Description
Savory sourdough bread pudding with celery, onion, garlic and fresh sage, baked in a rich custard of cream and eggs. This make-ahead Thanksgiving stuffing slices into tidy squares.
Ingredients
- 2 loaves sourdough bread (about 3 lb total), diced
- 1 lb (4 sticks) butter, plus more for the pan
- 4 celery ribs, small dice
- 1 onion, small dice
- 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and finely diced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 qt (8 cups) heavy cream
- 20 large eggs
- ½ lb fresh sage, cut into chiffonade (see notes)
Instructions
- Dice the bread, spread it on sheet pans and leave it uncovered overnight to dry. Transfer to a large buttered casserole dish or pan.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the celery, onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the cream, season again with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Heat the oven to 300°F.
- While the cream heats, whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl until combined.
- When the cream simmers, ladle a small amount over the eggs and whisk vigorously to temper. Gradually add the rest of the cream, whisking constantly.
- Fold in the sage. Pour the custard over the bread and mix thoroughly so every piece is coated. Let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. If it doesn’t, keep baking and check every 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve straight from the pan. Or chill it, cut it into squares and reheat them in the oven.
Notes
Half batch: Halve every ingredient and bake in a 9-by-13-inch dish. Start checking at 45 minutes.
Quick-dry bread: Toast the cubes at 250°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until dry all the way through.
Make ahead: Refrigerate the baked pudding for up to 3 days. Cut it into squares and reheat on a buttered sheet pan at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Freeze the squares for up to 2 months.
Gluten-free: Use sturdy gluten-free sourdough or country bread, dried well. Check at 10 minutes.
Dairy-free: Use olive oil or plant-based butter, plus an unsweetened plant-based heavy cream alternative or full-fat coconut milk.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Additional Time: 12 hours 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/24 of pan
- Calories: 620