat the bread and set aside, stirring it occasionally.
- Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until softened and brown. Add ½ the cooked mushrooms to the bottom of the baking dish. Add ½ of the bread mixture on top. Top with half of the cheese and dollops of pesto.
- Mix the remaining mushrooms with the remaining bread mixture and pour it over the pesto. Cover with the remaining cheese.
- Butter one side of a piece of aluminum foil and cover the dish. Bake for 30 minutes then remove the aluminum foil and bake an additional 15 minutes for a total of 45 minutes. The bread should be browned on the edges.
- Serve warm.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- If the bread is soft, cut it into cubes and toast in the oven at 250º until it has dried out a bit.
- You can add cooked breakfast sausage with the mushrooms.
- You will get the best results using whole milk, but 2% will still work.
Nutrition
Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 1337mg | Potassium: 564mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1011IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 618mg | Iron: 4mg
