Bread pudding isn’t just for dessert! This savory take on bread pudding is a hearty option for breakfast or even dinner.
Anyone else already have Thanksgiving and Christmas on the brain? Usually, I don’t start thinking about either of these holidays until mid-November, but I guess since I’ve been working on projects related to the holidays, I just had to get into that mindset. All that to say, I think this would be a great cozy, hearty dish to prepare for the family as the temperatures begin to drop and the holidays start to move in.
Of course, I haven’t forgotten Halloween this weekend either! Do you have your costume ready? I’m still undecided….as usual.
While bread pudding is generally a higher calorie dish, the addition of plenty of veggies like kale, mushrooms, and onions helps reduce the calories so it’s not just bread + meat + eggs, plus they add lots of fiber and vitamins & minerals. To save a few more calories, I used 1% milk in this recipe for a lower fat content. I used Sweet Italian style turkey sausage links in this recipe but you could substitute chicken sausage if you prefer. One 3-ounce turkey sausage link used in this recipe contains 140 calories, 8 grams of fat (2 grams saturated), and 16 grams of protein.
To prepare the recipe, the turkey sausages should be cooked in a skillet first. The same skillet will be used to saute the vegetables.
After the sausages have cooled a bit, slice them and add in with the cooked veggies.
Make a fun pile of freshly grated cheese and then…. 
Toss the cheese into a mixing bowl with the bread, veggies, and sausage.
Spread this heavenly mixture into an even layer in a casserole dish and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. 
Savory Turkey Sausage & Kale Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 6 cups stale french bread cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 9 ounces turkey sausage links I used Sweet Italian style links
- 2 cups kale finely chopped
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 1/2 ounces grated white cheddar cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup 1% milk
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- 2. In a large skillet, cook turkey sausage links over medium-low heat. Cook sausage until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F and no pink remains inside. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside to cool slightly.
- 3. Using the same skillet, saute the kale, shiitake mushrooms, onions, garlic, and thyme over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- 4. Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl and add cooked vegetables. Cut the turkey sausage links into 1/4 inch slices and add to mixing bowl. Add the grated cheese to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour the bread and vegetable mixture into the casserole dish and spread into an even layer.
- 5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and black pepper. Pour mixture evenly over the bread and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes so bread can absorb liquid. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and no more liquid remains. Serve immediately.
Is there a classic dish you love but wish it could be made healthier? Leave me a comment below or submit it through my contact page! I’d be happy to offer some suggestions, and maybe it will even inspire a post here on the blog!
On another note, I’ve joined the Yummly world and you’ll now find the Yum button on my recipes and in the social share buttons, so you can easily add them to your recipe box! Wondering what in the world is Yummly?
Yummly is a virtual recipe box that allows you to add recipes from all over the internet! You can separate recipes into categories for easy archiving and personalize it based on your taste and dietary preferences. So if you dislike beets {this girl} but want to see lots of Thai recipes, let Yummly know and they’ll suggest recipes that fit your needs!
I hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween weekend 🙂