The Thanksgiving Dish That Will Steal the Show: Savory Bread Pudding (By a Chef)
The Ultimate Savory Bread Pudding
Jump to the Savory Bread Pudding Recipe
If you’re like me, Thanksgiving stuffing is usually the last thing on your plate. It's often dry, bland, and just kind of… well, boring. And that’s a real shame, because stuffing has so much potential to be something incredible—rich, flavorful, and comforting. This year, I’ve decided to take a different approach and create a dish that has all of the flavors of a traditional stuffing, but with a texture and taste that’ll actually make you look forward to it. Enter: Savory Bread Pudding.
This isn’t your average holiday side dish. It’s moist, flavorful, and perfectly balanced—everything stuffing should be, but usually isn’t. What’s more, this recipe is super simple to make, so whether you're cooking for yourself, hosting guests, or want to impress everyone at a your Holiday potluck, this savory bread pudding is the perfect addition to your holiday spread.
Of course, if you're feeling adventurous and want to elevate it, I’ll show you how you can take this dish to the next level—without it being too complicated. But don’t worry: you can always stick with the straightforward version, and it’ll still be absolutely delicious.
So, whether you're aiming to simplify or innovate, this bread pudding has you covered. Now, let's dive into why I think this savory bread pudding is a game-changer—and a Holiday dish worth being thankful for.
Why Savory Bread Pudding?
I created this recipe because, frankly, I’m tired of the usual dry, flavorless stuffing that often comes with Thanksgiving/Christmas and the holidays. We’ve all been there—staring down a mushy mound of bread crumbs with little more than a faint hint of herbs. But this bread pudding is different. It’s moist without being soggy, flavorful without being overwhelming, and it has a dynamic texture that will keep you coming back for seconds.
I designed this recipe to be easy enough for anyone, even if you’re not a professional chef or a culinary enthusiast. But if you’re in the mood to get fancy, there are ways to elevate it. You can make your own homemade turkey stock or craft an apple cider reduction to bring in even more layers of flavor. And if you’re feeling especially ambitious, you can even bake your own bread. But if that feels like a step too far—no worries! This recipe is perfectly wonderful as is.
The main goal is to offer a dish that’s full of flavor and will make your guests feel thankful (and maybe even a little bit jealous) that they didn’t think of it first.
History of Bread Pudding and Stuffing
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s explore the history behind these two culinary staples: bread pudding and stuffing. After all, knowing where these dishes come from can help us appreciate why one might be a more exciting choice for the holidays than the other.
What is Bread Pudding?
At its core, bread pudding is a way to repurpose stale bread, soaking it in a custard (typically made of milk or cream and eggs) and baking it into a soft, flavorful dessert or side dish. The history of bread pudding goes way back—its origins can be traced to Europe, where it started as a humble dish to stretch ingredients and reduce waste. It was a way to make use of leftover bread, transforming it into something hearty and filling.
Cubed, day-old sour dough bread, ready for the bread pudding mixture
While most people associate bread pudding with dessert (think sweet, spiced versions with raisins or chocolate), it can also be savory. In fact, savory bread puddings have been a popular comfort food in many cultures, often using robust, crusty bread and savory liquids like stock or wine, with herbs and vegetables to complement the dish.
What is Stuffing?
In contrast, stuffing (or “dressing” if it’s not cooked inside the bird) has its roots in ancient times, predating modern recipes by centuries. The purpose of stuffing is to add moisture to meat and absorb flavors during cooking. The first stuffing recipes, dating back to the Holy Roman Empire, typically involved filling the cavity of an animal (like a bird or pig) with bread, grains, or vegetables.
While stuffing plays an important role in the traditional Thanksgiving / Holiday feast, I find it often falls short in the flavor and texture department. The dry, sometimes mushy stuffing we typically see just doesn’t cut it. That’s why a savory bread pudding is a fantastic alternative—offering all the comforting elements of stuffing, but with more flavor and moisture.
Bread Pudding vs. Stuffing: What’s the Difference?
Now that we’ve covered a little history, let's talk about the main difference between stuffing and bread pudding.
While both involve bread as the base ingredient, bread pudding takes things a step further by incorporating a custard made of eggs and liquid (usually milk, cream, or stock) to create a rich, moist texture. This makes bread pudding inherently more dynamic and flavorful. Stuffing, on the other hand, typically uses a dry bread base and is often cooked inside a turkey or other poultry, making it more about soaking up juices and less about having a distinct flavor or creamy consistency.
When you make a savory bread pudding, you get the best of both worlds: the delicious flavor infusion of stuffing, but with a rich, velvety texture that isn’t dry or crumbly. For me, it’s the superior choice.
Eggs for the custard (royale)
Why You’ll Be Thankful for This Dish
At the end of the day, the Holidays are about sharing food, creating memories, and being grateful for those around you. And this savory bread pudding is a dish that’s sure to make your guests feel just that. It's flavorful, moist, and comforting in all the right ways. Whether you’re looking for a new holiday staple or just want to try something different, this recipe will not disappoint.
Happy cooking! 🍂
The Ultimate Savory Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
½ yellow onion (170g) diced
2 stalks celery (70g) diced
2 carrots (175g) diced
8 oz mushrooms (227g) sliced
4 garlic cloves minced
8 large sage leaves chiffonade 1 Tb (3.5g) (1 Tsp dry)
1 sprig of rosemary picked and chopped 1 Tb (3.5g) (1 tsp dry)
1 Tbsp fresh picked thyme (1g) (1 tsp dry) / (if you don’t have fresh herbs, dry is fine, or even herb de provence 1 Tb)
Salt + Black Pepper to taste
1 Whole loaf of crusty bread (8 cups 454g) cut into cubes cut, dried is preferred but fresh is fine.
Royale:
200g heavy whipping cream
6 whole eggs
4 cups turkey stock (1000g) you can substitute veggie or chicken if preferred
200g hard Apple cider
2 Tbsp salt
Parsley for garnish
Instructions:
Heat a heavy enameled pan ( Like a dutch oven) on medium heat, then add oil. Once oil shimmers, add butter and lightly brown.
Once butter is browned, add onions and sweat out. Then add Carrots and celery and sweat, followed by mushrooms. Then add garlic and herbs and cook until fragrant.
Reserve and chill in the fridge.
While the vegetable/herb mixture is chilling, grab a large bowl, blend together (with immersion blender) cream, eggs, stock, salt and hard cider.
Add the cubed bread to the royale and soak for at least 15 minutes.
Set the oven to 350F.
Add vegetable mixture to the bread royale mixture and add to a greased casserole dish to hot oven and cook until the custard is set, and the top is nice and crusty.
Let sit for 10-15 minutes, add parsley and serve.
Bread pudding can be made the day before and baked the next day, or baked the day before and reheated (325 for 35 minutes)
Step-by-Step, Savory Bread Pudding Recipe Photos:
Yellow onion, mushrooms, celery, carrots
Fresh thyme
200g heavy whipping cream
Blended heavy whipping cream,eggs, stock, salt and hard cider
Dried, cubed sour dough bread
15 minute soak of the bread and royale mixture (mainly heavy cream, vegetable or turkey stock)
Heated, browned butter
Butter and sweating the onions
Cooking the carrots, celery, onion mixture
Add the mushrooms and continue cooking
Viola! The finished savory, Thanksgiving bread pudding (after baking in 350F oven)
About Nicholas
Nicholas M. Schoch is a Los Angeles-based cultural anthropology and film graduate, seamlessly blends his appreciation for storytelling and human connection in the dynamic world of fine dining. As a key team member at a premier French restaurant, he channels his artistic sensibility and cultural insight into every dining experience. Beyond the kitchen, Nicholas nurtures his love for gardening, drawing inspiration from nature’s balance and beauty. This unique fusion of cultural curiosity, creative expression, and culinary passion shapes Nicholas’s identity as a storyteller—both in the artfully crafted dishes he helps bring to life and in the vibrant gardens he seasonally cultivates.
