If you’ve never had a savory bread pudding before, you’re in for a treat! Fresh thyme, leeks, butter, gruyere, and more are combined with brioche cubes and custard for a rich side dish.

Leek Bread Pudding - In White Ramekin on Red Trivet
Bread pudding…isn’t that dessert?

Isn’t it only for things like cinnamon, raisins, or chocolate?

No way.

If you’ve tried sweet bread pudding and didn’t like it, don’t let that have any bearing on whether or not you will like this dish, because honestly, I didn’t care much for sweet bread pudding.

But take that bread pudding to the savory side, and you will be BLOWN away. And really, this is basically just a Thanksgiving stuffing, when you think about it.

Savory Brioche Cubes on Board for Bread Pudding
This dish has convinced me that bread pudding is meant to be savory.

And it also convinces me that Thomas Keller is even more of a genius than I previously thought (this recipe is adapted from his cookbook Ad Hoc At Home, which I received last Christmas).

The star of this dish is these wonderful, aromatic leeks. Cut the tough dark green parts off with a knife:
Slicing Dark Green Parts from Leeks for Thomas Keller\'s Leek Bread Pudding

Then cut the leeks into rounds and rinse away all the dirt:

Washed Leek rings in Colander

Throw them in a saute pan to soften them up a little bit, with some butter and white wine:

Sauteeing Leek Pieces in Skillet Until Softened

In the meantime, cut your brioche loaf into cubes and spread them out on a sheet tray:

Brioche Cubes on a Sheet Pan

Toast them for 15 minutes until golden brown:

Toasted Brioche Bread Cubes for Leek Bread Pudding

Toss the toasted brioche and softened leeks with a custard liquid made with eggs, cream, and milk:

Mixing Bowl with Custard Liquid, Toasted Brioche Bread Cubes, and Softened Leeks

Portion the bread pudding into individual dishes or a 9×13 baking dish, doesn’t matter either way, and bake for 70-90 minutes (70 for individual dishes, 90 for the big pan):

Unbaked Leek Bread Pudding on Sheet Pan in White Ramekin - Thomas Keller Recipe

Enjoy, and welcome to the savory side of bread pudding!

Other Thomas Keller recipes I’ve made and LOVED:

Leek Brioche Bread Pudding in White Ramekin

Leek Bread Pudding

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
If you've never had a savory bread pudding before, you're in for a treat! Fresh thyme, leeks, butter, gruyere, and more are combined with brioche cubes and custard for a rich side dish.
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Ingredients

  • 2 very large leeks cut into rounds (I had 4 cups of rounds)
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp white wine
  • 1 loaf brioche
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 cups milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup gruyere cheese
  • salt and pepper

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Wash the dirt out of the leek rounds by swishing them around in a big bowl of water.
  • Place the washed leeks in a big sauté pan set over medium high heat. Season with a big pinch or two of salt, and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add the butter and white wine to the pan, reduce the heat to medium low, and cover the leeks partially with a parchment or foil lid. Cook for 30 minutes until the leeks are very soft.
  • Cut the brioche into cubes and spread on a baking sheet. Toast them for 15 minutes in the oven until they are golden brown.
  • In a very large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the thyme, milk, heavy cream, and nutmeg. Add in a big pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Add the bread cubes, leeks, and cheese to the custard, and toss to combine. Let this soak for about 10 minutes, tossing the bread every few minutes to give it a chance to soak up the custard.
  • Pour the bowl contents into a 9×13 dish or little ramekins and bake for 70-90 minutes until the top is golden brown and the liquid has been absorbed by the bread (70 for the individual dishes, 90 for the big 9×13). Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 585kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 211mg, Sodium: 654mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas