Jump to recipeSide Dish · Casserole

Wild Mushroom and Gruyère Bread Pudding

Toasted country bread, browned wild mushrooms, thyme, and Gruyère bake together in a savory custard with a crisp, bronzed top.

A browned slice of mushroom and Gruyère bread pudding shows bread cubes held in a creamy savory custard.

This casserole is built around contrast: sturdy bread keeps its shape, mushrooms bring concentrated savory flavor, and cream and eggs bind them into a tender center. Toasting the bread and cooking the mushrooms until their moisture is gone are the two steps that keep the finished pudding from turning soft or watery.

Start with dry, sturdy bread

Day-old country bread has enough structure to absorb egg custard while still holding distinct pieces. A brief toast dries the cut surfaces further, so the bread softens evenly instead of dissolving around the edges.

Brown the mushrooms before seasoning

Give mixed wild mushrooms room in the skillet and let their released liquid evaporate before adding shallot, garlic, and thyme. The shift from steaming to sizzling is the cue that concentrated mushroom flavor can develop without carrying excess water into the custard.

Toasted bread, browned wild mushrooms, thyme, and grated Gruyère are being combined before the custard is poured. — Golden mushrooms and toasted bread are folded with Gruyère before the custard is added.

Let the custard reach every layer

Eggs, cream, milk, Dijon, and a small amount of nutmeg make a savory custard that supports the mushrooms without masking them. Pressing the bread gently into the liquid and letting it rest gives the center time to hydrate before baking.

Plan the bake around serving

The dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours, making it useful for a meal that needs oven time later. Bake it straight from cold with an extra 10-15 minutes, and use the center's set texture and thermometer reading alongside the browned top to judge doneness.

A close view shows browned Gruyère edges and mushroom slices beside the soft custard interior. — The finished top is bronzed while the custard holds the bread and mushrooms in a tender slice.

Wild Mushroom and Gruyère Bread Pudding

8 side-dish servings

125 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 lb sturdy day-old country bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 lb mixed wild mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère, divided
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

Heat the oven and toast bread
Heat the oven to 350 F. Toss the bread cubes with olive oil, spread them on a baking sheet, and toast until dry at the edges but not deeply browned.
Look for: The bread feels dry on the surface and still has a little give in the center.
Prepare the baking dish
Use 1 tbsp of the butter to coat the base and sides of a large oven-safe baking dish, reaching into the corners so the custard will release cleanly.
Look for: A thin, even butter film covers the bottom and corners of the dish.
Brown the mushrooms
Melt 3 tbsp butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in uncrowded batches and cook until their released moisture evaporates and the slices take on deep golden edges.
Look for: The skillet no longer has liquid pooling beneath the mushrooms, and their edges are browned.
Season the mushroom mixture
Lower the heat to medium, add the shallot, garlic, thyme, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper, and stir until the shallot softens and the garlic smells fragrant without coloring.
Look for: The shallot is translucent and the thyme and garlic smell fragrant, not toasted.
Whisk the savory custard
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth, then whisk in the heavy cream, whole milk, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt until evenly combined.
Look for: The custard is uniform, with no streaks of egg white or mustard.
Combine bread and mushrooms
Let the mushroom mixture cool briefly, then toss it with the toasted bread and 1 cup of the Gruyère so the browned mushrooms and cheese are distributed throughout.
Look for: Mushrooms and cheese are scattered through the bread rather than gathered in one pocket.
Soak and top the pudding
Transfer the bread mixture to the buttered dish and pour the custard evenly over it, pressing the top gently so the cubes absorb liquid. Rest for 20 minutes, then scatter the remaining Gruyère over the surface. For make-ahead preparation, cover and refrigerate the assembled dish for up to 24 hours; bake it cold with an extra 10-15 minutes.
Look for: The bread has absorbed custard throughout, while a few top edges remain above the surface.
Bake until set and browned
Bake uncovered at 350 F until the center is set, the top is browned, and the center registers 160 F; begin checking around 35 minutes, with 35-40 minutes typical. If baking straight from the refrigerator, allow an extra 10-15 minutes, and loosely shield the top with foil if it browns before the center sets.
Look for: The center barely jiggles, the top is bronzed, and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 F.
Rest and finish
Let the bread pudding rest for 15 minutes so the custard settles, then scatter parsley over the browned top and serve warm from the oven-safe dish.
Look for: The cut edges hold their shape after resting, and parsley stays bright on the warm surface.