Italian-style Breakfast Bread Pudding

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

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and set it aside. In a medium skillet, melt a little butter over medium-high heat, then add chopped onions, green and red bell peppers, some black pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Cook everything, stirring often, until the veggies are soft and fragrant—about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in some fresh parsley, then take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool.

Step 2

Heat another skillet over medium and cook the sausage until it’s browned and cooked through, around 5 to 7 minutes. Drain it on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess grease. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, milk, half-and-half, Italian seasoning, and a bit more salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss in cubed bread and let it soak for about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Once the bread has absorbed the egg mixture, stir in the cooked sausage, some crispy bacon, the sautéed veggies, cheddar cheese, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Mix everything well, then pour it into your prepared baking dish. Cover it with foil and pop it in the oven. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes until it’s mostly set.

Step 4

While that’s baking, mix together the remaining bread crumbs, Parmesan, melted butter, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl. When the pudding is almost done, take it out, remove the foil, and sprinkle this crumb topping evenly over the surface. Turn the oven up to 375°F (190°C) and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes or so, until it’s puffed up, golden on top, and fully set in the middle.

Step 5

Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to let everything settle and make slicing easier. Enjoy!