Savory Italian Bread Pudding for Breakfast

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• ½ cup chopped green bell peppers
• ½ cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 pound Italian-flavored bulk pork sausage
• 8 large eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
• ½ cup half-and-half
• 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 8 cups cubed stale French bread (1-inch cubes)
• 2 ounces cooked crumbled bacon
• 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup fine seasoned dry bread crumbs, divided
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Step 1

Warm your oven to 350°F (175°C) and greasing a 9x13-inch baking dish with a little butter. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt some butter and sauté the onions, green and red bell peppers, along with black pepper, garlic powder, and salt until the veggies are nice and soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool.

Step 2

Cook the sausage in another skillet over medium heat until it’s browned, which should take around 5 to 7 minutes. Drain it on some paper towels to get rid of the excess grease.

Step 3

In a big bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, Italian seasoning, and the rest of the salt and pepper. Toss in the bread cubes and let everything soak for about 5 minutes. Then, mix in the sausage, bacon, sautéed veggies, cheddar cheese, half of the bread crumbs, and half of the Parmesan cheese until well combined. Pour this mixture into your prepared dish and cover it with foil.

Step 4

Pop it into the oven and bake for about 50 to 55 minutes, until it’s almost set. While that’s baking, mix the remaining bread crumbs, Parmesan, melted butter, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl.

Step 5

When the pudding is nearly done, take it out (leave the oven on), remove the foil, and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly on top. Turn up the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 20 minutes or so, until it’s fully set, puffed up, and golden brown.

Step 6

Once out of the oven, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to let everything settle.