Savory Sausage Bread Pudding with Spinach

With Italian flavor of red wine and sweet Italian sausage, this savory sausage bread pudding will be your new favorite holiday staple! Savory cubes of ciabatta bread, are tossed with sweet caramelized onions, savory Parmesan cheese and tender spinach. This savory bread pudding can take on any holiday stuffing, with style and loads of intense flavors!

Savory Bread Pudding

Typically, bread pudding is made sweet (and if you are in the mood for a sweet bread pudding, you'll have to check out my Nutella banana bread pudding), but bread pudding can also be made into a delicious and savory side dish!

Think of this as a not so distant cousin to Thanksgiving stuffing, but punched up with lots of intense flavors. This savory sausage bread pudding is inspired from one of my favorite Italian pizzas, with chunks of Italian sausage, tender spinach that wilts ever so gently and a loads of grated Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs to bring out all the flavors.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Lots of bold flavors from the Italian sausage, fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.
• Perfect to make ahead and reheat when you're ready to serve.
• Bread pudding has milk, creating a creamier and more filling consistency.
• The caramelized onions give the bread pudding a touch of sweetness that works well with the savory sausage.
• Great addition to your other favorite holiday side dishes!

Ingredients

• Ciabatta Bread: Day old and dried out is preferred, so the bread is able to soak up the custard nicely.
• Italian Sausage: Use 2-3 links of Italian sausage, either hot or sweet.
• Fresh Herbs: Rosemary, thyme and oregano is used in the recipe. Use all or any combination, but fresh herbs are definitely a must have!
• Red Wine: Not exactly traditional in bread pudding or stuffing, the red wine gives the savory bread pudding a great depth of flavor. I like to use a drier red wine, such as Cabernet.
• Eggs and Milk: The base of bread pudding custard.
• Chicken Stock: Similar to Thanksgiving stuffing, some chicken stock is added to the liquid mixture, in addition to the milk and eggs.
• Fresh Spinach: Baby spinach is mixed into the savory bread pudding and as it bakes, the spinach gently wilts.
• Parmesan Cheese: A classic ingredients to any Inspired Italian recipe. A good amount of grated Parmesan is added to the savory bread pudding and gives it a nutty, slaty layer of flavor.
• Red Onion: Thinly sliced red onions are caramelized and become sweet and added to the savory bread pudding.

How to Make Savory Sausage Bread Pudding

Cook the Sausage and Caramelize the Onions

1. Remove sausage from casings and break up the meat. Add Italian sausage to skillet and cook on medium-high heat until sausage is cooked through and browned on all sides.
2. Add the chopped rosemary, thyme and oregano, chopped garlic and pinch of red pepper and continue sautéing for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
3. Pour in red wine and use a sturdy spatula to scrape up any meaty beats from the pan and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes so wine reduces.
4. Stir spinach in and saute until spinach just wilts, then remove mixture and set to the side.
5. In another skillet, drizzle with olive oil and add the sliced red onions and sauté until onions are sweet and caramelized, about 10 minutes, then set aside.

Whisk the Custard Together

1. In a large bowl, add the eggs, milk and chicken stock and whisk to combine. I like using this reduced chicken stock that you can add to water and has great flavor.

Assemble the Bread Pudding

1. Drizzle a large casserole dish with olive oil and add the cubed ciabatta bread and scatter the sausage mixture on top.
2. Pour over the custard over everything and use a spoon to gently mix the fillings together, while pressing down onto the bread pudding, so all of the bread is soaked in. Top with the caramelized onions and grated Parmesan cheese and an extra drizzle of olive oil on top.
3. Cover the casserole dish with foil and let pudding sit for 3 hours to overnight.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 1 hour. Then remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes to brown the top.

Tips, Suggestions and Substitutions

• Day old bread that is dry is best for stuffing and bread puddings. If you only have fresh bread, toast the cubbed bread in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes until dried throughout.
• Bread pudding needs time to sit so the bread can soak up the liquid and is perfect to make ahead of time.
• A great substitute for Italian sausage is turkey sausage, chicken sausage or for a vegetarian option, sautéed mushrooms.

More Bread Pudding Recipes to Try

• Challah Stuffing with Sausage, Leeks and Dried Cherries
• Challah Stuffing with Everything Bagel Spice
• Savory Bread Pudding with Leeks, Mushrooms and Gruyere
• Coconut and Pumpkin Bread Pudding