Look out. This savory apple sausage and sage bread pudding is bound to become a new favorite on your list of comfort foods for fall and winter.
While bread pudding is typically considered more of a dessert, it can also be adapted to be a savory dish as well. We added sausage and extra sharp cheddar cheese, along with Honeycrisp apples and sage, to this classic recipe for a creamy and flavorful taste, with a hint of sweetness from the apples.
With the leaves starting to change and the temperatures dropping, it’s the perfect time to start making those cozy and warm dishes for the new season.
This bread pudding is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. This is a great dish for entertaining, and would make a great addition for your upcoming holiday menu.
Savory Apple Sausage Bread Pudding
Author:
Ingredients
- 1 [url href=”http://www.thefruitcompany.com/honeycrisp-apples” target=”_blank”]Honeycrisp Apple[/url], peeled, cored and chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 pound of ground pork (spicy or sweet both work)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 artisan loaf of bread, challah or french both work well, cut into 1″ cubes
- 2 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons sage, chopped
- 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups half n’ half (whole milk works fine too, you can also do 1 cup of each)
- pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Grease a large baking dish (about 9×13″) with butter.
- Over medium-high heat, cook sausage in a large pan until browned. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl and set aside.
- You need about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan, discard the rest. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, melt and add the onions, sage and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the onions, sage and thyme to the large bowl with the sausage.
- Toss in the bread cubes, apples, and grated cheese. Mix everything together.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half n’ half, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the large bowl and mix everything together.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, cover with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. (This is not mandatory, but I highly suggest it)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour. If the bread is browning too quickly, cover lightly with foil wrap.
- Serve warm.
