Description
This Ham and Cheese Bread Pudding is a savory, comforting dish perfect for breakfast or brunch. It features day-old sourdough bread soaked in a rich custard with eggs, milk, and cream, then combined with diced ham, sautéed shallots, fresh thyme, and sharp cheddar cheese. Baked until golden and topped with fresh chives, this recipe yields a flavorful and hearty meal that serves nine.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Dairy
- 12 oz sourdough bread, day old
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 10 eggs
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 shallots, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Meat and Cheese
- 4 oz thick-sliced cooked ham, diced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Spices and Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Prepare Bread: Cut the day-old sourdough bread into cubes. If the bread is fresh, dry it in the oven at 225˚F for 30 minutes to remove moisture and improve texture.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350˚F to prepare for baking the bread pudding.
- Sauté Shallots: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook for 4 minutes until softened and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Mix Custard: In a very large bowl, beat together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, and grated nutmeg until well combined.
- Combine Ingredients: Stir the cooled sautéed shallots, diced ham, and half of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese into the custard mixture. Add the fresh thyme leaves as well.
- Assemble: Pour the mixture into a greased 9”x13” baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top. Let the pudding sit for 5 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard.
- Bake: Bake the bread pudding in the preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes. If the top browns too much during baking, cover the dish with foil partway through cooking to prevent burning.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bread pudding from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped fresh chives. Slice into squares and serve warm.
Notes
- Using day-old bread helps prevent the pudding from becoming too soggy; fresh bread should be dried first as described.
- If you don’t have sourdough, a sturdy bread like French or Italian loaf can be substituted.
- Covering the pudding with foil if it browns too quickly helps ensure even cooking without burning the top.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and gently reheated in the oven or microwave.
- For extra flavor, you can add sautéed mushrooms or substitute sharp cheddar with gruyere or fontina cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 340 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
