This savory bread pudding is the perfect leftover ham recipe! With about a cup of ham, you can make a cheesy casserole that everyone will love and it serves 4!
With just a handful of ingredients, you'll turn to this ham and cheese bread pudding every time you have any leftover ham! Kid friendly and adults love it too!
When I have leftover ham, there are usually three things I do with it: ham fried rice, this bread pudding, and then a bean soup with the hambone.
I am not adventuresome with it comes to leftover ham. I have found what works and I am sticking with it.
I have been making this savory bread pudding since 2004 when I first saw it in that year's Cooking Light Annual. I make a few modifications, which I'll note in the ingredient list, but once you get the formula down, it's so easy to make variations.
Ingredients:
Green onions - can use regular onions or even substitute some chives for part of the onions.
Ham - leftover diced ham or you can even buy some deli ham.
Bread - the original recipe calls for Hawaiian Bread Rolls, which is so good. However, I usually use whatever leftover bread I have available. This time I used a rye bread for a different twist on the flavor.
Eggs and Milk - the original recipe calls for fat free milk and egg substitute, I use full fat milk and regular eggs.
Swiss Cheese - you can substitute your favorite cheese. This is also good with smoked gouda or fontina!
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350.
Place the bread crumbs on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, turning occasionally for about 15 minutes.
In a skillet over medium high heat, spray a little cooking spray or use a drizzle of olive oil.
Saute the onions, ham and garlic for about 5 minutes, to soften the onions and infuse the garlic flavor. Let cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Add the bread cubes, tossing them to coat.
Coat an 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add half of the ham and bread mixture.
Top with half of the shredded cheese.
Scoop the rest of the ham and bread mixture on top.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and bake for 20 more minutes.
This bread pudding is so good! Cheesy and warm.
As I mentioned above this is super easy to modify, just by changing the cheese or the bread, you can make it your own.
Serve this with Green Beans with Gremolata and an Herb Salad.
Recipe
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Ham and Cheese Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups onion chopped
- 3/4 cup ham diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 7 ounces Hawaiian bread 1/2 inch cubed
- 1 3/4 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup Swiss cheese shredded, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- While oven preheats, spray a skillet with cooking spray and over medium high heat, saute the ham, garlic and onions for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown, turning occasionally.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the ham mixture and the bread cubes and stir to combine.
- Spray an 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add half the ham and bread mixture. Sprinkle half of the cheese over it. Top with the rest of the ham mixture.
- Bake for 25 minutes, top with the rest of the cheese and bake for 20 minutes more.
Notes
Equipment
Video
Nutrition
This was originally published in 2013 and has been updated for 2021.
That's brilliant. I need to make this. When I opened my email this morning I saw your post dellivered and knew I liked the sound of this meal.
We are always looking for ways to use up leftover ham! This is such a great idea, I'm bookmarking!
My husband would not stop raving about how delicious this was! Definitely making it again and again.
I'll be making this for my daughter over the weekend and I'm sure she'll love it! Such a great way to give ham & cheese a little facelift!
Oh wow! This looks so amazing and very delicious! My family is going to love this recipe! So excited to give this a try!
What a delicious savoury bread pudding -- the perfect way to use up leftover ham! My kids would love it!
uh, yum! this makes me actually want leftover ham!
Best use for leftover ham I've seen - sounds delicious. I love savory bread puddings.
Sure, NOW you post this now that I am out of ham 😉
I'm not fond of sweet bread puddings - but I love savory.... And ham and cheese with anything!
This looks absolutely delicious, unfortunately for me both hams I cooked over Easter were away from home and I didn't bring any leftovers back with me or I might try this.
Mmmmmm...ham bone soup. Luckily there is a bone in the freezer waiting to be transformed. This savoury pudding would be popular at my place but there is never any leftover ham. Must try it anyway.
It's nice to have a go-to for leftover ham. On the rare instances when we have any, it ends up in omelets and eggs.
Leftover ham always thwarts me, too. I needed a savory bread casserole, and this is perfect! Hope you have a warm and wonderful weekend. It's still cold in mid TN, but the sun is shining, so I won't complain. xxoo
Mmmmm...the perfect comfort food. Wish I had some ham.
This looks delicious-I have some ham left that I put in the freezer, so think I'll try your recipe. Thanks!
This looks delicious!
I had very little ham left over this year, but I chopped it up and threw it in with scrambled eggs. Perfect. And I always save the shank bone for split pea soup (not that anybody is in the mood for soup anymore where I am...80 degrees, hello)
I wish I had some leftover ham to give this a try. Sounds really good Pam.
I love a good savory bread pudding!! Such a good use of that leftover ham.