Buttery Crab Bread Pudding

Buttery Crab Bread Pudding – one of the most irresistible dishes ever. Made with crab, butter, bread, cream, gruyere cheese, Italian herbs and fresh parsley to name a few ingredients.

Buttery Crab Bread Pudding baked and warm


We’ve all had crab, crab cakes, crab dip. But I’m here to say this buttery crab bread pudding take the cake on all things crab. It is incredible.

Can you use imitation crab?

I would use real crab for this, not imitation crab. You want nice lump crab for this dish because it’s so present in the taste of dish. So you can really tell if it’s fake crab. I typically get my lump crab from Costco. But it’s carried at most grocery stores too.

Can you make the crab bread pudding ahead of time?

Yes! You can prep it all the way up to just before baking the night before and refrigerate it overnight. Then bake it right before you are ready to serve it.

If you like your bread on the drier side, I would keep the egg mixture separate and then pour it over the bread right before baking.

Do you eat it warm or cold?

I like it served warm! But you can definitely serve it at room temperature if you are taking it a party.

Finished buttery crab bread pudding in a baking dish

What to serve with this buttery crab bread pudding?

If you’re serving it for dinner – these hasselback potatoes would be great with it! Or this lemon kale parmesan salad.

This crab pudding would also be perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch. Make it along with this hashbrown casserole and fruit salad. Maybe some mimosas too? YUM.

Buttery Crab Bread Pudding

One of the most irresistible dishes ever. Made with crab, butter, bread, cream, gruyere cheese, Italian herbs and fresh parsley to name a few ingredients.
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Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces lump crabmeat
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped chives
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (plus more for greasing the dish)
  • 1 (24-inch) day-old french bread loaf, cut into 3/4-inch slices
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 2 cups shredded gruyere cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish – or whatever dish you want to use that fits your sliced bread with not too much room left over on the sides.
  • In a separate bowl mix together lump crabmeat with the Italian seasoning, parsley, chives, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning and cayenne pepper.
  • Season with salt and black pepper.
  • Butter each baguette slice and stand up the slices in the prepared baking dish. Spoon and tuck the crab mixture evenly between the slices of bread.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with the milk, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread and let stand for 10 minutes.
  • Top with the gruyere cheese.
  • Bake the bread pudding for 30-35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.