Make Ahead

Cheesy Mushroom and Spinach Bread Pudding

November 19, 2011
5
1 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

A couple years ago I came across a recipe for savory bread pudding and tried it out. Ever since, it’s been my go-to dish for using up leftovers in the fridge. There are endless varieties that you can make, and it’s actually better if you make it the night before and let it sit. All you have to do is pop it in the oven and breakfast is ready. It can easily be made in large quantities for groups, and it’s always a big hit. It's also perfect to repurpose all those Thanksgiving leftovers because you can substitute the mushrooms and spinach for whatever veggies you may have left over. (I sometimes do stuffed mushrooms for the vegetarians and I always have greens like spinach or kale at Thanksgiving dinner, they work perfectly in here the next morning.) If you want to take it over the top, you can add some crispy bacon to the mixture before you bake it...it really takes it over the top. —Meatballs&Milkshakes

Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups leftover crusty bread, cubed
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
  • 1/2 cup cooked greens such as spinach or kale, or 1/2 cup drained frozen spinach
  • 1/4 cup Marsala wine (could sub Sherry)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or sage, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
  • 1.5 cups grated cheese (any combination of cheddar, gruyere, and/or parmesan)
  • 2 pieces bacon, cooked until crisp, drained on paper towels and crumbled (optional)
Directions
  1. Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and rosemary and cook until softened.
  2. Add the spinach and cook through a minute. Add the Marsala and continue to cook until the wine has cooked away.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and season with some salt and pepper. Add the bread and allow it to soak in. Once the mushrooms have cooled a little, add them to the mixture along with the rest of the herbs and a cup of the grated cheese. Stir to combine and pour into a baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
  4. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top gets browned and crusty.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

I'm an ex-finance, nonprofit fundraiser by day and a (mostly) Italian cook and blogger by night. I love having friends over for dinner and my favorite evenings are when we spend them at home together cooking dinner and chatting. I'm an avid cooking show fan, and my favorite eating cities are New York, San Francisco, Paris, and Rome.

5 Reviews

Baker71 December 23, 2019
This worked well for us over Thanksgiving and it's on the list for Christmas morning. Had plenty of mushrooms and spinach on hand with some baby kale, used a gruyere/swiss mix, and I did thin out the egg mixture with a few tbs of half and half to get the bread to soak into the egg mixture nicely. I used a standard square 8x8 baking dish and it was filled nicely. I will make this frequently!
Annie April 11, 2016
What size baking dish should be used?
brbarrett January 17, 2015
This is a great combination. I simplified things a bit: cooked the bacon first, then added onions and everything to the rendered fat. And I didn't pre-cook the spinach; just added fresh spinach to the skillet, which cooked down fine. Next time, I think I'll add a bit of milk to the eggs to help the bread soak things up.

thanks for posting it!
jenniebgood November 16, 2012
Another picture I want to dive into...this is a keeper!
Meatballs&Milkshakes November 16, 2012
thanks! it's a holiday favorite around our house!