Perfect for leisurely weekend breakfast or a weeknight meal, this savoury Spinach Parmesan Bread Pudding is flavoured with lots of Parmesan cheese, loaded with spinach, roasted red peppers and topped with crispy pancetta.
This savoury bread pudding is definitely what I want to wake up to on a lazy, winter weekend. It has a ton of flavour, comes together easily and is the perfect way to use up bread that’s a wee bit stale. And if you’re a “breakfast-for-dinner” lover, needless to say, this would be a great weeknight meal, too.
In addition to lots of spinach, I added some jarred roasted red peppers, both for colour and flavour. Lots of Parmesan flavours the egg/milk mixture and of course, there’s that crispy pancetta on top.
While this bread pudding does take some time in the oven, it comes together quickly into one large bowl, where everything is tossed together before being poured into an oven-proof skillet or baking dish. You’ll have time to enjoy that 2nd cup of coffee while it cooks!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Bread – any bread will work here, as long as it is slightly stale. Sourdough is especially nice.
Pancetta – deli sliced rounds of pancetta work perfectly. You can also use prosciutto or regular bacon. Omit the meat for a meatless option.
Parmesan – I’ve used Parmesan cheese here, but you could easily use any shredded cheese you have or enjoy.
Spinach – baby spinach is a great addition to this savoury bred pudding, but you can replace it with kale or arugula, if you like.
Roasted Red Peppers – jarred roasted red peppers are the easy choice here, or you can roast off your own red peppers, as well. For a change of flavour, replace the roasted red peppers with sun dried tomatoes.
Recipe Tips
If your bread pudding is done and your pancetta isn’t quite crispy enough, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes to finish.
If you find yourself with some stale bread anytime, simply cube it up and freeze it. Then you’ll be ready to whip up a savoury bread pudding anytime! (Thaw in the freezer bag on the counter over-night before using).
Like a little heat with your breakfast? Add a splash of Sriracha to the egg mixture!
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Get the Recipe: Spinach Parmesan Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups chopped fresh spinach or baby spinach
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 8 cups country style white bread, slightly stale and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1/4-1/3 cup jarred roasted red peppers, diced
- 6 thin slices pancetta rounds, (Italian bacon)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove-top over medium heat (If using a cast-iron or other oven-proof skillet, just use the one you will eventually bake it in, to avoid dirtying another pan). Add garlic, red pepper flakes and spinach. Stir and cook just until spinach starts to wilt, about 1 minute. Remove mixture to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- To the large bowl with the spinach, add the bread cubes and roasted red peppers. Toss to combine. Pour egg/milk mixture into bowl and toss until all the bread cubes are well coated. Pour the mixture into your oven-proof skillet or 1 1/2 quart baking dish and distribute with a spoon until somewhat level. Top with about 2 Tablespoons of additional Parmesan, then the pancetta rounds.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until puffed, set in the middle and golden brown. (If pancetta is not quite crispy enough for your taste, simply pop under the broiler for a few minutes to finish).
More Savoury Bread Pudding Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
This looks amazing!! Can it be made the night before and refrigerated, then cooked the next morning?
Hi Kathryn, I haven’t tried overnighting this particular bread pudding. It should be ok, based on my experience with other bread puddings.
I found this recipe last year and have made it a few times. It is very fast and easy to put together on a weeknight and everyone always asks for seconds. I have never been able to find sliced pancetta but there’s usually diced and I just it in with everything else. Turns out great!
So glad you are enjoying it, Mandy! I’m not sure if you’re Canadian, but if so, President’s Choice has sliced pancetta rounds packaged in with the packaged deli meats. I’ve also found pancetta at the deli counter, where they can slice it for you. That said, diced is nice, too :) Thanks so much!
SO YUMMY. This is my first bread pudding that I have ever made and woo keeping this one in the books.
So glad you enjoyed it, Anna :) Thanks!
This was perfect tonight. Huge snow storm in Nova Scotia had us all inside…comfort food at its best! The only thing I didn’t have for this dish was the pancetta…so I swapped in bacon and it was delicious. My three boys ate it up and wanted more. Very lovely comfort food.
I heard you got walloped in Nova Scotia and I’m so glad this dish helped you get through it a bit :)
Your savory bread pudding looks delicious and would be perfect for a Sunday brunch.
Thanks so much, Karen :)
I love savory bread puddings and yours looks delicious .
Thanks so much, Gerlinde!
This savory bread pudding sounds amazing! I am not a big fan at all of sweet bread pudding but I can definitely be a fan of this!
Thanks Linda. I think you would love this savory version :)
Gahh, how did I miss this over the weekend?! Doesn’t really matter because I am totally down to make this during the week… specifically THIS week! I love bread pudding, but I am more of a savory girl, so this looks beyond amazing, Jennifer! LOVING all the flavors going on here! I absolutely can not wait to try this! Pinned! Cheers, my dear!
Thanks Cheyanne and enjoy! :)
Oh wow! This looks so amazing, Jennifer! It’s been a while since I’ve made a savory bread pudding. I apparently need to fix that ASAP!
Thanks Liz. Same here, but it really hit the spot!
Oh my goodness! This looks absolutely mouthwatering and like everything I want all wrapped together. Pancetta – yes! Parmesan – yes! Spinach – yes! Why didn’t I see this in the morning when I had time to make it?!
Thanks Jessica. Next weekend :)
Oh my goodness Jennifer, this looks incredible. I would be so happy having this for breakfast, lunch OR dinner! That pancetta on top makes it look so beautiful and adds such a gourmet touch!
Thanks Chris. The pancetta was so tasty, too. Crispy and salty :)
Jennifer this dish spells Comfort with a capital C! I love all the ingredients you’ve incorporated here! Yum!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann. It’s certainly what I’ve craving this time of year on the weekend :)
Your savory bread pudding looks so cozy, just what I want for dinner on a chilly evening by the fire!
Thanks Laura :)
This is a seriously gorgeous breakfast skillet. The color and textures are perfect and that thin crispy pancetta – a work of art! I want one!
Thanks Tricia. My husband especially loved the crispy pancetta on top!