Challah Bread Pudding Herby Gruyere Creamed Spinach

Challah bread pudding. It's time to upgrade your Thanksgiving stuffing with this herby gruyere creamed spinach challah bread pudding. Basically two Thanksgiving sides thrown into one baking dish with lots of cheese. I don't see anything wrong with that.

There is only one day left before Thanksgiving and I am prepared! Probably because my only job is to make desserts. I am making a chocolate pie, pumpkin bread with tea soaked raisins (will be on the blog soon) and my Slice and Bake Butter Pecan Cookies, which are on the blog already! We won't have a big crowd since my brother and his girlfriend weren't able to fly in due to the wild snow storm we got on Tuesday. There will only be 4 of us, but we still needed 3 desserts, you know? Options are my favorite!

This recipe isn't anything fancy, but using challah bread as opposed to our classic bread for stuffing/bread pudding is sure to be an upgrade. The thing with this recipe is you don't need day old bread, but you can certainly use it! This is not a mushy challah bread pudding recipe, rather the challah takes on the flavors of the fresh tarragon, creamed spinach and gruyere.

I know not everyone is a huge fan of tarragon, but it is one of my favorite herbs. If you don't have access to it or don't care for it, feel free to switch it out for chopped chives! Challah, creamed spinach, fresh herbs and lots of gruyere cheese, I mean what could be bad? This recipe is simple, the only thing that takes time is thawing out the spinach. When squeezing out the spinach liquid, be sure to use a kitchen towel you don't care about or paper towels, because they will turn green!

It's basically a meal on its own!

HOW TO MAKE CHALLAH BREAD PUDDING?

Thaw and squeeze out your spinach until super dry. Cook shallots in butter until fragrant and softened. Add garlic and tarragon to help marry all of the flavors. Add spinach, cream cheese, and spices. Set creamed spinach mixture aside to cool. Whisk together almond milk, eggs, spices and dijon. Whisk creamed spinach in a little at a time so the eggs reach the same temperature. Then whisk it together completely. Arrange your challah in your baking dish and alternate creamed spinach mixture with cheese, ending with cheese on top!

You will let this refrigerate and then bake off. It's so easy!

CAN CHALLAH BREAD PUDDING BE MADE IN ADVANCE?

YEP! You can make it a few hours ahead or a few days ahead. This can be assembled a few hours ahead of time and kept in the fridge and bake off as normal. You can also make a few days ahead by prepping all of the components up to step 5 in the instructions. This can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to make, combine creamed spinach and egg mixture and follow the steps from there. Another tip is to put frozen fridge in the fridge the night before to thaw and then squeeze liquid out!

This easy savory challah bread pudding will be your new Thanksgiving stuffing and totally upgrade the table with something new, fun and fresh. And don't skimp on the gruyere!
Happy eating!

OTHER THANKSGIVING GOODIES:

• Chocolate Pumpkin Pecan Pie Cinnamon Rolls (Dairy Free)
• Red Win Braised Short Ribs with Pomegranate Molasses 
• Vegan Pecan Caramel Pear Ginger Chocolate Upside Down Cake
• Spiced Maple Glazed Apple and Whipped Feta Tart
• Roasted Cauliflower with Dates, Herbs and Lemon Tahini Dressing

If you make herby gruyere creamed spinach challah bread puddings please let me know by leaving a rating/review below! And make sure to sign up for emails so you never miss a new recipe and follow along on my Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more About to Sprout goodness!

Recipe

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4.50 from 2 votes

Challah Bread Pudding Herby Creamed Spinach and Gruyere

Fluffy challah bread, cozy herbs, creamed spinach, and loads of Gruyere cheese gives classic stuffing a twist. Upgrading your favorite holiday side dish with this challah bread pudding. Make this the day of or prep in advance, for easy holiday entertaining.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Active Time50 minutes mins

Fridge/Resting Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bread Pudding, Challah, Holiday Breakfast, Side Dish, Thanksgiving Side Dish

Servings: 8

Author: rylee

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 1 large package challah sliced or diced
• 32 oz. frozen spinach thawed and squeezed out dry YOU CAN THAW THE NIGHT BEFORE IN FRIDGE
• 3 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
• ⅓ cup shallots chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• ¼ cup fresh tarragon chopped
• 7 oz. cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt + more for egg mixture
• ¼ teaspoon. red pepper
• good crack of black pepper + more for egg mixture + more for egg mixture
• 1 ¼ cups almond milk room temp
• 5 large eggs room temp
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 ½ cups gruyere cheese shredded

Instructions

• Thaw spinach and wring out with paper towel until very dry
• Arrange bread slices in a greased 9x13 baking dish (can be smaller too)
• In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add butter and shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes
• Add garlic and tarragon and cook another 20 seconds then add spinach, cream cheese, seasonings and mix until well combined and allow creamed spinach mixture to cool almost completely
• In a large bowl combine almond milk, eggs, dijon mustard
• Begin by whisking creamed spinach a little at a time so the egg mixture reaches the same temperature without the eggs scrambling. Then whisk it in completely.
• Pour half of the mixture over challah, then add half of the cheese
• Pour the other half of mixture, then the rest of the cheese
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes and preheat oven to 350F
• Remove from fridge and bake for 40-50 minutes.

Notes

To make a few hours ahead: This can be assembled a few hours ahead of time and kept in the fridge and bake off as normal.

To make a up to 3 days ahead: You can also make a few days ahead by prepping all of the components up to step 5 (keep the creamed spinach and egg mixture separate) in the instructions. This can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to make, combine creamed spinach and egg mixture and follow the steps from there.
To make it extra quick the day of, thaw your spinach out in the fridge the night before and then squeeze liquid out!