Savory Bread Pudding with Sausage and Sage

Creamy, savory bread pudding with sausage, sage and caramelized leeks is the family favorite side dish that goes on my Thanksgiving table every year!

a table setting with a white table cloth, a whole roasted turkey, a glass off red wine and a baking dish with savory bread pudding

Typically you may think of bread pudding as a dessert, but when you take out the sugar and add in savory herbs, sausage, and caramelized onions bread pudding takes on a whole new identity!

Savory bread pudding is reminiscent of a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing. I actually prefer bread pudding because it’s baked with milk, cream, and eggs it stays super moist, whereas stuffing can dry out easily.

You’ll want to use day-old bread or bread that’s stale and doesn’t have much moisture in it.  If your bread is still fresh or not dried out you can cube it into small pieces, place them on a baking sheet, pop it in the oven, and bake it for about 10 minutes.  You don’t want to completely toast the bread, just dry it out.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

recipe ingredients portioned: a stack of sliced bread, italian sausages, leeks, eggs in a white dish, a stick of butter, cream in a cup, fresh sage and thyme

Recipe Steps:

Step 1. Make the Custard

Whisk together the eggs, milk and cream. Season well with salt and pepper.

a collage of recipe steps: a bowl of seasoned cream, a bowl of ingredients tossed together, two baking dishes with bread pudding.

Step 2. Sauté the Sausage, Leek and Onion

Cook the sausage then the leeks and onion until caramelized.

Step 3. Bake

Toss all of the ingredients together in a large bowl then transfer to a baking dish and baking until golden brown and bubbling.

a rectangular glass baking dish with red handles filled with savory bread pudding with sausage.

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a table setting with a white table cloth, a whole roasted turkey, a glass off red wine and a baking dish with savory bread pudding

Savory Bread Pudding with Sausage and Sage

Creamy, savory bread pudding with sausage, sage and caramelized leeks is the family favorite side dish that goes on my Thanksgiving table every year!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Calories: 696kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb mild pork sausage casings removed
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 2 medium leeks whites only, washed well and thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh sage
  • 1 loaf day-old bread (about 1lb) country loaf or sourdough, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces

Custard

  • 5 whole eggs
  • 2 c milk
  • 2 c cream
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Generously butter a large (9×13) baking dish.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat then add in the olive oil and sausage. Cook the sausage for 8-10 minutes until brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Once fully cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a small plate or bowl and set aside.
  • In the same pan, add the butter, leek, onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook the leeks and onion on medium/low heat until soft and caramelized, about 20-30 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching. Right at the end, add in the fresh sage and thyme leaves. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes then turn off the heat.
  • While the onions and leeks are cooking, whisk together the milk, cream and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Next, add in the torn bread, cooked sausage, leek and onion – season generously with salt and pepper. Fold all of the ingredients together until evenly combined then pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm!

Notes

You’ll want to use day-old bread or bread that’s stale and doesn’t have much moisture in it.  If your bread is still fresh or not dried out you can cube it into small pieces, place them on a baking sheet, pop it in the oven, and bake it for about 10 minutes.  You don’t want to completely toast the bread, just dry it out.

Nutrition

Calories: 696kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 902mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1238IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 236mg | Iron: 4mg
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