Description
This Mushroom & Leek Bread Pudding is a savory, satisfying dish perfect for brunch or a comforting dinner. Featuring crispy pancetta, tender leeks, earthy cremini mushrooms, and creamy Gruyère cheese, it offers a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The bread cubes soak up a rich custard mixture, resulting in a luscious yet hearty casserole that’s ideal for serving a crowd or meal prepping.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 cups cubed artisan bread (crusts are OK)
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced into small pieces
- 4 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only (cleaned)
- 24 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or fresh tarragon leaves)
- 1 ¼ cups chicken stock, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- â…“ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- 6 ounces grated Gruyère cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the bread pudding later.
- Toast Bread Cubes: Spread the cubed artisan bread evenly on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are slightly browned and crisp. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Cook Pancetta: Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the diced pancetta, and cook for about 5 minutes until it begins to brown and release its fat.
- Sauté Leeks: Add the thinly sliced leeks to the pancetta and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until the leeks soften and become tender.
- Add Mushrooms and Season: Stir in the sliced cremini mushrooms, fresh thyme leaves, ¼ cup of chicken stock, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Let this mixture cool slightly.
- Prepare Custard Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, and the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock. Stir in two-thirds of the grated Gruyère cheese to the custard.
- Combine Bread and Vegetables: Add the toasted bread cubes and the slightly cooled mushroom and leek mixture to the custard. Stir well to combine everything. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard fully. You may cover and refrigerate overnight if preparing ahead.
- Assemble and Bake: Stir the bread pudding mixture once more before transferring it to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish or a 2.5-quart gratin dish. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyère cheese evenly on top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is beautifully browned and the custard is set.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Cleaning leeks: To clean leeks thoroughly, slice them thinly and soak in a bowl of cold water to let dirt and grit settle, then drain and pat dry.
- This bread pudding can be made a day ahead: cover tightly and refrigerate overnight after the bread soaks in the custard mixture.
- Gruyère cheese can be substituted with other semi-hard cheeses like Emmental or Swiss if preferred.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable stock and omit pancetta or replace it with smoked mushrooms or vegetarian bacon.
- Ensure bread cubes are slightly toasted to prevent sogginess in the final dish.
