Savory Seafood Bread Pudding

When we think of bread pudding, we tend to think of a sweet dessert topped with an even sweeter sauce, at least in the United States. Believe me, that is a very good thought too, and very tasty. In the United States, most people are only familiar with the sweet versions of bread pudding. But that is NOT the only kind of bread pudding out there. In other parts of the world, savory bread puddings are for more popular. Savory bread pudding is a close cousin to stuffing or dressing, depending on where you live in the States. In fact, bread pudding originated as a savory dish made with meats or seafood and vegetables. It was a main meal for the poor, and a side dish for the more affluent.

Bread puddings have been around since the 11th century, and were very popular all throughout Europe. They became very popular when people were trying to find ways of extending the life of their leftover stale bread. It became known as “poor man’s pudding” because of the scarcity of food at the time, with the pudding being made only with boiling water, sugar, and spices. It became a popular dish because people could not afford to throw anything away and food had to be kept and used for as long as possible.

I like to cook a savory version of bread pudding with spinach and artichoke hearts. I never thought of adding seafood before, until I was thumbing through recipes trying to find some inspiration for dinner and came across an idea for a seafood stuffing or seafood bread pudding. That was it! The light bulb went off and I was going to make it. As with anything, there are many different styles and recipes, but I just used one that is tried and true for me, and added some krab (krab is “fake” crab, usually made with pollack fish).

Savory Seafood Bread Pudding

This delicious dish can be eaten on its own or served along side your favorite entree. You can add shrimp and/or scallops too if you like, or keep it simple, and just use crab, or krab. You can also add your favorite kind of cheese too.

Preheat the oven to 375-400* F or 191-204*C.

Spray a deep baking dish with cooking spray

1 loaf day-old or stale bread of any kind, cut into cubes

2 cans chicken broth

1 package krab, cubed

salt & pepper to taste

1 can artichoke quarters, drained and rinsed

1 TBSP garlic

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

3 cups spinach, stemmed and chopped

1/2 onion, diced

4-5 eggs, beaten

olive oil

Saute the spinach, bell pepper and garlic in a very hot skillet with olive oil and/or butter for about 2-3 minutes, or until the onions become translucent and the spinach begins to wilt.

Combine everything together with the bread cubes and mix together thoroughly.

Add the chicken broth and eggs, and cheese if using, and firmly press everything down, making sure the bread soaks up the liquid. Add to the prepared baking dish, and press firmly into the dish.

Cover in foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue to bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the top begins to crust over and is lightly golden. Serve with whatever you like and enjoy.

I served mine along side some turkey breast cooked in a light tomato vinaigrette and roasted carrots, with a dry white wine on the side. It was a perfect combination. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.