Mushroom Gruyere Savory Bread Pudding (Low FODMAP)

60 Minutes prep • 40 Minutes cook • Low FODMAP • Serves 8 • Ok to make ahead: Steps 1-2

Bread pudding is comfort food at its finest. It can be influenced by many different herbs, seasonings, and cheeses but this version, loaded with leek greens, gruyere cheese, and mushrooms, is really special. Swap this out for the stuffing at your next turkey dinner and your guests are sure to be impressed. This delicious bread pudding makes a wonderful side dish so don’t wait for a holiday to make it! This recipe uses “real” sourdough bread—which is bread that is well-tolerated by most people who have IBS. See recipe notes for more about sourdough bread and the Low FODMAP diet.

Ingredients

6 cups ½-inch bread cubes cut from real sourdough bread, crusts removed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon salted butter

2 ounces pancetta, chopped

4 cups leek greens, sliced (about 4 leeks)

1 1/2 pounds oyster mushrooms, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 extra-large eggs (or 5 medium-large eggs)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream or lactose-free whole milk (or a combination of the two)

1 cup Gourmend low FODMAP chicken stock (use code IBSGC15 for 15% discount)

1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (about 8 ounces), divided

Directions

(1) Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2½ to 3-quart gratin dish (or standard cake pan 13 x 9 x 2 inches) and set aside. Remove crusts and cut the sourdough bread into small cubes. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Spread the bread cubes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.

(2) Cook the leaks and mushrooms: Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in your largest sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, until it starts to brown. Add the leek greens and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the greens are tender. Stir in the mushrooms, thyme, sherry, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.

(3) Prepare filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream or milk, chicken stock, and 1/2 of the Gruyère cheese. Add the bread cubes, stirring well to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 20 - 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid. Gently toss the mixture every 5 - 10 minutes. After the mushroom mixture has cooled somewhat, add that to the bread cube mixture. Stir well and pour into the prepared gratin dish or cake pan.

(4) Bake: Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 of the grated Gruyère and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is browned and the custard is set.

(5) Plate and serve: Sprinkle with additional fresh thyme. Serve hot alongside your savory main course and a side salad.

Eat and enjoy every bite because you can!

Recipe note: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt in all my recipes because it has a wonderful flat and crisp flake that tastes delicious. It is also the least salty salt available so you can use it more liberally as a seasoning than you can table salt or sea salt. If you use another type of salt, you may need to reduce the amount so it is not over-salted. 

Notes about sourdough bread:

The process of making real sourdough bread renders it extremely tolerable for those of us with IBS.

I always recommend my clients try real sourdough for themselves (meaning it is made without yeast and without added vinegar that would “mimic” sourdough bread). According to Monash University, the levels of fructans (from the oligosaccharide FODMAP group) are reduced during the sourdough fermentation process. This is because the yeasts ferment the fructans during the natural leavening process while the bread rises. Typically the dough should be allowed to prove for around 12 hours to reduce the fructans as much as possible (which is why I recommend sourdough made in the traditional way).

Sourdough bread (as long as it’s traditionally made) is a far better solution than gluten-free bread because it has so few ingredients and is low in FODMAPs.

I do recommend no bread while you are on a FODMAP elimination diet. But once you’ve done that work and you know your tolerances, then you can introduce real sourdough bread and see how you handle it.

I recommend starting with the simplest sourdough with just wheat flour before branching out to try sourdough pumpernickel or sourdough rye bread. Your body is the best judge of what you personally tolerate.

Commercially available real sourdough includes San Luis Sourdough and Beckman’s Old World Sourdough. Whole Foods carries a seeded sourdough loaf from As Kneaded bakery that is quite wonderful. Other sourdough breads from As Kneaded and other traditional bakers are also delicious. Just ask the baker or check the list of ingredients to be sure you are getting “real” sourdough bread.

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