Description
This Ham and Cheese Bread Pudding is a savory, comforting dish made with day-old sourdough bread soaked in a rich custard of eggs, milk, and cream, combined with sautéed shallots, diced ham, fresh thyme, and sharp cheddar cheese. Baked to golden perfection, it is perfect for brunch, breakfast, or a hearty dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Custard
- 12 oz sourdough bread, day old
- 10 eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Vegetables and Ham
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 shallots, minced
- 4 oz thick-sliced cooked ham, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Bread: Cut the day-old sourdough bread into cubes. If bread is fresh, dry it in the oven at 225˚F for 30 minutes to ensure the cubes are sturdy enough to soak the custard without becoming too soggy.
- Preheat Oven and Cook Shallots: Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and sauté for about 4 minutes until softened and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Mix Custard: In a very large bowl, whisk 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 shallots, diced ham, and fresh thyme leaves into the custard mixture. Then, fold in half of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese to distribute evenly.
- Assemble Dish: Grease a 9”x13” baking dish and place the bread cubes inside. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes. If the top starts to brown too much before the custard is fully set, cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Serve: Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool slightly. Garnish with chopped fresh chives. Cut into squares and serve warm.
Notes
- Using day-old bread helps the bread absorb the custard better without turning mushy.
- If you prefer a richer custard, substitute some of the milk with more cream.
- You can swap cheddar cheese for gruyere or swiss for a different flavor profile.
- For added veggies, consider mixing in sautéed mushrooms or spinach.
- Covering with foil mid-baking prevents the cheese top from burning while the pudding cooks through.
- Letting the bread pudding rest for a few minutes after baking helps it set and makes slicing cleaner.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 280 mg
